Plano - Public Elementary Schools (Andrews, Murphy: house, buy, best schools)

[John Blacksmith]

What are the best public elementary schools in Plano?
Are they pretty much all the same?
Are there any that should be avoided?
Thanks for the help.

[MurphyPl1]

You're going to get a variety of answers on this including that the best schools are in west Plano. I happen to live in the east cluster (there's west, central and east clusters) and we have fantastic elementary schools.

That said there are some schools in the oldest part of the district that have a very high percentage of Title 1 (low socio-economic status) students. However, those schools also happen to be filled with caring, passionate teachers who pitch in where the parents do at more affluent schools.

After this year, each cluster will have a Senior High (11-12) fed by two High Schools (9-10) fed by two middle schools (6-8) fed by the local elementary schools (varying). I strongly encourage you to look at the entire feeder path for your child and not just at the elementary level.

[John Blacksmith]

[QUOTEI strongly encourage you to look at the entire feeder path for your child and not just at the elementary level.[/quote]

Thanks for the help. You make a great point, and I will certainly do that..To that end - if you were relocating to Plano, and could spend 225-275 on a house, what areas would you consider? Thx again.

[Big G]

+1 on everything MurphyPl1 said.

If I were in your shoes today, I'd buy in the Rice MS area - elementary schools are Andrews, Skaggs, and Wyatt. Your price range would put you towards the lower end of what's available there, but not at the bottom - you'd be able to find something nice, and avoid the "most expensive house on the block" pitfall. This area would also work out well for you logistically - it's located a few miles straight west on Legacy from your work location. Rice and its feeder schools run advanced academic programs not available at other PISD schools.

The one caveat I'd have is that this area was recently moved from the Plano Senior area to the Plano West area. A lot of people view that as a plus, but I think they're wrong. The high school (9-10) and senior high (11-12) enrollments are going to be ridiculous for that particular zone. The high school will have around 1800 students, and the senior high is projected to have around 3200 (!). In comparison, the central and east high schools will have enrollments of 1000-1200, and the senior highs will be around 2000-2400.

[kaykay]

There are obviously probably better schools than others in Plano. That said, I think they are probably all pretty decent. It's been awhile since I have had a child in the Plano school system, but I truly don't think you could go too far wrong, as far as the academics, with any of them.

[MurphyPl1]

Kaykay,
You remind me of a point that was made last year during the realignment brouhaha - we were discussing the minute differences between very good schools and great schools in PISD rather than fabulous, nationally ranked schools and barely hanging on schools within other districts.