West Plano - schools, neighborhoods, future? (Irving, Carrollton: private school, income, property taxes)

[CMC_TX]

Originally Posted by EC2005

This site has been so useful for me over the years. When I look for information regarding a neighborhood, school, etc., City Data usually delivers the best insight. So, many thanks to the members that contribute great information.


ABOUT ME
I have a little one, and hope to have another kid within the next few years. While I enjoy our current neighborhood, schools are very poorly rated. I'd like to move to a neighborhood with a great school district.


The neighborhoods with great schools that stick out to me are Coppell, Southlake, and West Plano. Due to location (proximity to my work, downtown Dallas, family, etc.), West Plano seems to be our primary search area at this point. We also enjoy the stores and restaurants in West Plano.


MY QUESTIONS FOR THE FORUM
There is plenty of great information posted on West Plano, its schools, etc. on this site. I especially love the posts about "10 Things I Miss After Moving From Plano", as well as the "10 Things I Don't Miss After Moving From Plano" (I may have the titles wrong).


Here are my questions to those familiar with Plano and West Plano:


1. What's the consensus regarding the future of West Plano schools, specifically Hightower, Shepton, and Plano West Senior High? I've heard mixed things (so perhaps there is no consensus). For example, some have said it's pound-for-pound one of the best school districts in the metroplex. On the other hand, I have seen posts that said more and more West Plano residents are sending their kids to private schools instead. As we drove past a neighborhood in West Plano, we noticed a few lawn signs for private schools.


I'm interested to hear (I) if schools are expected to be excellent in the foreseeable future, or (II) if there are any reasons to believe that Plano West schools may deteriorate significantly in the future (i.e. building lots of lower income apartments, budget cuts, etc.).


2. Is there any reason to expect West Plano neighborhoods to decline in quality soon?


3. Related to number 2, is there any reason to expect West Plano home prices to head downwards (for example, as families continue migrating north to Frisco instead)? Specifically, any reason to expect West Plano home prices to fall more than in other nearby areas?


4. For those that are familiar with West Plano, any warnings or words of encouragement as I consider moving there?


Thanks in advance!

You're right on the private school observation. People who don't actually LIVE in this district might purport otherwise, but I can tell you as someone who LIVES in Plano West feeder zone that I have seen a significant increase in yard signs for students attending PCA, TCA, Jesuit, Parish, Hockaday - all in subdivisions zones to Plano West. I've heard there is definitely an increase in families pulling their kids out of the local PISD schools, but I won't state one of the main reasons why because it'd be too controversial on this board.

That said, just because more families are going private doesn't mean the education at Plano West isn't top notch. There's a reason it's rated as a top public school, and I doubt that aspect will change.

In contrast, I think you will see a lot high percentage of Southlake residents using Carroll ISD vs private than you will in Plano, if that's important.

[CMC_TX]

Originally Posted by EC2005

Thanks. I always thought it was weird for West Plano to zone to Frankford. That school is not in West Plano (it's actually in Dallas), and as you said, the reputation doesn't match with the rest of the feeder pattern. With that said, it still seems to be a decent school.

Where else would Frankford zone? I live in Collin county, Plano west feeder zoned to Frankford. The folks living in the PISD portion of Dallas have to be zoned somewhere, and that's where the space happened to be at the time to accommodate that portion of the district. Otherwise, they'd be bussing kids to renner, which wouldn't have the capacity. District lines just don't coincide with city limits.

Frankford has a terrible reputation by PISD standards and has several delinquency problems. It's an interesting portion of the district because it pulls from a lot of the skid row type apartments complexes bordering Plano within city of Dallas. Dallas loves this zoning because it forces Plano police to bear some of the burden. No way in heck I'd send my kids to Frankford.

[Aceraceae]

Originally Posted by CMC_TX

You're right on the private school observation. People who don't actually LIVE in this district might purport otherwise, but I can tell you as someone who LIVES in Plano West feeder zone that I have seen a significant increase in yard signs for students attending PCA, TCA, Jesuit, Parish, Hockaday - all in subdivisions zones to Plano West. I've heard there is definitely an increase in families pulling their kids out of the local PISD schools, but I won't state one of the main reasons why because it'd be too controversial on this board.

