Photo Credit: Sivan Veazie
We love to tout Scottsdale on this blog, and there are many reasons why. We don’t have to tell you the reasons why it is such a popular national (and sometimes international) vacation destination. It has also become a burgeoning hotspot for jobs as well. And while we don’t often tout our educational system as one of the reasons why our city is world-class, others seem to be noticing.
In a recent survey of 3,000 people related to desirability of school districts, Scottsdale Unified School District made the top 10 in the nation of “most envied” school districts, sitting at number 10 out of 250 school districts.
According to Test Prep which conducted the survey, “Chaparral High is celebrated for its high academic achievements, comprehensive AP curriculum, and outstanding extracurricular programs. The school’s success is supported by a well-engaged community in Scottsdale. Known for its strong academic program, including an International Baccalaureate (IB) program, Desert Mountain also boasts a vibrant arts scene and competitive sports.”
For the sake of being objective and balanced, this survey is the height of subjectivity. Unlike various surveys that rank Scottsdale highly nationally for a number of different concrete metrics, or at least relatively subjective but stated metrics, this doesn’t seem to have any hard metrics as much as how people feel. That said, the reasons they list are not at all incorrect, so while not scientific by nature, we also can’t deny it.
To balance out this ranking with something more concrete, we checked out niche.com, that helps parents find the right schools for their children. Overall, they rank SUSD as an A, with academics, activities and college prep earning an A rating, and the lowest ranking for administration at a B. They consider it the 4th best school district in Arizona, and out of 109 rankings from parents within the district, over 80% rank it as above average or excellent.
While the Scottsdale Unified School District has come under fire in some ways, some a result of Covid-era antics and inflamed passions and some mistakes by leadership, it is good to keep things in context. While imperfect, they’ve helped set a standard not just in our state but also nationally. So while being engaged and airing legitimate grievances is healthy and good for us, it’s important to keep in mind that things are still quite good. Let’s not lose the forest for the trees.