Info on Indianapolis (Lawrence, Carmel, Franklin: safe neighborhoods, school districts, live in)

[SexySoccerMom]

I am researching areas for possible relocation and for some reason I keep coming back to Indy. I need some information on which are good neighborhoods, school info, ect.

Pretty much any info you can provide will be helpful and the more the better.


THANKS!

[MikiJayne]

That is a very broad question!! We will need more info to be more helpful to you. What kinds of things are you looking for? Nightlife? Suburbs? Schools that are awesome?

[Future Trooper]

I agree with MikiJayne your being a little to broad.

Hendricks County(which is immediately West of Indianapolis) (including the towns of Avon-Plainfield-Danville-Brownsburg) Have excellent nationally recognized schools for their excellence in education and technology in the classroom. These towns have very excellent neighborhoods.

[beth1104]

I highly recommend the Carmel/Westfield area for schools, organized sports, shopping, restaurants, friendly/safe neighborhoods....

[SexySoccerMom]

We are looking at actually inside Indianapolis. I know that every town has it's good sides and bad sides so I pretty much need to know what parts of the city to avoid.

[beth1104]

I'm thinking you'll want private schools then. (If differing opinions out there, feel free to post)! Indianapolis, Washington township had a decent reputation several years ago.... perhaps still does??? (That would be North Central H.S., not sure of the schools that feed into it).

[SexySoccerMom]

My kids are still in elementary schools and my oldest will be going on to jr high year after next. Are the public elementay schools that bad there?

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by SexySoccerMom

My kids are still in elementary schools and my oldest will be going on to jr high year after next. Are the public elementay schools that bad there?

No. But the folks who don't live in Indianapolis LOVE ripping apart the schools here. IPS, yes, it deserves the bad rap it gets and no, I would not currently send my kids (if I had any) to IPS. I would, without reservation, send them to any of the township schools (except Wayne). I have heard a lot of ridiculous arguments against the township schools; even a claim that because Franklin Township is only slighty above average ISTEP scores they are inferior. Lawrence (north rather than central), Washington, and Franklin are all solid school districts; Decatur, Perry, and Pike are probably a step below, but still fine. The fact of the matter is I have attended township schools, I know people who have attended and graduated from township schools; and we all turned out fine with a good education.

[beth1104]

Originally Posted by SexySoccerMom

My kids are still in elementary schools and my oldest will be going on to jr high year after next. Are the public elementay schools that bad there?

Indianapolis Public Schools district does not have a good reputation, but there are suburbs all around the city with better public schools. North Central district that I mentioned is Indianapolis, but not "IPS". Carmel is just North of that and Westfield further North and would be better. There are so many good districts 'just outside' Indy. Actually, there is at least one neighborhood with and Indianapolis address that is within Carmel district, at about 98th Street.

[Naptowner]

Indianapolis has 9 townships, but the township boundaries are not necessarily the same as the school district boundaries, even though the districts are named after the townships. Avoid the IPS district. This district extends into Washington Township, and includes some of the nicest areas of Washington Township, such as Broad Ripple, Meridian-Kessler, and Butler-Tarkington. This map shows the school district boundaries: Map

I live in Butler-Tarkington and love the area, but won't be sending my children to the local IPS school. There are some decent charter schools, but it's like winning a lottery to get in - literally.