Colleyville vs. Southlake (Houston, Dallas, Austin: environment, credit, for sale)

[loves2read]

my point was that teaching students who ocme from the background and home situation that most Southlake students do means you are starting with kids who are above grade level usually and stay that way through school..

.so they succeed at standardized testing and areas of education....

when others start BELOW grade level and and sometimes REALLy below grade level it is so much more difficult to raise their skills....their lives are more chaotic and diverge from a positive atmosphere so getting to grade level is an uphill climb for most of those kids....much less exceeding it....

I know teachers who teach in Carroll and they know there are problems in that dristrict that are glossed over because no one wants to make waves and catch any heat---nothing is supposed to be wrong in the wonderland of Southlake...teaching is not an easy job wherever you teach--but there are different sets of problems depending on where you are...and some jobs are easier than others...I don't understand why people have such a difficult time admitting that part of the success of the Carroll ISD is in the fact that it is has so few low-income and so few minorities that most of the time few campuses have enough students to actually make a sub-set for TAKS coding purposes...that makes a HUGH difference in high stakes testing....especially when the majority of students in a school ARE the sub-sets...if the only minority students a school has are the children of Asian, Indian, or African American doctors or middle managers of companies--that is not exactly a "minority" group...

[hypocore]

I have to agree in general with loves2read and have many times began typing a response similar. :-)

My definition of 'great' schools is far different than many I have seen posted here. Typically the schools that get that reputation have more than 80% white student population and less than 4% on free/reduced lunch. They typically have a very involved and heavily funded sports program that borders on elistist as well. That's not my idea of a great school.

I prefer something a little more balanced in all manners. I prefer a school that is well known for it's community involvement and spirit and isn't just known for it's championship titles.

So, when people are looking for 'great' schools, I'd rather find out what they mean before just tossing out certain reputations. But that's just me....haha

[DFWHall]

It depends and it isn't easy to tell where one town begins and the other ends. Both have equally excellent schools, Southlake has tons of retail and restaurants where Colleyville is more residential but hosts one of the best Gyms and Grocery Stores in the area. The commute won't be easy if mainstream hours working in downtown Fort Worth or Dallas are involved, but that seems hardly avoidable these days. Coppell isn't too far from the area for a visit, but is far enough to warrant a phone call before deciding to just "pop by".

I noticed another post that mentioned how homes get grabbed up around here. I am a Realtor and don't see that finding a home is an issue in either area. Your price range will afford you options. Grapevine also borders parts of both towns and it just depends on which light you make a left on which town you are in.

Flower Mound, in my opinion, is a nightmare to get in and out of. The one way in and one way out post is absolutley the truth! It is a great community to live in and they also have great schools. It is fairly close to Coppell.

[5stones]

I know teachers who teach in Carroll and they know there are problems in that dristrict that are glossed over because no one wants to make waves and catch any heat---nothing is supposed to be wrong in the wonderland of Southlake

This was the same issues we had in PA. We refered to our township as the bubble! But they do have problems and even though test scores are fantastic and they may be one of the best school districts in the state etc...I really didn't want my kids going to MS/HS there. (elementary..supurb) But the problems they face get swept under the rug...drugs, cheating,thieft, vandelism etc...the whole metality that if you don't drive a BMW or better...well then we won't socialize with you. (Bored upper middle class kids whose parents don't ever see that "little johnny" can be a troublemaker.

Since moving to VA we have a very diverse environment and my kids are seeing how good they have it. Having a certin % of low income kids is actually good for a school, it's more representitive of life in general. Plus you get the fed money into the school etc...I hate the emphasis on Standardized testing, here it's a compulsion and obsession!

Anyway...I digress. I loved the fact that southlake has acreage etc... But I really don't see us affording a house there. (the kind we want) We are living on a shoestring here and I don't want to be house poor! If we get this move we are staying put until the youngest goes to College.

[colleyville mom]

Originally Posted by 5stones

thanks so much!!! y'all are great.

I am just concerned that my kids will make good friends at school and then have them split to different HS.

But it's confusing...and abit maddening that you have so many GREAT neighborhoods and good schools...A good problem though. ( simuliar to here in VA , you have to search for the bad schools instead of search for the good ones!!) with the housing prices in DFW I am like a kid in a candy shop! My needs are very easily met....now I am getting very picky about my WANTS! (a good problem to have!)

