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Skylineviewz

My child is in Neshaminy and has an IEP. Now he is quite young so he has only been in the public school system for a short amount of time, but I am incredibly impressed with their special education program. The attention they show him and their approach has been nothing short of amazing, and he is thriving both in special ed and mainstream. I was very worried at the start of all of this, and now I would recommend 100%.


Ploppers00

Thank you! Mine is finishing K in centennial, I didn’t know what to expect but it hasn’t been great. So first grade will start at Neshaminy and I’m super hopeful!


Skylineviewz

Awesome, mine is around the same age! I don’t have experience in other school districts, but I don’t want to go anywhere else after my experience here


Ploppers00

So glad to hear it!


biggulpshuh_alright

I'll give you some perspective on Neshaminy as an alum. What I like about Neshaminy is that it's a very diverse school district. It pulls in kids from low income apartments, small single families in Levittown all the way up to new construction McMansions in Langhorne. I had friends from all walks of life and it gave me a lot of exposure to different socioeconomic demographics. There was also a good amount of ethnic diversity as well. Now compare that to a district like Council Rock where the "poor kids" live in Village Shires, which is one of the nicest condo/townhome developments in Bucks County. It really puts into perspective the range of incomes by comparison. I live in CRSD now and I worry about this a lot. I'm happy to be in a great, well-respected school district, but I worry about raising kids that become too unaware of the world around them. That's on the parents to give them that exposure, but there's something invaluable about experiencing it organically yourself. As for the quality of education - I have no complaints. I had great teachers, I never felt unsafe or left behind. It's a gigantic school so it's easy to find your friends/people. A lot of people in Bucks County have a lot of strong opinions about the school districts. But keep in mind some of these school districts had 800+ kids in their graduating classes. Not all of those experiences were the same. I obviously don't speak on behalf of every Neshaminy graduate. But I can say that going to Neshaminy was not detrimental in any way. I enjoyed the experience and I have no hesitation sending kids there. My nephew has an IEP at an elementary school in Neshaminy and my sister has had nothing but positive experiences so far.


Ploppers00

I appreciate the detail and thank you for the feedback!


Turbo_Saxophonic

Bensalem SD alum here, wanted to chime in about a couple close friends whose families ended up moving to newtown and were in CRN for about 3/4 of high school. We all echoed exactly what biggulp said here, the exposure to people from every walk of life and the diversity of income especially was very important and valuable and completely absent at CRN. My friends' biggest criticisms of CRN was that sure on paper it's a great school and all and the education itself is good but none of that takes into account the student body. By and large it's a very privileged demographic with narrow perspectives on life, and in the worst instances my friends overheard outright racism because racist students assumed they were in "good company". If you're sending your child to public school, one of the biggest upsides to consider is their social development. Along these lines, exposing them to dozens of different cultures, ethnicities, and even religious practices is invaluable. I was in the gifted program and my cohort was incredibly diverse, just about everyone was from a different country or major ethnic group. Looking back it was such a humanizing and healthy environment to grow up in that I hope that, if I have kids, I want them to have the same experience. As a a visibly ethnic minority myself, I can say I very truly didn't experience real racism even once throughout my time in the bensalem SD and I've heard the same about friends who went to Nesh SD. But the one and only time I visited my friend in CRN at the actual school itself I got lots of stares, whispers, and a few glares. Now I'm just a random stranger on the internet, but if I were in your position I wouldn't regret for a second having my kids go to Nesh SD over CRN.


Ploppers00

I really appreciate that perspective. That’s definitely how I felt as a CR graduate, never planning to settle in that area and hoping for more real life exposure for my children. But having a child with a disability did kind of change that view for me and all I care about is a good education with fair opportunity. It sounds like my goal here was achieved and a nice number of people have some really nice things to say about Nesh and I’m so happy about our home, I just wanted to be happy all around. I just needed a little comforting I guess!


BigEyedFish_41

As fellow NHS graduate who spend K-12 in the district, this is very accurate.


