Hurley Elementary School

My daughter went here one year and was judged base on family background and not her knowledge. Very high scoring child but came home upset daily. Very bright and social child but when she went there she was different. She will not be returning , hopefully they don't make a habit of treating children like this . They are going to learn not to be judged.
--Submitted by a parent

My son has been going to Hurley school for 2.5 years (mainly 4th and 5th grade). The teachers he has had... while varied in totally different ways, were very good. Like most CA schools, they have to teach to standardized tests with little variation until April. The office staff is wonderful (to the parents and kids) and the principal is one of the most approachable and involved I've ever seen. Hurley does some fun fundraisers through the year but there is not a lot of enrichment type classes or clubs. Overall however, the children that attend Hurley seem bright, with a lot of good character traits and somewhat challenged. Hurley has great test scores and I'm so happy to have moved into this school district compared to the other schools I've researched in Visalia.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of 3 Hurley students, and I couldn't be happier! I disagree with several of the earlier reviews. My oldest child has participated in an after-school monthly GATE enrichment program throughout this year, and it has been a fantastic experience. My children's teachers are academically challenging, and yet they really seem to embrace each child's uniqueness. In addition, I am aware that many of the upper grade teachers run weekly after-school study sessions for their struggling students. The teachers and staff seem to have a lot of pride in their school, and I appreciate the positive tone that this sets for my own children!
--Submitted by a parent

Hurley Elementary has a LOT of potential. The district is mainly composed of highly educated parents. There is a large base of parental support for the school, financially and otherwise. Another positive is the schools music program for band and choir. It is nice that the children have a phys ed class as well. The negatives of this school are the lack of a GATE program. It pales in comparison to other local schools programs. There is no honor roll, nor are academic achievement/ improvement awards given. Character awards are not given.I have not observed any grouping of GATE students at Hurley. The children have no incentive to strive for their own academic excellence, even though test scores are a much hyped priority. The principal appears to have a vested interest in everyone being equal in every way, therefore not encouraging each child to recognize their individual gifts.
--Submitted by a parent

Hurley should consider making available - additional tutoring or after school program(s) to help our children of need with math and reading! There was absolutely no help for my son in any area of need last year!
--Submitted by a parent

Hurley is a good school with good academics overall. The teachers are good, although they lost a lot of talent when Oak Grove was created. There is an emphasis on arts and performance arts which is pretty neat. The technology at this school is far superior. I'm not thrilled with the remedial help. If your kid is doing well overall, I'd think this school would be excellent. Oh, and I'm not sure of what resource would be like at other schools, so this may be good in comparison to others.
--Submitted by a parent

I really like how Hurley integrates art and music into the school curriculum. So far the teachers have been good (some better than good) and the principal's response to issues have been great. I wish there were more extracurriculars available through the school but CA budget constraints are definitely an issue. There are a lot of computers though as this school was built to be technologically superior (back when there were funds). Special Ed services have been so-so in my opinion. They've had a lot of turnover in the last few years.
--Submitted by a parent

Hurley is an outstanding school. The principal stays very involved with prblem solving and academic growth and the teachers work very hard to have all children succeed. We have been very happy with our four years here!
--Submitted by a parent

Excellent school! We have had children attend Hurley for the past nine years and have no complaints. The staff and administration are concerned for each student and are open to working with parents to achieve the best possible educational opportunities and experiences for every student. My children received the preparation they needed to be successful as they moved into junior high and high school.
--Submitted by Cara Peterson, a parent