Alief ISD (Houston, Briar, West: middle-class, real estate, house)

[housewhisperer45]

Originally Posted by texx

The problem I think with Alief is not the teachers but the politics of the district and the kids themselves. Most Alief kids are apartment kids and they move very often year to year. They dont have stability at home and they surely wont have it when they leave their home. Alief allow their kids to get away with everything and they are very laxed. Last year a kid stabbed another kid and that kid got suspended for 3 days. He was back in my class the next week!!! Just another day in the S.W.A.T. (South West Alief Texas)

You hit the nail on the head Texx..I am just wondering how much worse can it get? The district needs a complete house cleaning from top the bottom to start with..

[TheHammer]

For what it's worth, my wife works for AISD (as a 'paraprofessional') and when we first moved here (1974), AISD was ranked scholastically in the top five districts state-wide. Since then, this area has become a 'transient-zone' with apartments springing up on every corner and every empty acre, making the majority of the population 'renters'... with the minority being home-owners. As a general rule, transients could care less about the quality of education while home-owners care about the education system and its affect on property values.

'Transient students' are intent only on getting OUT of school... and their parents care even less about their child's education. How many parents show up at 'Parent's night'?? Less than 5%. How many parents have even spent the time to TALK with their child's teacher... or even know the teachers name?? Again, something less than 10%.

The educational system, nationwide, has become a baby-sitting service... with state boards simply 'age-promoting' students without caring if they actually KNOW anything. The local goal is to keep the child IN school (and earning those 'state/federal' funds). And that is done by making it as simple as possible for those 'little darlings' to pass and not feel 'embarrassed' because they simply are too lazy to learn.

And 'heaven-forbid a teacher actually caring about his/her students!! Most teachers quickly learn that the hopes they had for 'touching someone's life'.... usually ends within the first five years of teaching.

We can only blame ourselves for the 'dumbing-down' and 'kumbaya-mentality' that we have allowed to happen in our education system. It won't get fixed until WE wake up and realize that even TCN's (Third County Nationals) are catching up and even passing our country scholastically.
Of course, that won't happen since, based on our last votes, apparently we want a government who simply takes from the inventive, energetic and hard-working... and gives to the lazy and under-educated.

[TheHammer]

Originally Posted by heyker

We have kids in high school middle school and elementary.

High school is kind of unusual in AISD. Your school is selected by drawing, not where you live.... though you can 'request' assignment to another high school. If interested in academics (no 'intramural' sports), consider Kerr High School. Much MUCH better than the other three (Hastings, Elsik and Taylor).
Elementary and Middle, you have no options. Your school is set by where you live in the district.
I suggest you visit the two schools were you are and do your research specific to them (rather than district wide).

Here is a link to the school district maps to help you decide which elem and middle:
Elem: [url]http://www.aliefisd.net/www/Alief/site/hosting/Boundary%20Maps/AISD%20Boundary%20Map%20-%20Elementary%2008-09.pdf[/url]

Middle: [url]http://www.aliefisd.net/www/Alief/site/hosting/Boundary%20Maps/AISD%20Boundary%20Map%20-%20Middle-Intermediate%2008-09.pdf[/url]

[TheHammer]

With all due respect to the long-time posters on this forum... Why the hell the 'discussions' about public school OPTIONS for Royal Oaks??
Simply, there aren't any. Residents of Royal Oaks have NO public option. If elementary age, they go to 'Outley'. If intermediate, they go to 'Budewig'.
If the parents don't like either of those... they MUST opt for private school.

Who cares about Westside HS, Westbriar Middle School, Revere, or Askew Elementary?? They are NOT in the District and are NOT available to Royal Oaks residents!! Not an option!!
The subject of this thread IS 'Alief ISD', isn't it??

[Callo]

I place the blame for Alief's demise squarely on the city for not doing anything to protect it's residents. Any other city would never have allowed so many crackhouse apartments to be built, and no other city would have allowed them to become as bad as they are right now. The "good ol boy" culture is killing Houston.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by TheHammer

...when we first moved here (1974), AISD was ranked scholastically in the top five districts state-wide. Since then, this area has become a 'transient-zone' with apartments springing up on every corner and every empty acre, making the majority of the population 'renters'...

Looking on a map, it looks like most of Alief is indeed in Houston city limits.

I've said this before on here... as in the case of Gulfton and Sharpstown, it is nuts how it is block upon block of huge, dilapidated apartment complex with nothing else. I really wish the city leaders would step up, and do something about this. One idea would be to somehow get the worst, most crime-ridden apartments torn down and the land redeveloped into single-family home subdivisions, similar to the (very few) subdivisions that are already near these areas. Retail would later follow, and the areas would probably be revitalized.

As it is right now, there are not enough housing options within the Beltway, much less within Hwy 6 in most directions, where there are good public schools and homes in a reasonable price range (under $350k). I think a lot of it has to do with the high portion of renters in those areas in comparison to the non-renters.

Without this, families who can't afford to spend upwards of $500k on a home will continue to flock to the outer suburbs.

Originally Posted by Callo

I place the blame for Alief's demise squarely on the city for not doing anything to protect it's residents. Any other city would never have allowed so many crackhouse apartments to be built, and no other city would have allowed them to become as bad as they are right now. The "good ol boy" culture is killing Houston.

See above.

[Callo]

One need only look at Fondren Southwest to prove you're point. You've got areas like Northfield, which has some of the most beautiful houses in Houston. Architecture that has a uniqueness you'll probably never see again. But pass onto the major roads and it's like you're in a whole other world. Nothing but monstrous buildings as far as you can see. Liquor stores, shoe stores, pawn shops, tattoo parlors up the wazoo.

[SteveArmy]

There are a whole lot of vietnamese transients/renters in Alief. I do not think they're lazy and causing problems. Perhaps ones culture and earnings have a lot more to do with the problem than their housing. There's just too many poor people with poor standards.
Texas', Louisiana's, Vietnam's etc poorest end up in Alief. OK, they probably start off in Alief, like many of you did.

Only gangs (maybe fraternities) last long enough to be a serious problem in high school. Being transient probably works againsts this problem so I don't think you guys really understand the issue.

[dhw]

My sister and nephew want to move to Alief. Can someone help me with names of apratments near O'Donnel Middle School? She is low income.

[SteveArmy]

Originally Posted by dhw

My sister and nephew want to move to Alief. Can someone help me with names of apratments near O'Donnel Middle School? She is low income.

I suggest you rent a house instead