There was a Korean family preparing to move to Fort Myers.

Since they had a child, they prioritized looking at schools over houses, thinking that being near a school with a high GreatSchools score would definitely be a good choice.

However, upon further investigation, they found it wasn't that simple.

For example, Three Oaks Elementary School is rated 8 by GreatSchools and has quite good math scores.

About 80% of students meet the standards in math, which is higher than the Florida average.

That said, not all schools in the Fort Myers area have scores around 8.

Fort Myers High School and North Fort Myers High School are at a level of 6, while Fort Myers Middle Academy has a score of 2, showing a significant difference.

Here's an important point: just because an elementary school has a good score doesn't mean that the child will automatically attend a middle school and high school with high scores later on.

Also, it's easy to think of GreatSchools scores like 8 or 6 as simply rankings based on test scores, but in reality, they consider multiple factors.

To explain simply, the first factor is how well students are currently performing, the second is how much students' abilities have improved over time, and the third, for high schools, is how well prepared students are for college.

For instance, if a school has average test scores but students are improving rapidly each year, the academic growth score could be high.

Conversely, if test scores are high but there isn't much improvement among students, a different evaluation might result.

In high school, AP courses are also important. You can think of AP as a program where high school students study college-level subjects in advance.

There's also a system called Dual Enrollment, where students earn college credits while attending high school.

Therefore, it's advisable not to look at just the overall school score but also to consider how diverse the AP courses are and whether there are opportunities to earn college credits early.

Another thing to keep in mind is the academic gap among students. The extent of score differences between different student groups is also considered in school evaluations.

Ultimately, just because a school has an 8 rating on GreatSchools doesn't mean everything about it is at that level.

Math may be excellent, but reading could be relatively average, and while test scores are high, academic growth might show differently.

When looking for a home, there's a more critical issue: you shouldn't rely solely on the schools listed on Zillow or real estate sites. Even if neighborhoods look similar, the assigned school can vary based on the address. It's essential to verify which school is assigned by the school district using the actual home address.

And if you have elementary school-aged children, it's better not to stop at just checking elementary schools.

If you plan to live in this house long-term, you should also consider which middle and high schools your child might attend.

When searching for a home, it seems wise to look at not just the school score but also test scores, recent score changes, academic growth, AP or college preparation programs, and the school assignments based on the actual address.

A home is not something you can easily move from after a few years. Rather than deciding based on a single 8 score prominently displayed on the school's website, it's important to check what that 8 score encompasses.

Especially if you're moving to Fort Myers from another state, you need to consider not only home prices and school districts but also hurricane risks and homeowners insurance costs.

Ultimately, choosing a good home means looking not just at the house itself but also at your child's school and the monthly living expenses involved.