More Plano ISD students opting for private schools (Houston, Dallas: magnet schools, zoning)
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People I know in Plano who have sent their kids to privates instead of Plano schools often comment that their primary motivation is the sheer size of the high schools in Plano. The thought is that counselors and teachers cannot really know the 1500 kids in the average Plano graduating class (vs. the 100 - 300 in the typical area private school) -- and thus only the superstars have the real benefit of personal relationships and quality recommendations from their teachers and counselors.
Class of 1993. 1390 in my graduating class.
Granted, I was in honors and AP and athletics and AcDec and natl merit, but I was no superstar. Not by a long shot.
I did NOT, however, feel marginalized.
And it made college an easy transition. I knew how to deal with large groups and make myself heard...I knew my dean at UT by name and he knew mine. The dean of freakin' liberal arts. The biggest school there. He hooked me up with a couple of favors. I had two different classes created just for me in one of the departments by the department chair. I was the only student in one of those classes. I helped someone write a textbook. I got into the Normandy Scholars program. I was the only liberal arts major allowed to work in this particular PI's micro lab. I knew how to go and find and ask and pester.
The real world is not like some safe, cozy little private school. It's full of people who are all clamoring for attention, credit, and to be heard.
Plano isn't starting on "third base" anymore. The district's economically disadvantaged population is the fastest growing segment. I don't have the exact percentage handy, but somewhere near 30% of the district is E/D now and in some schools it's well over the majority.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DtX4415
23.6% (2009-2010) <----- latest year I could find.
20.7% (2008-2009)
20.5% (2005-2006)
16.6% (2004-2005)
10.4% (2001-2002)
9.5% (2000-2001)
Those numbers are striking. I'm going to take a wild guess about what large-scale social phenomenon, especially prominent in Texas, might be causing these changes...
Anyway, I was even more surprised to see how common the increase in E/D students is across the Metroplex.
Change from 1999-2000 to 2005-06 in % E/D students
Dallas: from 73% to 83% E/D
Garland: 35 to 45
Lewisville: 9 to 20
Mesquite: 29 to 48
Richardson: 34 to 50
Irving: 54 to 69
Carrollton: 31 to 51
Grand Prairie: 45 to 60
Allen: 3 to 13
And the exceptions:
McKinney: 21 to 24
Frisco: 13 to 11
But how long will that last?
Basically, the local public school population is getting significantly poorer every year. And, I'm not sure what on the horizon might turn this around.
Class of 1993. 1390 in my graduating class.
Granted, I was in honors and AP and athletics and AcDec and natl merit, but I was no superstar. Not by a long shot.
I did NOT, however, feel marginalized.
And it made college an easy transition. I knew how to deal with large groups and make myself heard...I knew my dean at UT by name and he knew mine. The dean of freakin' liberal arts. The biggest school there. He hooked me up with a couple of favors. I had two different classes created just for me in one of the departments by the department chair. I was the only student in one of those classes. I helped someone write a textbook. I got into the Normandy Scholars program. I was the only liberal arts major allowed to work in this particular PI's micro lab. I knew how to go and find and ask and pester.
The real world is not like some safe, cozy little private school. It's full of people who are all clamoring for attention, credit, and to be heard.
Reality will be a shock for a lot of people.
Not all kids who "aren't superstars" have the natural instinct that allows them to be as aggressive in dealing with a bureaucracy as you were -- and quite frankly many who are superstars aren't suited to dealing with such a system either. You went from one huge institution to another and were obviously well served by your experience in learning to deal with administrative red tape.
I went from a small public school in another state (about the size of the larger Catholic schools in Dallas) to the state flagship. We had no AP classes and only one honors class in my high school. I also was a NMF. I had every single University experience you listed even though I walked into (and out of) my university not knowing how to make a pest of myself. I came by those experiences not by pestering anyone, but rather because I was genuinely interested in my academic experience and my work stood out.
I could just as easily counter, based on my experience, that the "real world" isn't analogous to a huge, impersonal public school. The world is full of people who will recognize your talents and who will go out of their way to create opportunities if you work hard and forge personal relationships. That reality is also a shock for many people --most people would rather skip the hard work part.
I don't need to google the area I lived close by for 15 years.
Finding a few apartments within walking distance does not equal "surrounded". An honest assessment of the area is that it is beautiful. And much of the west side of Lakeside is flanked by raw land and one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in DFW - along Ranchero.
Not to mention how conveniently located Lakeside is...three minutes from all of the grocery stores and nice shops at Park and Preston, Lakeside with its great restaurants...how I miss jumping in my car and being at Mi Cocina, whatever that great seafood market is called and my favorite of all...Tzazikis. Then one can drive west and in five minutes be at the Shops of Willow Bend.
I now live in a neighborhood in Albuquerque which requires me to drive much farther for good restaurants and shopping. It is a pain in the neck. I really can't imagine living in Prosper or these other small town outposts. Our family also liked taking advantage of the culture of Dallas and drove down to the DMA regularly and had season tickets to Theater Three. Granted Plano isn't right next door, but it is certainly a heck of a lot closer than McKinney or Prosper.
