Greatschools.org reviews? Is it the best school rating website?

I’m moving to a NYC suburb next year, and the quality of the school system will determine whether I choose Westchester, Long Island, or New Jersey, as well as the specific town or city. I have a 6-year-old who is currently in 1st grade.

Is greatschools.org the best resource to find a good school district? What are some other resources I can use as an alternative or supplement?

I’ve heard that GreatSchools can be flawed, but I assume that if the rating is 8 or higher, it’s safe to assume the school is good. If it’s less than 8, could the rating be affected by bias even if the school is good, or does it indeed indicate that the school might not be great?

3 Likes

Sites that rate schools are so fake that it would be better to check the district’s average income instead. It is difficult to determine which schools are good. Find some parents whose children attended and find out what they thought about it. The school is not as essential as who you are. Find out what kind of programs they provide, such as arts, second languages, and play time.

1 Like

To be really honest, a high median household income in your community is the best measure of the state of the school system.

1 Like

When I was a student there, GS ratings of one institution would frequently include reviews of another that shared the same name, such ABC institution and ABS College. A+ schooling was the norm at mine. The other, maybe a C+, wasn’t. Consequently, my school’s GS ratings were unreliable.