Schools in the suburbs of Austin (Round Rock, Pflugerville: neighborhood, middle school, prices)

[mrwumpus]

Originally Posted by Mom_Lim

We are thinking to move to the Austin suburbs from Northern Va. we have 3 kids and looking To move to a good neighborhood for family's with a good school ditrict. Both my kids have IEP's and need some support from school. I'm a little worried after reading a lot of the school reviews with really bad bullying issues and that TX dose not have good schools for kids with disabilities...? is bullying really that bad in round rock area? Is there a neighborhood or school district anyone can recommend?

I can join the OP in saying we were considering TX and heard similar whispers on these forums and from student reviews on Niche.com that the schools aren't very good with helping IEP students. I hadn't heard there was more bullying.

I would recommend digging around the search function of these forums but try to stay current since districts and schools change. Here's a recent thread: http://www.city-data.com/forum/austi...pecial-ed.html

Most parents of children with well-balanced brains will never understand why parents like us would seek out an "8" school instead of a "10", for example, or a school that isn't as "academically strong" (academic meat grinder, to use one Texas HS student's phrase on a Niche.com review). It's lonely and tough road because each child has different strengths and weaknesses, each parent has different resources, and each school can vary widely even year over year depending upon who is in charge. I do know that the parents who see the most success are the relentless advocates.

In our case we went from a "9" school in California to a "7" school in Montana and our daughter perked up academically. She was talking more about what she was learning. She wasn't collapsing under nightly piles of homework. Teachers were more casual in their approach and the focus was not on testing. She even got into an AP class. That being said, the social environment of the school was much rougher around the edges, so emotionally it was rougher and riskier. On the other hand, there was less pressure to perform and look perfect. So that combined with the smaller population, lower student:teacher rations, and less academic "intensity" seems to have been better for her overall than the "9" school was. But hardly ideal, which I think we won't ever find outside of a private school which we cannot afford.

Good luck!

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by ClaraC

Yes, there are, I'm sure that's true. I don't know enough about the schools there to recommend them or speak about them. I know RR High School has a good reputation. But I don't know about their elementary schools - most of the Title 9 schools in RRISD are on the east side.

And I specifically said the eastern side of RRISD, not the eastern side of Round Rock.

I don't think I'd choose to send my child to Voight or Fulkes, if a priority for you as a family is to send your child to a "good" school.

there are many other schools besides Voight or Fulkes. you cherry pick two schools but what about Herrington, Blackland Prairie, Forest Creek, Ridgeview Middle, Teravista, Gattis Elementary? Hopewell Middle has gotten better, courtesy of Teravista and other developments. I understand that you may not be intimately familiar with the schools in the east, but it's kind of irritating when people start the "east vs. west" thing when someone poses a question about round rock. I've lived east of 35 (both in RR and in Pflugerville) for thirteen years, so you can see where I'm coming from. My kids go to a charter school (this was before we even moved to Round Rock) but if that failed, I would send them to the local schools (Forest Creek and Ridgeview) in a heartbeat.

and actually you said "western side of RRISD". saying "RRISD" vs. the actual city just sounds odd to me, but whatever.

[Trainwreck20]

We have a kid with an IEP in SW Austin and are pretty happy with the education she gets. We do 'supplement' outside of school with some additional professional/private help, but she is a rather extreme example compared to many. Her peers in the SE classes also seem to be doing well, as far as we can tell, and we know most of the parents.

Bullying has (so far) been a compete non-issue; in fact, it is more the opposite. Kids have gone out of their way to play with my daughter and the parents have been very inclusive/understanding, as well.

[centralaustinite]

It can cut both ways -- I've seen kids bullied in private schools, I've seen private schools with tremendous anti-bullying programs and culture. I've seen kids bullied in public schools, and I've seen public schools with effective anti-bullying programs and a culture that doesn't condone it.

Same with learning differences. After 8 years of private education I have my 2e kid in an AISD high school and we couldn't be happier and s/he is excelling.

OP give us more information and we can give you better information!

[ClaraC]

Originally Posted by riaelise

there are many other schools besides Voight or Fulkes. you cherry pick two schools but what about Herrington, Blackland Prairie, Forest Creek, Ridgeview Middle, Teravista, Gattis Elementary? Hopewell Middle has gotten better, courtesy of Teravista and other developments. I understand that you may not be intimately familiar with the schools in the east, but it's kind of irritating when people start the "east vs. west" thing when someone poses a question about round rock. I've lived east of 35 (both in RR and in Pflugerville) for thirteen years, so you can see where I'm coming from. My kids go to a charter school (this was before we even moved to Round Rock) but if that failed, I would send them to the local schools (Forest Creek and Ridgeview) in a heartbeat.

and actually you said "western side of RRISD". saying "RRISD" vs. the actual city just sounds odd to me, but whatever.

