General Advice About Broward Schools From a Teacher (Tallahassee, Coral Springs: rent, private schools)

[LookingforFireflies]

There seems to be a lot of questions about schools - which is understandable for anyone relocating with kids. Here's my two cents for what it's worth. I teach high school in Broward (I'm purposely not listing exactly which one). Choosing a school in this area has everything to do with what you personally want. A lot of comments on this site touch on race and income - some more discreetly than others - and while it might not be politically correct, we all know why such comments are made. But the bottom line is that every school here has something to offer depending on what you're looking for. You have to be careful about who you are getting advice from - because what one person likes in a school, might be the very thing you hate in a school.

The schools out west - or any of the private schools - tend to have better scores and less minorities, but I hear students say that the Proms at those schools are rife with drugs and that your status is determined by the type of car you drive. And while other schools don't perform as strongly and are more diverse, many have amazing magnet programs that really streamline your student's education, challenge them with rigor and offer exciting field trips and projects. I, personally, am middle class (I guess that's obvious, being a teacher) and my children are bi-racial. I do not send them to a predominantly white or black school... I prefer to keep them where they will meet and learn from children of all races and income levels. Again, what works for me, not might work for you.

Please do not rely solely on comments made on this board. You really have to research and visit schools. If you are moving from out of state, rent before you buy. South Florida is one of the most diverse places in the country. And I'm talking about REAL diversity - not a lot of races living seperately, but a lot of races living on the same street. Research demographics - esp. on the Broward Schools website. Ask specific questions on this board when you've narrowed down your search. Asking too general of a question like "which schools are good?" is just too subjective and leads to unneccessary comments about race and income. You need to decide what will work for you.

And be leary of the "grading" of schools. There are a lot of "false positives". I mean, if a school is a D or F school, chances are you want to avoid it. But quite a few of the "B" schools, for example, are horrible schools - they just were so low and made gains, that their school grade shot up. You really just need to get creative in your research, visit the schools and find out what program strengths they offer.

[jhlcomp]

It is so refreshing to read a post such as yours. I do not have children and this does not apply to me. However, for anyone moving here, this is one of the best posts I have ever read on this topic.

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by SoFlaMom

The schools out west - or any of the private schools - tend to have better scores and less minorities, but I hear students say that the Proms at those schools are rife with drugs and that your status is determined by the type of car you drive.

I am going to have to disagree with you here.

Falcon Cove MS (in Weston) is 53% minority.
Gator Run ES (in Weston) is 47% minority.
Cypress Bay HS (in Weston) is 55% minority.

American Heritage HS (in Plantation) is 45% minority.

Minority does not mean only blacks. All the school listed above are considered good schools yet they have high minority populations.

You simply cannot rate a school by the amount of minorities in the school. There are drugs at all high schools, public or private, east and west Broward.

And while other schools don't perform as strongly and are more diverse, many have amazing magnet programs that really streamline your student's education, challenge them with rigor and offer exciting field trips and projects.

Yes there are some fabulous magnet programs in Broward. However, several people I know have removed their children from the magnets because many of the magnets are located in dangerous schools.

I, personally, am middle class (I guess that's obvious, being a teacher) and my children are bi-racial. I do not send them to a predominantly white or black school... I prefer to keep them where they will meet and learn from children of all races and income levels. Again, what works for me, not might work for you.

I think you will have a hard time finding a public school here in Broward that is predominantly white. The perception is that the schools in the west are all white, but as a resident of Weston I can tell you that the population in west Broward is very diverse.

My kids also go to American Heritage school. It is NOT an all white school. There are many hispanic and asian students and some black students as well. Even the white population at AHS is diverse as there are many international students at the school.

Please do not rely solely on comments made on this board. You really have to research and visit schools.

Very true.

If you are moving from out of state, rent before you buy. South Florida is one of the most diverse places in the country. And I'm talking about REAL diversity - not a lot of races living seperately, but a lot of races living on the same street. Research demographics - esp. on the Broward Schools website. Ask specific questions on this board when you've narrowed down your search. Asking too general of a question like "which schools are good?" is just too subjective and leads to unneccessary comments about race and income. You need to decide what will work for you.

Good advice. I agree that this is a truly diverse areas. Blacks, whites, hispanics and asian mix here. People do live on the same block and interact with one another. It is not simply a series of homogeneous communities, but much more heterogeneous than other places I have lived.

