Lake Travis ISD v Wimberley ISD v Dripping ISD (Austin: home, transfer to)

[Mama Grey]

Looking for school district insight for our upcoming relo early 2022 from Charlotte to Austin hill country. Of the 3 districts we’re looking at buying within:

-How receptive is each school district and/or school board to parent concerns? We have found that in our current school district, the board has been non-receptive (and even snidely dismissive and passive aggressive) to parents voicing concerns (in-person schooling, for example).
-Does any district prioritize social-emotional values like respect, kindness and empathy?
-Our daughter is academically gifted in language arts. How are gifted children challenged in the classroom?
-What was each district’s response to the pandemic and reopening? Did any district advocate for in-person learning?
-Anything else that’s useful to know?

Appreciate your feedback!

[Trainwreck20]

You'd probably have more luck in AISD, honestly, but between those three and based on my indirect experience (I have close friends with kids in DS and LT), I would say the least luck in LT.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

You'd probably have more luck in AISD, honestly, but between those three and based on my indirect experience (I have close friends with kids in DS and LT), I would say the least luck in LT.

I would second this and look into how hard your daughter might have to work to get into the Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy (LASA) which is in district with AISD, but is a regional magnet…you’d just be responsible for transportation.

[AMJ27]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

I would second this and look into how hard your daughter might have to work to get into the Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy (LASA) which is in district with AISD, but is a regional magnet…you’d just be responsible for transportation.

LASA provides transportation for it's students. Calling it "regional" might be a bit misleading. It is an AISD magnet and very strict about attendance boundaries. You cannot even apply without living within AISD. The only exception is for the children of AISD employees that live out of district.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by AMJ27

LASA provides transportation for it's students. Calling it "regional" might be a bit misleading. It is an AISD magnet and very strict about attendance boundaries. You cannot even apply without living within AISD. The only exception is for the children of AISD employees that live out of district.

I use “regional” as Austin metro. I know of one student in Hays county, but she was the daughter of an AISD employee. I have also heard of parents car pooling for their kids due to the transportation time on a bus. From my experience working at another "special" campus, it can be a long hard ride if you live way south or way north.

[AMJ27]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

I use “regional” as Austin metro. I know of one student in Hays county, but she was the daughter of an AISD employee. I have also heard of parents car pooling for their kids due to the transportation time on a bus. From my experience working at another "special" campus, it can be a long hard ride if you live way south or way north.

There are definitely lots of families that carpool or provide their own transportation, but I wanted to make it clear that transportation is definitely provided. Families aren't on their own to provide transportation unless they choose to.

There are people living outside AISD boundaries, but within the metro area, that think their kids can apply to LASA or other AISD magnets and that they can either move to the district or apply for a transfer to attend the school if they are accepted. This is absolutely not the case and it is taken very seriously. They will actually do a home visit if they have reason to believe that you have falsified your in district address. AISD magnets are for current AISD families only as they should be. There are a few students of AISD employees who live outside the district, but that is a very small number.

I know I might seem very nit picky or a pain about this, but I'm just trying to make sure that the accurate info gets out there.

[Trainwreck20]

As a general note, WISD is a bit of an outlier - 2,500 students compared to 10,400 for LT and 7,400 for DS. If you are looking at high schools, they are ~ 750, 2100, and 3100 students for W, DS, and LT. As a general rule, the smaller districts/high schools will have less ability to provide for gifted (or, for that matter, special needs) students.

Originally Posted by Mama Grey

-How receptive is each school district and/or school board to parent concerns? We have found that in our current school district, the board has been non-receptive (and even snidely dismissive and passive aggressive) to parents voicing concerns (in-person schooling, for example).

I do not know what each of those districts is planning to do for the upcoming school year. DS and especially LT where very reluctant to enact restrictions of any sort this year. Shortly after AISD announced a limited virtual learning option in late July, LT indicated they would not have any virtual learning option. I do not know if that has changed, but doubt that it has.

DS appears to have a virtual learning option for students too young (or otherwise unable) to be vaccinated.

I feel for the school boards, as they have been inundated with 'concerns' from every viewpoint. The superintendent of DS resigned mid-year after being fed up with it. I suspect all school boards are pretty much numb to it by now and politely ignore you unless you are one of their inner circle.