Great that you know specifics about the schools that are thriving on that side of the district - I certainly agree there are nice neighborhoods so it follows there would be good schools. Families who have a choice of where to live usually choose areas with better schools.

I said "western side of RRISD" because all of RRISD isn't in Round Rock. Some is in Austin. I was talking about the school district, not the city of Round Rock.

[COCUE]

Originally Posted by ClaraC

I agree with Austin-HomeGirl, but want to add a caveat. While schools in the western side of RRISD and Leander have good schools, I wouldn't say they're focused on helping kids who need extra support. Those schools tend to be more focused on achieving excellent status, and less focused on providing support for those kids who aren't the most successful students. I wouldn't choose to knowingly put two children with IEPs in the Westwood High School feeder pattern (west Round Rock ISD). I would recommend the feeder pattern that attends McNeil high school within RRISD. I'm less excited about Leander ISD. They have beautiful new schools and excellent sports/educational facilities - but they're extremely conservative and still allow corporal punishment. So depending on how you feel about that, it might make your decision easier.

Northwest Austin ISD in the Anderson High School feeder pattern are good schools.

Best wishes in your search.

My children are in Leander ISD schools. Can you please elaborate on LISD allowing corporal punishment. What kind of punishment and in what schools? I have never heard of public schools in 2017 allowing corporal punishment so I'm really curious. Nor have I heard any of the parents in my neighborhood or online reviews mention this

[ClaraC]

Originally Posted by COCUE

My children are in Leander ISD schools. Can you please elaborate on LISD allowing corporal punishment. What kind of punishment and in what schools? I have never heard of public schools in 2017 allowing corporal punishment so I'm really curious. Nor have I heard any of the parents in my neighborhood or online reviews mention this

Yes, I'm sorry for the misinformation. The last reference I could find for corporal punishment in Leander ISD was in a substitute teacher handbook - which referenced using corporal punishment within the guidelines, in 2011. It appears since then Leander has dropped corporal punishment - or anyway, I couldn't find any reference to it.

Here:
http://www.leanderisd.org/docs/1-subhb1011.pdf

I recall that before that, there was a decision by Leander to paddle children only if they had written permission signed at the beginning of the year. There was a big debate about whether the parents of the kids who were troublemakers would "do the right thing" and sign the consent. Followed, of course, by statements of if my kid gets paddled at school he knows there's worse waiting for him at home. And such.

But I can't find a reference showing that CP is discontinued - it just seems it must be.

[RunninJT]

Oh wow LISD is still doing that? I went to HS in Leander in the 80's, I was quite familiar with the paddle they had in the office (I think it was a ping pong paddle called Mr. Spanky) . Intimate with it in fact. If we had beer and a night outside I would go on about the time me and a chunk of the rest of JV team got paddled by the temporary Vice Principal lady for some minor infraction. I dont think she or any of us kept a strait face.

[ClaraC]

Originally Posted by RunninJT

Oh wow LISD is still doing that? I went to HS in Leander in the 80's, I was quite familiar with the paddle they had in the office (I think it was a ping pong paddle called Mr. Spanky) . Intimate with it in fact. If we had beer and a night outside I would go on about the time me and a chunk of the rest of JV team got paddled by the temporary Vice Principal lady for some minor infraction. I dont think she or any of us kept a strait face.

No, apparently they're not still doing it, as of 2011 it seems. My mistake.

[COCUE]

Originally Posted by ClaraC

Yes, I'm sorry for the misinformation. The last reference I could find for corporal punishment in Leander ISD was in a substitute teacher handbook - which referenced using corporal punishment within the guidelines, in 2011. It appears since then Leander has dropped corporal punishment - or anyway, I couldn't find any reference to it.

Here:
http://www.leanderisd.org/docs/1-subhb1011.pdf

I recall that before that, there was a decision by Leander to paddle children only if they had written permission signed at the beginning of the year. There was a big debate about whether the parents of the kids who were troublemakers would "do the right thing" and sign the consent. Followed, of course, by statements of if my kid gets paddled at school he knows there's worse waiting for him at home. And such.

But I can't find a reference showing that CP is discontinued - it just seems it must be.

The problem with posting information on a public site is that many readers assume that the poster (you in this instance) actually knows what they are taking about. Yet it seems that you don't. Yet you indicted a whole school district on some random sentence in a handbook from 7 years ago.

Just a quick Google search showed that TX was one of the few states that didn't outrightly disallow corporal punishment at that time and even had a policy FO on it. Some ISDs explicitly addressed and said only if your parents signed up and some said no.

In the event that you are actually interested, LISD expressly disallows any form of corporal punishment today Leander ISD - Policy On Line - Policy Code FO - STUDENT DISCIPLINE -

The link above allows you to read the policy statements legal is state, federal, legal etc and local is the one in particular for the ISD.
It would have been great if you took some time to actually get there truth before you share erroneous information