Question about Lakewood schools - Predictions? (Dallas, Plano: credit, home, transfer)

[stephwin]

I don't live in Lakewood and I'm not moving there. However, I've read quite a few threads about how great the local elementary schools are, but people usually mention that the middle and high schools aren't great, so prospective owners should consider private at that point.

But what does everyone think the middle/high schools will look like in 5-7 years, when all of Lakewood's new resident's children are entering middle school? Do you think the parent's involvement in elementary will continue into middle and beyond, thus transforming the schools? Or does everyone think all of the families will bail to private at that point? Since Lakewood is booming now, are there really that many poorer/disadvantaged families in the area, or are they getting pushed out?

I don't know the area well enough to say one or the other will happen, but I would be really interested to hear more informed people's opinions.

[bencronin04]

It will probably become a stronger DISD public, but they have had some pieces of their pie in effect for some time now and still a lot of parents currently transfer their children to private come middle/high school years. I'm not saying WW is a bad high school to all the fanboys, I'm just saying there is a reason a large section of parents transfer out after elementary. I hope to see WW become a VERY strong school with some actual NSMF scholars, higher SAT scores, etc. It would be a great asset for DISD and Dallas.

[rantanamo]

Originally Posted by bencronin04

It will probably become a stronger DISD public, but they have had some pieces of their pie in effect for some time now and still a lot of parents currently transfer their children to private come middle/high school years. I'm not saying WW is a bad high school to all the fanboys, I'm just saying there is a reason a large section of parents transfer out after elementary. I hope to see WW become a VERY strong school with some actual NSMF scholars, higher SAT scores, etc. It would be a great asset for DISD and Dallas.

I did my masters thesis on this, and a lot of parents transfer their children for many reasons. I wouldn't even come close to saying WW was the No. 1 reason parents transfer their children. Things are usually much more personal.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by rantanamo

I did my masters thesis on this, and a lot of parents transfer their children for many reasons. I wouldn't even come close to saying WW was the No. 1 reason parents transfer their children. Things are usually much more personal.

I'm curious to hear more about this...because I can't imagine Long/Woodrow NOT being the #1 reason. You simply don't see the mass exodus in late elementary (and definitely by 6th grade) in districts like HP-Coppell-Plano that are strong for all of K-12.

[barnabasc]

Most people are going on to Long and Woodrow Wilson. Long is completely transformed from what it was a few years ago. I've seen a lot of parents I thought would go private putting their kids in Long, which is now an IB school. People have always trusted WW and it is also getting better every year. Enrollment is up in all the public schools. This year marks the complete removal of one of the lower income elementaries from the Long/WW attendance zone, so it will be interesting to see how that changes the demographics.

[4Movingeast]

Our friends were fully prepared to use Long and even considered it after their son was invited to attend Travis. He ultimately chose to accept the invitation to Travis, but my friend felt great about Long. Their children have attended schools abroad and are very bright.

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by stephwin

I don't live in Lakewood and I'm not moving there. However, I've read quite a few threads about how great the local elementary schools are, but people usually mention that the middle and high schools aren't great, so prospective owners should consider private at that point.

But what does everyone think the middle/high schools will look like in 5-7 years, when all of Lakewood's new resident's children are entering middle school? Do you think the parent's involvement in elementary will continue into middle and beyond, thus transforming the schools? Or does everyone think all of the families will bail to private at that point? Since Lakewood is booming now, are there really that many poorer/disadvantaged families in the area, or are they getting pushed out?

I don't know the area well enough to say one or the other will happen, but I would be really interested to hear more informed people's opinions.

Parental involvement has always been high at the middle and especially the high school level, where in addition to PTA (Woodrow has over 100 members just on the board), alumni and community foundation http://www.woodrowfoundation.com/ kicks in. There also other advisory boards, including one for each of the four college prep academies. With PTA, alumni and the foundation, along with the State Fair organization, there are around 60 scholarships awarded each year unique to Woodrow (class is usually around 300). LECPTA also provides support and raises over $150,000 each year in its home tour - that is also distributed to Long and Woodrow. Those monies in part helped fund the process of International Baccalaureate accreditation.

There is a drop off in 4th and 5th grade but the lower grades have quite a influx of new students as well. I would not call it a "mass exodus" if 20-30 students choose private at those levels.

If you want to talk demographics, Long has doubled the number of white students since 2009 and Woodrow has nearly doubled the number. From my own observations I would also say we have more higher-income and college educated hispanic and black families than we did a few years ago. I would say that in part is due to IB, which despite what some may posit, is diverse. If you look at current numbers of first and second graders, if all the white children in Lakewood, Stonewall, Mata, Lee and Lipscomb stay through high school, Long and Woodrow will again double the number of white students, making them around 40% of the enrollment. This just has not happened at other DISD schools, nor any that I can think of in the suburbs.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

I'm curious to hear more about this...because I can't imagine Long/Woodrow NOT being the #1 reason. You simply don't see the mass exodus in late elementary (and definitely by 6th grade) in districts like HP-Coppell-Plano that are strong for all of K-12.

Agreed. I'd like to hear the rationale as well.

[Lakewooder]

Again, it's not "a mass exodus". Not all of them are going private - a significant number go to Travis starting in 4th grade. Many of them rejoin their classmates at Woodrow. I know of others who go to Spence and Longfellow, then rejoin at Woodrow. But that is happening less with Long clearly improved. I've also known a few who went to Dealy then applied to the IB program at Woodrow. Some of this subset end up at TAG and SEM but now that Woodrow offers engineering courses for freshman and sophomores, some have chosen the WW STEM Academy over SEM where they must wait until junior and senior years. I'm not clear exactly how this works, but that's what I've heard. Also Woodrow has a very good Creative and Performing Arts Academy with all new facilities. The lead in our musical this year, who won best supporting and best leading actress in the Schmidt and Jones (multiple schools) in the last two years, defected from Booker T. Also Woodrow's dance department is larger than the one at Booker T.

[Souleiado]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Again, it's not "a mass exodus". Not all of them are going private - a significant number go to Travis starting in 4th grade. Many of them rejoin their classmates at Woodrow. I know of others who go to Spence and Longfellow, then rejoin at Woodrow. But that is happening less with Long clearly improved. I've also known a few who went to Dealy then applied to the IB program at Woodrow. Some of this subset end up at TAG and SEM but now that Woodrow offers engineering courses for freshman and sophomores, some have chosen the WW STEM Academy over SEM where they must wait until junior and senior years. I'm not clear exactly how this works, but that's what I've heard. Also Woodrow has a very good Creative and Performing Arts Academy with all new facilities. The lead in our musical this year, who won best supporting and best leading actress in the Schmidt and Jones (multiple schools) in the last two years, defected from Booker T. Also Woodrow's dance department is larger than the one at Booker T.

I'm always curious with Lakewood . What happened to the kids that do not pick the IB program , is the quality of honor and regular classes the same? Because frankly , the IB program is only for a small portion of the student population and it seems from this forum that it is the only way to get a good education at Lakewood.