Vanguard or Private School

[Dirt McGirt]

Public vs. Private can also be very kid dependent. Some kids need the extra attention and generally better demographics in private. Others will do great in public while getting exposed to something closer to the real world.

I think the ideal situation in HISD is to live somewhere with good neighborhood vanguard programs and then use other Magnets or Private as options based on what is most desirable at the time. I can see it being stressful not being zoned to one and having to rely on the lottery at various stages. Same with the Private schools that terminate at 5th or 8th.

With the good private schools in Houston around $20k, I hope we can avoid private for at least a good portion of the education. I'd much rather contribute that type of money to a 529 program and not worry about tuition at a top private university (or top public with out of state tuition) when they're 18 which is likely to be much more value added than the elementary school they went to.

[dosto]

If you are in HISD, I'd look at private. Yes, you can go to a Vaguard school now, then you'll be stressed about trying to find a good middle school. You can try private for middle school, but so will many others. Getting into a private middle school in HISD can be a challenge in itself. What people (who can afford it) often do in HISD:
-Vanguard/Magnet elementary
-Trying a lottery to Vanguard middle and, at the same time, as a backup plan applying to private schools
-If those above don't work, move to Spring Branch ISD (Memorial area)

[Meyerland]

Originally Posted by dosto

If you are in HISD, I'd look at private. Yes, you can go to a Vaguard school now, then you'll be stressed about trying to find a good middle school. You can try private for middle school, but so will many others. Getting into a private middle school in HISD can be a challenge in itself. What people (who can afford it) often do in HISD:
-Vanguard/Magnet elementary
-Trying a lottery to Vanguard middle and, at the same time, as a backup plan applying to private schools
-If those above don't work, move to Spring Branch ISD (Memorial area)

Also people that do private at pk-5 schools stress when going to MS. There are only so many MS spots open.

[Bike4Life]

Originally Posted by oneredchick

my kids have been in private since kinder. My son is currently a 5th grader. We were accepted to Lanier Vanguard and Pin Oak Language for next year. We choose lanier. The problem with my school in particular is the academics aren't rigorous enough for him, we have no sort of G/T offerings.. many private do not. We also have far less electives, technology, extracurricular, etc. a in private. Last, he is extremely athletic and going to a more competitive public school is a big draw... we may apply to a larger private high schools when the time comes as I'm not very impressed with any HISD high school with the exception of HSPVA. I know he is excited to have a larger friend pool in middle school, which definitely is when a social life comes into play...

HSPVA has no sports which is why my child turned down this opportunity and would also turned down Carnegie HS. The only "sport" at HSPVA would be dance.

[EasilyAmused]

I would go with private. Two of mine had a one year experience in The Woodlands with public school. The third stayed with grandparents to keep attending Kinkaid. When we came back into town a year later,it was a scramble to get the younger two caught up and in the private system.

I just prefer the school work for me and the needs of the child vs. having to have another full time job trying to make the school Provide what our child needs.