Shrewsbury Education Makes the Grade
by Maribeth Lynch, Thrive Real Estate Specialists
Last month, just before students around the country headed back to school, Newsweek published a list of this year’s top public high schools in the U.S. The magazine collected data about which schools turn out students who are best prepared for college, assessing variables such as graduation rates, test scores, percentage of students bound for college following high school, and school poverty rates.
Newsweek partnered with research firm Westat to collect information from more than 16,200 schools around the country before coming up with a “short list” of about 4,800 schools with the highest levels of college readiness. The magazine’s final cut included only the top 500 public high schools around the nation. I’m proud to say that a number of high schools in Massachusetts made the list. And of that top 500, Shrewsbury High School was ranked 128.
With a student retention rate of 99% and a graduation rate of 98.7%, Newsweek reports that 96.2% of students who graduate from Shrewsbury High School are bound for college.
As the parent of three Shrewsbury High School graduates, I am delighted to learn just how top-notch Shrewsbury education is considered on a nationwide scale. Shrewsbury High’s ranking on this list sends the message that Shrewsbury values education, invests in our students’ learning, and provides a pathway to continuing education at the college level.
As icing on the cake, I did a little comparison to check into the value of that quality education that Shrewsbury students receive. There were seven Massachusetts towns with high schools ranking above Shrewsbury High on Newsweek’s list. The average tax bills for those towns are as follows:
Dover: $13,295 (#16)
Medfield: $9,954 (#52)
Weston: $17,832 (#54)
Newton: $10,091(#67)
Westwood: $9,999 (#75)
Hopkinton: $8,885 (#93)
Hingham: $8,679 (#115)
Meanwhile, the average Shrewsbury tax bill is an astonishing $5,030 – dramatically lower than all of the other high schools in the state with high rankings. For the money that Shrewsbury homeowners are paying, the quality of the education that Shrewsbury students receive is second to none. Shrewsbury’s talented educators are able to do less with more, and it reflects on a national level. Kudos to all of those who are involved in managing our town’s budget – these results don’t occur without a high degree of attention to every detail.
To me, nothing says community commitment better than the quality of a town’s education. A dedication to education results in critical thinkers – the young adults who cultivate a passion for changing the face of the future, and who are ultimately the achievers of the next generation.
Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” And we’re fostering that motivation to change the world right here in Shrewsbury.
To read the full article visit: http://www.newsweek.com/high-schools/americas-top-high-schools-2015
To learn more about the Shrewsbury school system click here.
To learn more about buying a home in Shrewsbury Ma, give Maribeth a call/text at 508-641-9323 or email her at maribeth@thriverealtors.com
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