neighborhood advice shreveport (New Orleans: houses, magnet school, fence)

[darchinst]

I am considering acquiring a home in Shreveport and could use some advice. It is located on gladstone blvd between fairfield ave and line ave, a couple of blocks west of Line. I've read here previously to stay east of line. All of the houses on this street look older, but all are in perfect condition. All of the yards were mowed. There was hardly any traffic, and it was very quiet the two times i went (once at 530pm and once at 1130am), you could just barely hear the traffic on 49 in the distance. All in all it seemed like a decent quiet neighborhood with no trash anywhere and no junky cars etc. What I am asking is what am I not seeing? I've been reading here and other places alot, and I was trying to find a place in Broadmoor, but I like this place and it reminds me of my old neighborhood in North New Orleans. Any advice would be appreciated.

ps, I have a 3 year old and a wife so safety is a concern but it didn't seem to be an issue in that area. I have no idea about schools there but my son wouldn't have a problem testing into a magnet school.

[urbanexplorer2009]

East of Line Avenue is a general rule of thumb, but the South Highlands area (around where you're looking) is an exception. That area was one of Shreveport's first suburban areas back in the 1920s and has retained its charm ever since. I do not know anything about that area's schools, sorry.

[darchinst]

yeah, i'm confused about it. the neighborhood seems nice, clean, quiet. but the schools are horrible. on greatschools.net they are rated a 1 and a 2 out of ten, with 98% black, 2 % white, and below 1 % hispanic, with over half getting free lunches. usually the schools are indicitive of the neighborhood, but the neighborhood seems nice. i'm on the fence on this one, i just don't know.

BTW, my ideal race population would be 33,33,33. i want my son to be educated in a diverse environment not overpopulated by any one race. that's just asking for trouble or racism later on.

[hdwell]

Those homes in the Glenwood subv (Gladstone between line and Fairfield) are real beauties no doubt. C. E. Byrd high is a great school and a math/science magnet to boot. I don't know for sure about the middle and elem which serve that area. South Highlands elem is very top notch, however avoid Creswell and Barret. Caddo middle magnet is the best middle school in Caddo (Shreveport). Broadmoor used to be good but has fallen down in performance over the years. Youree Dr. is good.

Call the Caddo Parish School Board to find out for sure what schools are included in the district.

[darchinst]

someone posted a link to a page where you can type in the address and it tells you what schools go with that address but i can't find it anymore on here. anyone remember?