Question selecting house: School Dist (Minneapolis, Plymouth: townhouse, neighborhood, school districts)

[tonybasu]

Hi All,
We are a young family with 4 and 8 year old kids planning to be in safe family friendly western suburbs of Minneapolis with east 20-25 min commute to Edina MN (Southdale Center). We are living in Mpls since last year.
I have seen homes at the following 4 locations under my budget.
Please tell me about Eden Prairie school system compare to other Western suburbs schools Dist. I have read some bad stories regarding new boundaries- Eden Prairie School. (Lower Scores: elementary schools were mixed . Parents not happy.)

Thanks for your all time.
Thanks to all the experienced people.

Questions:

a) Is it better to avoid Eden Prairie School Dist to be on the safe side ? Eden Prairie School Dist has Budget Deficit.
b) On the other hand Minnetonka and Wayzata School Districts are well funded financially. Great budget. High average scores among students.
c) East Carver County Dist schools growing ?

d) Houses near Purgatory Creek (Purgatory Park- Minnetonka) have any issues like snakes etc animals coming into the house. ( I have never lived near Creek nor Lake. Little scared! :))

Houses:
1)2008- built Nice Townhouse: (Association maintained)
Near Bearpath Country Club: Pioneer Trail- Dell Road Intersection
Eden Prairie School Dist: Cedar Ridge Elementary school
Commute to Edina: using US 212 E and then CR62 E


2) Single family home by Purgatory Creek: 1985 built
Near Minnetonka: Purgatory Park: CR 101- CR-62 intersection:
Minnetonka School Dist
CR101S and then CR-62 E

3) 2008 built- Nice Townhouse (Association maintained)
Near Chanhassen: Hazeltime Golf Club: Near US 212 Highway: Lake Riley
East Carver County School Dist
Commute to Edina: using US 212 E and then CR62 E


4) 2005 built : Nice Detached Townhouse (Association maintained)
Location: NW Plymouth: Near Wayzata High School: Schmidt Lake- Vicksburg lane
Wayzata School Dist
Commute to Edina: I-494S and then CR62 E

[golfgal]

Eden Prairie schools are very good. There has been a controversy in EP about redrawing boundaries which moves several kids out of their neighborhood schools to schools across town to balance the racial and socioeconomics in the various schools. Personally, I don't agree with the policy either but I don't live there so I don't really get a say. Some other people here blow it way out of proportion because the "white" families in town are the most vocal--yet the same thing happened in Minneapolis and that was ok because it was the minority families putting up the stink-whatever. Anyway. What I don't like about Eden Prairie, Wayzata and Minnetonka schools is that they are HUGE, like 1000 kids/grade in the high school huge. That is twice the size or more than pretty much every other high school in the metro. That doesn't bother some people though so it's a personal choice.

I really like the Chaska area and the Chaska schools are very good as well. It's more of a small town feel, know people when you go to the grocery store type place.

I will comment that while those areas are "close" on the map, traffic is horrible on 494 pretty much all the time over there so before you buy, drive during the morning and evening rush hours to get a feel for traffic. If you can find a place where you take side roads, that will give you more options. I have been doing a project for a company just on the other side of 494 from where you are at. To get to France and 494 ON 494 (coming from the east) it takes me 35 minutes from Rosemount. If I take the back roads, it's 20 minutes.

[uptown_urbanist]

My Minnetonka friends have never, as far as I know, had problems with animals in their homes. I wouldn't worry about it.

I have a totally different take on the Eden Prairie issue than Golfgal (she's comparing apples to oranges with Minneapolis and fails to understand some of the issues being debated, but that's a different thread...) but if the concern were the racist/classist parents not wanting their kids to mix with kids of different backgrounds, a bunch of those parents got huffy and withdrew their kids anyway (to the benefit of the EP schools they left behind, I'm sure). I've met people who have not been impressed with Eden Prairie schools, but I think they just had unrealistic expectations. When looking at test scores for the schools look at both the overall scores, but more importantly, look at all the more detailed detailed breakdowns.

[Globe199]

By detailed breakdowns, precisely what do you mean? Do any schools break down test scores based on demographics?

[tonybasu]

So its fair to make a conclusion: that if I want to stay near Edina and want to send my kids to good school districts (Decent School Funding, Decent budget and Good Test Scores) try to be under Edina, Minnetonka and Wayzata School Districts. East Carver School Dist (Chanhassen) had some budget cuts recently.
Its better to avoid Eden Prairie for time being

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by tonybasu

So its fair to make a conclusion: that if I want to stay near Edina and want to send my kids to good school districts (Decent School Funding, Decent budget and Good Test Scores) try to be under Edina, Minnetonka and Wayzata School Districts. East Carver School Dist (Chanhassen) had some budget cuts recently.
Its better to avoid Eden Prairie for time being

The Hopkins district is also pretty good, as is St. Louis Park.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by tonybasu

So its fair to make a conclusion: that if I want to stay near Edina and want to send my kids to good school districts (Decent School Funding, Decent budget and Good Test Scores) try to be under Edina, Minnetonka and Wayzata School Districts. East Carver School Dist (Chanhassen) had some budget cuts recently.
Its better to avoid Eden Prairie for time being

There is no reason to avoid Eden Prairie schools. Some people are blowing the situation there WAY out of proportion. Most districts in MN had budget issues last year because the state did not pay the schools what they were owed out of of the state budget. The schools that were in good shape before that managed but there are a few districts that were struggling financially before that happened. Eden Prairie is not one of those districts. Again, any district in the west metro outside of the 494 loop is going to be just fine. Most inside that loop are fine too. You are starting to knitpick between schools with my mythical rankings out of 100 that rank 99, 98, 99, 97. There is really no academic difference between these schools at all. That is the bonus for living in Minnesota. You can move on to other things like programs offered, school size, etc. and find a district that works for you that way, or pick the house you like the most and know that the schools in that area are top notch.

[pete6032]

Why don't you just live in Edina near work? There are some very nice homes and Edina School District is great.

[tonybasu]

I like Edina. But it is hard to get decent homes under $350K. They are expensive