That said, just because more families are going private doesn't mean the education at Plano West isn't top notch. There's a reason it's rated as a top public school, and I doubt that aspect will change.

In contrast, I think you will see a lot high percentage of Southlake residents using Carroll ISD vs private than you will in Plano, if that's important.

Is it losing its white Christian flavor?

[BayTexan]

Let me guess - it has to do with the rezoning a few years ago (with the tiger cubs from Rice and Jasper feeding into Plano West)?

Originally Posted by CMC_TX

You're right on the private school observation. People who don't actually LIVE in this district might purport otherwise, but I can tell you as someone who LIVES in Plano West feeder zone that I have seen a significant increase in yard signs for students attending PCA, TCA, Jesuit, Parish, Hockaday - all in subdivisions zones to Plano West. I've heard there is definitely an increase in families pulling their kids out of the local PISD schools, but I won't state one of the main reasons why because it'd be too controversial on this board.

That said, just because more families are going private doesn't mean the education at Plano West isn't top notch. There's a reason it's rated as a top public school, and I doubt that aspect will change.

In contrast, I think you will see a lot high percentage of Southlake residents using Carroll ISD vs private than you will in Plano, if that's important.

[Aceraceae]

Originally Posted by BayTexan

Let me guess - it has to do with the rezoning a few years ago (with the tiger cubs from Rice and Jasper feeding into Plano West)?

You're more informed than me regarding zoning, but the "controversial" comment certainly leads one to believe this kind of scenario is possible.

[BayTexan]

I would guess so. There was a huge brouhaha and lots of acrimony during that rezoning process with the Plano West gang up in arms about 'saving their school' and proposing a new high school (Plano North or something like that to keep the tigers out) and all sorts of other things.

There is truth to the tiger impact - as evidenced by for example the balance of academic power shift from Plano Senior to Plano West (e.g. look at the NMSF numbers now versus before the rezoning).

Originally Posted by Aceraceae

You're more informed than me regarding zoning, but the "controversial" comment certainly leads one to believe this kind of scenario is possible.

[Aceraceae]

Originally Posted by BayTexan

I would guess so. There was a huge brouhaha and lots of acrimony during that rezoning process with the Plano West gang up in arms about 'saving their school' and proposing a new high school (Plano North or something like that to keep the tigers out) and all sorts of other things.

There is truth to the tiger impact - as evidenced by for example the balance of academic power shift from Plano Senior to Plano West (e.g. look at the NMSF numbers now versus before the rezoning).

Wow

[serger]

Originally Posted by UnfairPark

Plano has a good number of kids who attend Christian schools. Overall most children attend their neighborhood public schools. There is a small percentage of wealthy parents like every affluent town who prefer elite privates. These parents choose to stay in Plano as it's affordable, a short commute to private schools and provides good public schools as back up. Blessing for Plano schools as well because these people do pay their ISD portion of property taxes, covers at least some of the money that Plano and other affluent towns have to give away for Robinhood Tax.

Short commute from WP to the elite privates, seriously? Currently it can easily take 30 minutes to get from Bush to LBJ in the morning. And yet, I do see the St. Marks stickers all the time entering at Parker...

[UnfairPark]

Originally Posted by serger

Short commute from WP to the elite privates, seriously? Currently it can easily take 30 minutes to get from Bush to LBJ in the morning. And yet, I do see the St. Marks stickers all the time entering at Parker...

If you want safe and relatively affordable nice neighborhood with good public schools AND short commute to private schools and highways then what other choices do you have? Allen? Frisco? Dallas?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by serger

Short commute from WP to the elite privates, seriously? Currently it can easily take 30 minutes to get from Bush to LBJ in the morning. And yet, I do see the St. Marks stickers all the time entering at Parker...

It's the shortest commute if you need/want to live in Collin Co. I work with two people (different families) who live in Frisco/Prosper areas and send their kids to Jesuit and Greenhill....until the kids turn 16, parents are doing that awful drive 2X day. One is a "C" suiter so more important to be anchored near the office than school. The other has an exceptionally brilliant kid and then 2 other kids that are on the average side and enrolled in public schools; I doubt they could afford to put 3 kids in private and prefer to be in smaller schools than Plano offers. "C" suiter family is talking about moving to West Plano to cut the private school drive time down by 40-50% vs their current home.