Communities in Dallas (Richardson, Flower Mound, Grapevine: apartment complex, mortgage, homes)

[SCFriend]

How about Coppell? I don't live in Coppell, but I love it and it is very convenient to Dallas. It seems to be pretty diverse too! I hear the schools are great. Check it out! My husband has lived in Coppell while we are relocating and he loves it too! Honestly, he loved Castlehills too!

[theloneranger]

The broken record shows how often it's suggested on here, but the most diverse upscale-area in Dallas is the Lakewood area just east of downtown. The public schools are good for K-5 and then not so good afterwords. There are a lot of nice houses and a very good mix of people.

There won't be open discrimination anywhere in Dallas--it's just not like that anymore. However, in a lot of upscale areas you may be one of the few black families. Most of the upscale suburbs are going to be less than ten percent black. Many black professionals and professional athletes chose to live in west Plano, in the area around Gleneagles Country Club, so you might want to look there. However, it's still not going to be a very big percentage of the population.

You may want to look at Cedar Hill, south of downtown. It's the nicest area of southern Dallas and it's got a lot of black families. It's getting more gentrified and there are some nice new developments with more upscale housing. The elementary schools in Cedar Hill ISD are excellent, the secondary schools aren't. But that would be one suggestion as well.

[HealthInfoTech]

Someone help me out here. Why are schools so good at the K-5 level in a given zip code or district,, but then the middle/jr high/sr high schools those K-5 grades feed into are not good? I don't understand that. Aren't these the SAME kids from K-5?? To me, it would stand to reason that those K-5 kids would continue on into middle/jr/sr high schools of equal quality.

Any explanation?????

[Acntx]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

You may want to look at Cedar Hill, south of downtown. It's the nicest area of southern Dallas and it's got a lot of black families. It's getting more gentrified and there are some nice new developments with more upscale housing. The elementary schools in Cedar Hill ISD are excellent, the secondary schools aren't. But that would be one suggestion as well.

I wouldn't describe Cedar Hill as 'gentrified' (the process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle-class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents), it is just experiencing the same small-town to suburban transition that is going on in other Dallas area communities.

[Acntx]

Originally Posted by HealthInfoTech

Someone help me out here. Why are schools so good at the K-5 level in a given zip code or district,, but then the middle/jr high/sr high schools those K-5 grades feed into are not good? I don't understand that. Aren't these the SAME kids from K-5?? To me, it would stand to reason that those K-5 kids would continue on into middle/jr/sr high schools of equal quality.

Any explanation?????

Interesting point.

One reason may be that a lot of people use the ratings based on state standardized tests to determine whether a school is "good" or "bad." Elementary schools typically serve a smaller neighborhood or area and are only assessed by their academic performance on the tests. At the middle school and high school level, the student body is much larger and the standards for receiving a "Recognized" or "Exemplary" rating are not limited to academic performance. Additional factors such as student completion/drop-out rates are used to determine a school's rating. There have been past examples of schools who have received an Academically Unacceptable rating due to low student completion or a relatively high drop-out rate, even when the overall academic performance on the actual test may have been positive.

Also, the subgroups used to determine a school's rating (All students, African American, White, Hispanic, and Economically Disadvantaged) will be more numerous at a campus with a diverse ethnic and socio-economic population. For example, a high school in a diverse inner-city neighborhood may have as many as 25 subgroups and each must meet the higher standard needed to achieve a "Recognized" or "Exemplary" rating, while a smaller high school in a wealthy, non-diverse outer suburb can receive the same designation with as few as 5 to 10 subgroups used to determine its rating.

In my opinion, it is a very flawed system that often gives people a false perception of a campus or school district.

[HealthInfoTech]

Originally Posted by Acntx

One reason may be that a lot of people use the ratings based on state standardized tests to determine whether a school is "good" or "bad." Elementary schools typically serve a smaller neighborhood or area and are only assessed by their academic performance on the tests. At the middle school and high school level, the student body is much larger and the standards for receiving a "Recognized" or "Exemplary" rating are not limited to academic performance. Additional factors such as student completion/drop-out rates are used to determine a school's rating. There have been past examples of schools who have received an Academically Unacceptable rating due to low student completion or a relatively high drop-out rate, even when the overall academic performance on the actual test may have been positive. In my opinion, it is a very flawed system that often gives people a false perception of a campus or school district.

Thanks. BTW, I think the testing system is flawed, too. When I do research on schools, yes, I look at the scores, but there are other things I look at, too. There are DOZENS and DOZENS of reasons that can explain test scores/ratings ("recognized," "exemplary" or otherwise).

Just because "x" school is TOPS in test scores, it does not mean every child will succeed there or that TOP test scores means it will be a perfect fit for your child. Nor do TOP test scores mean that every teacher who teaches at that school are the best teachers.

[FarNorthDallas]

It's really hard for a high school to get a Recognized or Exemplary rating because it includes drop out rates and what is it, half of all blacks and hispanics drop out? You don't factor that into elementary schools' rating.

Also, you have to look at all the schools that feed into high schools. For instance, Lake Highlands High School has really good elementary schools feeding into it (Merriman Park) and really bad ones (Skyview).

Some districts bus kids around to spread out the low income minority kids - so these kids didn't necessarily attend one of the feeder elementary schools.

[Acntx]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

Also, you have to look at all the schools that feed into high schools. For instance, Lake Highlands High School has really good elementary schools feeding into it (Merriman Park) and really bad ones (Skyview).

What makes Skyview so bad? Is it the neighborhood that it is in? Even though I am not a big fan of test scores determing whether a campus is good or not, both Merriman Park and Skyview are rated "Exemplary." I'm unfamiliar with the workings of Richardson schools and just wanted to know? Thanks.

[FarNorthDallas]

Skyview is in a great neighborhood, but neighborhood families don't use it. Apparently, the school is mostly low income minority transients/renters. I have no first hand info but know a couple of families in the area. One started their kid at Skyview and took her out after just a few months. The admin was surprised she even enrolled her kid. The office person actually said to her, "You are a homeowner. Why would you put your kid in Skyview?" Another family/homeowner has their kid in Hamilton Park Magnet. Other families in that neighborhood use The Highlands private school and then go into public at jr high.
There are A LOT of low income apartment complexes in Lake Highlands.

Stults Road is also exemplary but I don't know any neighborhood family that would use it.

Richardson ISD does great great work with getting passing scores on TAKS from all populations. They get awards for what they do with their majority minority, large free lunch population. But just because a school is exemplary doesn't mean you want to send your kid there, just like some Acceptable schools are okay to send your kid to.

[Acntx]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

Skyview is in a great neighborhood, but neighborhood families don't use it. Apparently, the school is mostly low income minority transients/renters. I have no first hand info but know a couple of families in the area. One started their kid at Skyview and took her out after just a few months. The admin was surprised she even enrolled her kid. The office person actually said to her, "You are a homeowner. Why would you put your kid in Skyview?" Another family/homeowner has their kid in Hamilton Park Magnet. Other families in that neighborhood use The Highlands private school and then go into public at jr high.
There are A LOT of low income apartment complexes in Lake Highlands.

Stults Road is also exemplary but I don't know any neighborhood family that would use it.

Richardson ISD does great great work with getting passing scores on TAKS from all populations. They get awards for what they do with their majority minority, large free lunch population. But just because a school is exemplary doesn't mean you want to send your kid there, just like some Acceptable schools are okay to send your kid to.

Thanks for the explanation.