Originally Posted by Mama Grey

-Does any district prioritize social-emotional values like respect, kindness and empathy?

AISD does a 'Social Emotional Learning' (SEL) program, but I am unaware of any similar program at W, LT, or DS, although that is something I would not be aware of. AISD may be cutting back on theirs due to budgetary reasons. If I were cynical, I would say that the concept is anathema to LT.

Originally Posted by Mama Grey

-Our daughter is academically gifted in language arts. How are gifted children challenged in the classroom?

You would need to investigate this in some detail. LT has extensive resources and likes to 'win', so they do fund their arts programs well and they do support their successful students, or so that is my understanding. Depending on the specifics, though, it might vary. Football is a very high priority.

Originally Posted by Mama Grey

-What was each district’s response to the pandemic and reopening? Did any district advocate for in-person learning?

For the upcoming school year? All will have in-person learning. All want to have in-person learning. Some will have limited virtual options. The requirements may change at any time, though, and you will need to keep tabs on them if it is important for the immediate future. In general, LT will be the district trending toward 'business as usual' with DS a slightly more cautious approach. Again, no idea on Wimberley, as it doesn't really make the news .

Originally Posted by Mama Grey

-Anything else that’s useful to know?

The social status (money) pressure in LT is real. If your child has a very confident individual and can avoid the peer pressure, no problem. But I know a number of families with kids there that have commented on it. One moved their kid and he is thriving elsewhere. If you have the money to keep up with the Jones', then possibly not a problem, either.

Wimberley is just (relatively) small. That can be a good or a bad thing, depending on what you are looking for. The arts programs are not likely to be as robust as bigger districts, but you never know. Your input may count for more and there are definitely bonuses to a smaller school.

[Mama Grey]

This is SO helpful, thank you! I was surprised to see your note that DS was reluctant to enact restrictions, as I believe I had read that they were the last holdouts to keep the mask mandate in place (before Gov Abbott removed the mask mandate for schools). Do you feel that DS skews blue, in line with how their voting has been evolving? We love DS but are also hyper aware of the heavy influx of Californians. We left (cough: "fled") CA very intentionally in 2019 and don't necessarily want to end up in "California lite" in DS.

We have an only child, so for our situation, she needs in-person education for her mental well-being as she craves peer learning scenarios and social communication. And ultimately, we believe every family should have the choice to accept (or not) what is right for their family.

Here in Charlotte, the school board was doing everything they could to ensure schools would NOT reopen. It was extremely disheartening and we want to be sure we're moving into a school district eyes wide open with their policy stances. To your point, perhaps a smaller district like Wimberley would feel more collaborative with parents.

I've heard from at least one other family about the social pressure in LT. We lived in coastal San Diego for almost 15 years so I would guess it feels similar to that?

Lastly, we're also looking at Spicewood which seems to get divvied up between LTISD and Marble Falls. The Marble Falls school ratings seem abysmal - is that really accurate?

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by Mama Grey

The Marble Falls school ratings seem abysmal - is that really accurate?

If you're looking at the Great Schools rating, take it with a grain of salt. That is all done by parents at will. It's also a much more rural district, so it's not going to be at the same level at LT.

[Trainwreck20]

From a very macro level, it sounds like DS is probably where I would guess you would like best, based on you questions and comments. DS has a mix of conservative and liberal, but there is a generally high level in education. Our neighbor has three kids in DS school district (their mom lives there) and from what I gather they are generally happy with it. The peer pressure is not nearly as bad as LT. The concerns related to the format for school seems to me (again, as an outsider) to be more about the kids than the parents politics in general. LT has more of a political aspect rather than a child welfare goal.

The schools will be open here, that is certain, and will stay open barring truly horrible results - which is possible. If your child is vaccinated, I would not really worry about too many of the other details. We have a vaxxed 14 y/o and a non-vaxxed 11 y/o. As per surveys, the AISD will be somewhwere around 80% voluntary masked w/o a school mandate. I suspect that DS will be fairly high, as well.

Marble Falls has a significant bit of a 'retirement area' reputation, which does not lend itself to focus on schools, although (similar to Wimberley) you just don't see them in the news. Wimberley IS becoming more of a suburb of Austin with people commuting in, which is relatively new and will result in more pressure for good schools. I really like smaller schools, so for me, that would be my second choice to look at.