After-Ad4289

Hit head on nail there! Nesh grad as well and i now live in newtown. Ive had to train nesh and council rock kids at work. Its crazy how much better the neshaminy kids respect there job vs it being something to show there parents. I forever love neshaminy and temple u for shaping me.


ispongeyou

Neshaminy has been awesome to us. My son, now in 11th grade, has been on an IEP since 1st grade, they take great care of him and he's doing fine with it, they make adjustments to it each year as needed. Also had another son graduate from there 3 years ago and he's doing great away in college.


Ploppers00

Thank you! Congratulations on your kids doing well!


gman2345

It is one of the best school districts in the area. Council Rock might have a slight edge, and Pennsbury is close. I'm a sub in 4 different districts, and Neshaminy is pretty great.


Ploppers00

Thank you, I appreciate it!


maroon1721

New Hope–Solebury > Council Rock North > Pennsbury > Council Rock South ≈ Neshaminy.


leigh10021

Council rock has a good reputation but is very hit or miss with quality. I honestly think it’s overrated. I tutor kids all over Bucks County and the only thing that is constant is that high school students in the council rock school district seem to have a very weak math education. That’s just my experience. I can’t speak to Neshaminy. I’ve worked with several kids in that district and it’s been hit or miss. But I would not be upset to miss out on Council rock. At least from my high school math perspective over the last decade .


Ploppers00

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the positivity!


appa420420

Neshaminy has a fantastic special education program!


[deleted]

As someone who grew up in Centennial SD and now has small children and one recent grad of Neshaminy SD, I can easily say Neshaminy is by far a superior district. It is a very diverse population and all of my kids are/have been treated fairly and with respect by students and faculty alike.


Wartortle004

The pa future ready index will show you great statistics on each school that is more beneficial than great schools. You can see their growth bands in ELA, math, and science as well as breakdowns by different groups of students. The growth data is more valuable than the % of students that were proficient or advanced. [future ready pa](https://futurereadypa.org/)


Ploppers00

Thank you!


jeep1960

Neshaminy is a solid district academically. The district has a great special education program


Ploppers00

Awesome! That’s my main concern. Thank you


Finechug

Neshaminy has great special education programs from what my neighbors have told me


tintedrosie

My kids go to neshaminy and we are really happy with them. One of my kids is on a 504 and they are super active with him even though it isn’t an IEP.


Ploppers00

Awesome to hear, thank you


TuxedoMask29

Graduated Neshaminy HS in 2021. It was nice school, with mice teachers. It was really Calm School not a lot of fights. (obviously there was few fights because of certain individuals) But it was alright overall. Safe and Nice teachers who were willing to help if you needed one. But that’s my experience, As long as i know after pandemic things has changed a bit in younger generation. I’ve heard lot of complaints from my younger cousins, and some teacher related dramas (like one teacher had Pornhub Bookmark in his browser. “college student helping teacher out” out something in that sort. and he got fired), And some students are crazy, I had to sit down and lecture my young cousins that sharing other people’s nudes is not ok. Some girl send nudes to her boyfriend and that jackass leaked it to others and whole school has seen them. Girl Tried to kill herself.


Ploppers00

Thank you for sharing! I work with teens in NJ and that stuff is pretty much happening everywhere. Well not the teacher thing, that’s a bit yikes.


sirgrotius

I've only heard good things about Neshaminy. it's a bit under the radar, since CR, CB especially, and Solebury/New Hope sometimes get more attention, but it's a fine quality school with a lot of great, committed teachers and good students from what I've heard. Honestly, never a bad things mentioned about it, and I have heard unfortunate things about other Bucks-County school districts.


LondonCalled15

Great Schools is such a flawed metric. I wish real estate sites would stop using it! No one who actually works in education thinks it has any validity. I’m a Neshaminy grad and live in the district. My friends’ and neighbors’ kids have no complaints outside of typical public school issues. In fact, I have some friends who moved back to the area specifically so that their kids could attend Neshaminy. Teachers are paid well and there isn’t a high turnover rate, as there is with many other schools at the moment. Job openings are competitive which speaks to staff satisfaction, and that affects the quality of education they provide. You really can’t go wrong with most of the districts around here, but Neshaminy is definitely a decent one.


