Richardson vs Plano ISD

[FarNorthDallas]

Originally Posted by traceyr13

Yes, the firm is right downtown...I'm blanking on the name of the building...Bank of America building, maybe? At any rate, there is a DART station right by it, so dh is thinking he'll take the train in (he did it for years commuting from Providence to Boston).

Momof2dfw - thanks for the head's up on Plano. I'm off to google and find the article right now!

Yeah, there are a lot of law firms in the Bank of America building. I'm at a firm in a different building a couple of blocks over. None of our attorneys take mass transit to work. Some staff does, but none from the north, either red line or blue line. I have tried it a few times and it's a beating and I am on that red line that comes from Plano. Standing room only coming in. Takes longer, then I don't have a car downtown. Sometimes I need to leave the office during the day. It just didn't work for me.

[debtex]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

I personally would stick w/ Richardson. I prefer the Lake Highlands area and you will find PLENTY of professionals living in that area with jobs downtown and VERY involved in the schools. And a MUCH better commute.

I really agree with this one. We both work downtown and looked in LH and Lakewood. The schools in LH are mixed, some great and some mediocre, so make sure you get a really experienced realtor who knows the neighborhood. LH is a much better commute and is much prettier to boot. And the housing stock has more character, it's a little older (60's mostly.)

Good luck!

[dbloom3]

Hi OP,

I am in the same situation as you, and was wondering how things worked out. I will be moving to Dallas next June. I have 2 elementary aged kids and am trying to decide between LH, Richardson, and Plano. I will be at UTSW, so LH would be the best commute. I am concerned about the Texas curriculum in general. Our daughter is in private school in Florida, but we will not be able to afford private school in Dallas for 2 kids. Our daughter is currently in the 1st grade and and will be starting 3rd grade when we get to Dallas. Based on the Texas curriculum, she is already doing the things she will learn in 3rd grade. I am afraid she will be board. The only advanced program we found was a reading program at Mohawk Elementary. Do you know if any of the other schools have advanced/gifted programs?

Thanks,

David

[traceyr13]

Hi David,

I was fortunate in that I obtained a position at a great private school, and am able to afford sending my oldest (who is gifted) to the same school I work at. My other two (currently in kinder and 1st grade) are in Prestonwood elementary in Richardson ISD, and I am extremely pleased with how their year has gone. Their teachers are fantastic, and the school has very involved parents, lots of activities, etc.

My other two will be applying to the private school next year (so planning on them coming over for 2nd and 3rd grade in 2011-2012), but I am happy they are in Richardson ISD for these 2 years!

Hope that helps.

[Jan70]

From some comments I've read, I see Lake Highlands is a good area to live in. But what about the public school district? Posts have said Richardson.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Jan70

From some comments I've read, I see Lake Highlands is a good area to live in. But what about the public school district? Posts have said Richardson.

Lake Highlands is Dallas, zoned to RISD schools mostly.

[Jan70]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

Lake Highlands is Dallas, zoned to RISD schools mostly.

OK. Thanks.

[LochLH]

I second the Lake Highlands recommendations. It's very family friendly, and there's a great sense of community spirit. (It's kind of like a small town within the city.) There are lots of trees, hills, and beautiful scenery at White Rock lake. Yes, the houses are smaller and/or more expensive per square foot than what you find in the suburbs, but you don't get that cookie-cutter feel, and the commute in town is not bad since you can take surface streets instead of freeways. LH schools have the REACH program, which is the talented and gifted option within the schools. Parents or teachers can recommend kids for testing. Some of the more highly regarded elementaries in LH include White Rock, Lake Highlands, and Moss Haven. There are also some good public school options in DISD, but DISD has to contend with a pretty incompetent administration, unfortunately. Some of the better DISD public elementaries are Lakewood, Stonewall Jackson, and Hexter in the east Dallas area. The magnet schools in Dallas can be good, but they're not a fit for every kid. If you decide on Lake Highlands, they have some magnet options, too. Just go to the RISD website to learn more.

Also, if you're intent on private schools, there is a small private school in Lake Highlands called Highlander School that serves pre-K through sixth grade. It provides a great classical education. Many of the kids there go on to Lake Highlands public schools after sixth grade, but they've had several students over the past few years get into the more well-known private schools like St. Marks and ESD for seventh grade, which is not an easy task (at least at St. Marks) when such a small percentage of students are accepted for that grade level. The kids are well prepared.