The real world is not like some safe, cozy little private school. It's full of people who are all clamoring for attention, credit, and to be heard.
Reality will be a shock for a lot of people.
Actually to some, the real world is alot like life in an elite private school: A well-orchestrated, guided tour from Upper school (punctuated by years of college prep and ACT/SAT prep, the right extracurriculars), to college, to the appropriate internship and finally to the job. All while mommy and daddy watch from up high.
And if you think private school is safe, you've never been there. The social pressure to succeed in a place where 'everyone' goes to not just college but a marquee Tier-1, Public Ivy or Ivy is intense. Many times these kids are pushed to their limits as they have no excuses for failure. The grounds may be posh, but don't let the school crest fool you- these schools (factories) charge what they do because they excel at putting out a polished product. Also, in an already self-selected school these students' academic abilities are much closer from Valedictorian to the Anchor in schools with a graduating class of 50 vs schools with 1500.
Think Lord of the Flies, after they got to the island.
I just wrote on my experience with special services so far in Plano ISD on the above thread of Richardson ISD. I will cut and paste here...
We are in Plano ISD and have a child who is in the process of being evaluated for a high functioning autism and how fast he processes. My child has always loved learning till this year though and is struggling since we moved in to the district( were new). He came from making A's and B's to C's. There is little repetition, assignments for grades must be done in class due to district policy and the pace is very fast for him. Because my child is slow at doing his work( he is smart) and the amount of work they do in class, he is not able to finish, making him behind.
We are still working with them and do believe that this will be resolved once we understand where he falls on the asd chart and how he processes.
One thing, just this morning after a conference discovered there is their river on a chart of where children fall for testing and the national river as they put it . Plano kids score well above the national river, our son, does too but not above Plano's river which they want him to fall on. We were told he needs to read more and if he did, he would have a faster process in class. My son reads daily and have always stressed reading, infact my oldest, just the opposite of him is a published author.
Am I frustrated? Yes and believe that once special education gets sorted out, then it will lend to a happier student who will be back on track. The thing about what is going on now with staying in from recess, being behind in work that can not be taken home, is weighing on his self esteem. I have hope they will work to get him where he needs to be but at this writing, it is not proven. I will say that the special education department rep was very informative in our meeting with teachers and actually clued them in on what could be going on with him.
We will see as time goes on if they will live up to their reputation and help him meet his needs and academic best but right now, we are still working through it. I will say too, this is not meant to be a slap at PISD or the teachers, infact, they are positive with us over him, but I do sense and since I see how they work with the kids, see it as a negative so far in our son's favor. They want to change it too and we are hoping.
Actually to some, the real world is alot like life in an elite private school: A well-orchestrated, guided tour from Upper school (punctuated by years of college prep and ACT/SAT prep, the right extracurriculars), to college, to the appropriate internship and finally to the job. All while mommy and daddy watch from up high.
And if you think private school is safe, you've never been there.
-1878
I have been there. 5 years of private school, in fact.
And not with upper middle class folks trying to get away from the ghetto. With sons and daughters of diplomats, ambassadors, CEOs, etc. From all over the world.
While I think that there are distinct advantages to going to private school, I don't think every private school confers those advantages. And I certainly don't think every student of said schools benefits from those advantages, either.
I have been there. 5 years of private school, in fact.
And not with upper middle class folks trying to get away from the ghetto. With sons and daughters of diplomats, ambassadors, CEOs, etc. From all over the world.
While I think that there are distinct advantages to going to private school, I don't think every private school confers those advantages. And I certainly don't think every student of said schools benefits from those advantages, either.
Well like Henry Kissinger once said after he overheard Nixon making anti-semitic commnents, "well sir, there are Jews and then there are jews..."
I only have my school and circle of friends to draw off of. My school did offer merit based scholarships to kids from the inner-city, but by and large was more comparable to a small east-coast boarding school. The local city was akin to Highland Park, so not many folks were looking to escape their Polish, Jewish, Irish...Ghetto.
So there are prep schools in name mostly and then there are prep schools.
However it's was never quite the cush, spoon-fed environment people make it out to be. There pressure to succeed is quite palpable.
Those numbers are striking. I'm going to take a wild guess about what large-scale social phenomenon, especially prominent in Texas, might be causing these changes...
Anyway, I was even more surprised to see how common the increase in E/D students is across the Metroplex.
Change from 1999-2000 to 2005-06 in % E/D students
Dallas: from 73% to 83% E/D
Garland: 35 to 45
Lewisville: 9 to 20
Mesquite: 29 to 48
Richardson: 34 to 50
Irving: 54 to 69
Carrollton: 31 to 51
Grand Prairie: 45 to 60
Allen: 3 to 13
And the exceptions:
McKinney: 21 to 24
Frisco: 13 to 11
But how long will that last?
Basically, the local public school population is getting significantly poorer every year. And, I'm not sure what on the horizon might turn this around.
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