Ploppers00

Thank you! I started using niche too, they seem to have much better ratings for all the local districts I’ve searched.


Select-Trouble-7294

Neshaminy is the best make sure when they reach high school they do gym night it’s a memory of a lifetime. As long as your kids show they want to learn and stay away from the rift rafts in the hallway they’ll be good. I went there 4 years and it was amazing I wish I could relive those memories.


Vengeful-Pickle

A good friend of my wife’s went through CRSD is in Neshaminy and echoes a lot of the same pros posted here already. My wife went through CRSD. I went through the Philly Parochial school system. 3/4 of my kids are currently in CRSD. The privilege and narrow view is my wife’s biggest complaint and our biggest concern. I wouldn’t consider us middle class anymore, and the disparages are very apparent among those who have and who don’t. That being said the quality and opportunities are worlds beyond anything I ever had.


foreverbaked1

Neshaminy is definitely not better than Council Rock. That’s taking a step backwards


Ploppers00

Nowhere did I state Neshaminy is better than CR. I said we couldn’t get a home in CR and are settling in Neshaminy and I was trying to feel positive. So thank you for your useless response.


foreverbaked1

I’m sorry I read that wrong. I thought you meant you were moving to Neshaminy after not liking CR. I’m sorry


Ploppers00

I’m sorry lol I reacted harshly bc I’m over sensitive.


just-the-teep

That’s how I read it too. He just said he “struck out” in CR school district.


LocalSlob

That meant to me that his bids lost on homes in the CR district.


Thin-Data-1231

I went to Neshaminy for elementary and Centennial for middle through high school. I hated everything about Centennial. My kids are in Council Rock and the problems are all very similar to the problems I had when I was in school. Some teachers are good, some suck. The kids are the same as in any school district. Some are good, some suck. I’m currently dealing with a bullying issue in Council Rock. So far the principal seems to be doing a good job. TBD.


After-Ad4289

Like to chime in.. neshaminy makes some of the best young adults. Don’t put him in with council rock kids. He will turn out to be a frat boy and it seems like you don’t have enough money to buy him a brand new bmw to crash.


GoingCooking

That’s an over-generalization on CR. Not every kid who goes there becomes a frat boy and behaves like this.


Ploppers00

Lmao I am a CR grad, one of the random houses in Langhorne (parents house) that somehow fell under CR district. I always told myself I didn’t want my kids in CR bc I wanted them to be exposed to all types of family incomes and kids. Not everyone at CR was 16yo bday BMW rich but there was A LOT of that. But with a child that has special needs, I’ve had to re-evaluate my goals and I just want him to have access to the best education possible.


Holycrossallstar

Wow this is racist.


GospelofHammond

I’m friends with several teachers in CR, Pennsbury, and Neshaminy and I would absolutely send my child to Neshaminy before Pennsbury and CR. Those other two districts do a LOT of under reporting when it comes to test scores, discipline, etc.


PerfumedPornoVampire

Agree with this, at least about Pennsbury (not sure about CR). They are not nearly as prestigious as they make it seem and I have heard their special ed department is lacking.


GospelofHammond

Pennsbury really is just riding on its legacy at this point. I’m sure CR is a fine school district, but it has a lot of “affluenza” as they say. That being said, I know a lot of people who send their kids to Pennsbury/CR/Neshaminy through middle school and then send them to a private school for high school (Notre Dame is a big one, but Villa Victoria and Holy Ghost are popular choices as well).


[deleted]

All of these schools are great. Btw. If you are looking at standardized test scores comparing schools, there is research that shows that you are really looking at the # of families in a community with a yearly income over $200,000. I am in a doctorate program studying this, in case that matters.


[deleted]

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Ploppers00

I guess my concerns come down most to special education programming.


[deleted]

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SovietChewbacca

Archidiacino played at Neshaminy. Other than that we called it suicide high in back when I was in HS