I moved here 5years ago from Ashburn,VA and felt as you do. I spent 6 weeks Shopping and visiting schools trying to make a decision on which neighborhood would best fit my family's needs. I settled in Keller which turned out to be a great place to live. But schools tend to be overcrowded and the schools scores have dropped some since then do to the high influx of people moving into the area. There is alot of building still going on and this does affect the school system. I recently Moved to Colleyville and my daughter goes to Grapevine high. She absolutly loves it there. She made lots of new friends very quickly and had no proplems readjusting. The school is less crowded and ranks higher in academics

When picking a neighborhood be careful not all neighborhoods appreciate at the same rate. Not all communities (HOA) in the same neighborhhod appreciate at the same rate. This was something that I learned the hard way.
Not all Custom builders are custom builders Stay clear of track houses they do not appreciate.

[colleyville mom]

Originally Posted by hypocore

I have to agree in general with loves2read and have many times began typing a response similar. :-)

My definition of 'great' schools is far different than many I have seen posted here. Typically the schools that get that reputation have more than 80% white student population and less than 4% on free/reduced lunch. They typically have a very involved and heavily funded sports program that borders on elistist as well. That's not my idea of a great school.

I prefer something a little more balanced in all manners. I prefer a school that is well known for it's community involvement and spirit and isn't just known for it's championship titles.

So, when people are looking for 'great' schools, I'd rather find out what they mean before just tossing out certain reputations. But that's just me....haha

I agree 100% with you and that is why i believe Grapvine high to be the best of all the schools here in the metroplex. It is more diverse and has the least amount of proplems academically and socially. Way to go mustangs!

[loves2read]

there are "tract" housing in Colleyville and Southlake subdivisions like Drees and Toll Brothers--and those houses appreciate--I have seen their prices increase in the time we have been shopping for home

DFWHall--I meant that there are plenty of houses on the market--but some houses are more desireable than others for variety of reasons--some that are very desireable for whatever reasons can be under contract even on the first day of listing--I know--we saw three homes that had been listed within 48 hrs and all 3 had contracts on them that day...one of them was ours--unfortunately, the sellers had major family health emergency during the option period and asked to be released from our contract---while we did not want to let the house go, our realtor (and my husband) said that it would be too much of a hassle trying to take them to court and enforce the option to purchase to a real closing....we are hoping they can resolve their problems and will put house back on market within the 6 month right of first refusal contract we requested...
Good houses go fast--that is all I am saying...if someone is in for a buying trip and has only 2-3 days to find a house, the market can be pretty picked over....

[Dragonista]

It takes me 30 minues to get to either Dallas or FW from Southlake. It may be quicker that Colleyville because Southlake has better access to freeways, but it depends on your starting point.
As for schools, Southlake had incredible schools but the norther part of town, north of 114 is facing overcrowding from development. If you are looking to stay under $300,000, try looking in Grapevine neighborhoods that are in Southlake schools - Winding Creek Estates and Lakeside Estates.
If you look in Colleyville, be sure to check what middle school and high school you are feeding into. Parts of Colleyville go to Grapevine High. Keller is in the middle of massive growth, adding new schools and shifting attendence zones.

[loves2read]

yes--some parts of Colleyville have HEB ISD--some have Keller ISD--and within the district some schools split attendance into different middle or high schools
a good MLS site would give the zoned schools

[mamatwopugs]

South Lake is a wonderful area if you have the funds-taxes are extremely high! Schools are great, but still expensive. Shopping is great-Houses are beautiful-but still expensive! Colleyville used to be more elaborate than Southlake. When someone said they were from Colleyville-all eyes turned!
I live in Arlington and work at Martin High School-very good school -academically and the taxes aren't too bad here. I have been here for 25 years and have seen this place grow! We picked this area in the 80's when we moved up from Houston/Baytown area. This was a time when the oil market went bad and prople down there were walking off and leaving their homes! We liked SW Arlington because we were close to the Airport. I'm glad my kids are grown now-this would be a hard decision to make-I like both areas(Colleyville and Southlake). Good Luck!