Harmony Highschool Sugar land vs Elkins in Fort Bend (Houston: transfer, middle school)

[newpersonlongtimelurker]

So, I have been a long time lurker but just made an account. My son just started 9th grade with the Engineering academy at Elkins Highschool. We were also recently informed that he got into the Harmony Highschool in Sugar Land and wanted to ask y'all about what your thoughts about the schools are.

Background: I have 2 older kids who graduated from Clements. My daughter made all A's, took some AP classes, was constantly stressed but was able to only make it in the top 20% of the class. In order to avoid this situation we wanted to try a different approach for my son so I applied for both the academy and Harmony. He attended Fort Settlement middle school and is already done with both Algebra 1/ Geometry (Pre-AP?).

I have various threads but I felt I haven't received enough information to make an educated guess. I believe he is a hard worker. Which of these schools would offer him the best chance to succeed?

[SugLandDAd]

Great article that discusses some of these issues.


https://communityimpact.com/austin/l...-percent-rule/

[Houston parent]

I recommend you look carefully at the people behind the Harmony schools. Harmony operates a growing number of charter schools and there are persistent rumors that they are linked to the Turkish Gulen Movement (which the Harmony founders deny).

[ipuck]

Competition is less fierce at Elkins. I personally would never consider Harmony unless I am living in failing school zones. Your kid might be top 10% at Harmony but is more due to the fact the kids there are lower skills and competitive than the First Colony schools. And of course, you exposure him to certain elements that you normally would not at the First Colony schools.

[nana053]

I agree that you should look carefully at the Harmony connections to the Gulen Movement

List of US schools - A Guide to the Gulen Movement's Activities in the US

https://sites.google.com/site/gulenm...harterschools/

Turkish language classes; Turkish mandatory in some grade levels; very limited selection of foreign language classes besides Turkish
Turkish culture emphasis, e.g., Turkish dance clubs
School-sponsored Turkey trips
Large number of Turkish/Turkic teachers
Participation of students in Turkish Language Olympics
Unusually high number of H1B visa applications
In communications with parents, school awards and achievements are relentlessly emphasized and not put into perspective relative to other non-Gulenist schools
Chronic problems with special education compliance
Turkish/Turkic teachers and administrators have no work experience in education outside of the Gulen school network

[NTexas2010]

I am also dubious of Harmony schools, geo-political connections aside. My wife teaches AP courses at Foster HS in LCISD and has had multiple students transfer in from Harmony schools that are academically behind their respective LCISD peers. She has also yet to have a Harmony product that is exceedingly ahead of any of her LCISD students.

Additionally, if you review the ratings of Harmony schools versus their FBISD, KISD, LCISD etc counterparts, the Harmony don't seem to be anything special and are sometimes below average.

I would say Elkins for sure.

[Failed Engineer]

I am unsure of where the accolades come from for the Harmony schools. Everyone I know that's tried one of their schools, whether first hand account or second or third hand, says they've pulled their kids out after 2-3 years. But every year I learn of new families that go for it. It's very strange where they get their reputation from.

[NTexas2010]

Originally Posted by Failed Engineer

I am unsure of where the accolades come from for the Harmony schools. Everyone I know that's tried one of their schools, whether first hand account or second or third hand, says they've pulled their kids out after 2-3 years. But every year I learn of new families that go for it. It's very strange where they get their reputation from.

If I had to guess, some people misunderstand and incorrectly equate "Charter" school to a quality school. Harmony has a pretty big presence in Houston so again people make some kind of association with size/name recognition with quality.

[ipuck]

In fairness, they serve a good alternative when your zoned school is a failing school.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by ipuck

In fairness, they serve a good alternative when your zoned school is a failing school.

And at the elementary level it has to get pretty bad to force you to use low level charters. I had a college friend who taught at Young Elementary in Sunnyside and she said it was a complete disaster. A high school friend of mine went to RP Harris in East Houston and he (a white guy) said it was a good school to go to. Both are lower ranked elementaries, but one has a safety problem while the other does/did not.