And be leary of the "grading" of schools. There are a lot of "false positives". I mean, if a school is a D or F school, chances are you want to avoid it. But quite a few of the "B" schools, for example, are horrible schools - they just were so low and made gains, that their school grade shot up. You really just need to get creative in your research, visit the schools and find out what program strengths they offer.

This is also good advice. The school grading system is weird and not reliable.

[Raffeer]

You have to be careful about who you are getting advice from ..........

............ I hear students say that the Proms at those schools are rife with drugs and that your status is determined by the type of car you drive.

I think the views of one HS's students about another HS's students would not be the most reliable of sources. Personally I would give the opinions of the Board a lot more credibility than the judgments of rival HS students.
Bottom line, of course, visit the schools and make your own judgements.

[MisterNY]

Momma_bear,
I am going to have to disagree with you here.

Falcon Cove MS (in Weston) is 53% minority.
Gator Run ES (in Weston) is 47% minority.
Cypress Bay HS (in Weston) is 55% minority.

American Heritage HS (in Plantation) is 45% minority.



Wouldn't the 53% and 55% minority make them the majority? Just a twister for ya....(I'm kidding).

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by MisterNY

Momma_bear,
I am going to have to disagree with you here.

Falcon Cove MS (in Weston) is 53% minority.
Gator Run ES (in Weston) is 47% minority.
Cypress Bay HS (in Weston) is 55% minority.

American Heritage HS (in Plantation) is 45% minority.



Wouldn't the 53% and 55% minority make them the majority? Just a twister for ya....(I'm kidding).

I realized that when I posted but there is no ONE group that makes up the 53/55%.

[Wild Style]

As a former teacher myself let me tell you. Anyone thinking schools in these supposedly good areas are above immorality and social corruption either has their head in the dirt, is racist or just plain silly. I worked in a very good school near parkland. I won't name the school but I will say this. there were 12 yr old girls giving sexual favors in bathrooms. There were kids attacking elderly and homosexual teachers (on two separate occasions). Theft was rampant as well. I can also speak for a few schools in western, coral springs and boca as I had friends who taught in these areas and I heard stories.

As for school grades, those don't mean much. If a kid gets referrals and gets sent to the office that referral brings down the schools grades, suspensions bring down school grades as well. So guess what administration did at the school I worked at? They would sit on the referrals and not process them so the school grade wouldn't be lowered. The whole system is a joke and the sooner people realize that the better off they will be.

[MisterNY]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

As a former teacher myself let me tell you. Anyone thinking schools in these supposedly good areas are above immorality and social corruption either has their head in the dirt, is racist or just plain silly. I worked in a very good school near parkland. I won't name the school but I will say this. there were 12 yr old girls giving sexual favors in bathrooms. There were kids attacking elderly and homosexual teachers (on two separate occasions). Theft was rampant as well. I can also speak for a few schools in western, coral springs and boca as I had friends who taught in these areas and I heard stories.

As for school grades, those don't mean much. If a kid gets referrals and gets sent to the office that referral brings down the schools grades, suspensions bring down school grades as well. So guess what administration did at the school I worked at? They would sit on the referrals and not process them so the school grade wouldn't be lowered. The whole system is a joke and the sooner people realize that the better off they will be.

+1 on what you said. I know, I work at an A school, and know what goes on to keep that A.

[StilltheSame]

I have 2 friends who are not Caucasian who moved their children from American Heritage because of issues pertaining to diversity and they were not African American. I think the OP was dead on. Dont rely on demographics and test scores to determine what is the best fit for your child or children. I had my children in a private school (I too will opt for anonymity) and at the end of the elementary years became concerned about some language and conduct that I heard of - albeit tame by other standards. I dont think you can shelter them from everything although you clearly would love to do so. Good luck to us all as we only want the best for these children of ours.

[SeminoleTom]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

I worked in a very good school near parkland. I won't name the school but I will say this. there were 12 yr old girls giving sexual favors in bathrooms. There were kids attacking elderly and homosexual teachers (on two separate occasions). Theft was rampant as well. I can also speak for a few schools in western, coral springs and boca as I had friends who taught in these areas and I heard stories.

Why does these seem to happen so much in suburban south Florida? There seems to be so many 'bad' kids. I know it happens every where but I moved out of Coral Springs years ago to Tallahassee and then metro Atlanta and never see the frequency of these things that I did in south Florida. I just don't get it. It all goes back to how you are raised, no? Do the parents down there just don't give a flip? I swear as a proud Florida native I find this very depressing. When will people say enough is enough?