[Paperwork]

Originally Posted by Busguy2010

I know someone that went to Westside and lived in Dundee, so maybe you won't have to live in district 66 to have your kids go to Westside. And Westside is the closest school to the inner city so that might be a viable option for you.

Any ideas on how this person lived in the city but still went to another school district? That would be ideal for my situation.

[CCJ]

Originally Posted by Paperwork

Any ideas on how this person lived in the city but still went to another school district? That would be ideal for my situation.

There is something called the "Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties". They have an open enrollment system. Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties

[harshbarj]

Honestly, I don't see a problem with attending an OPS school. As iamjacobm pointed out, OPS has a disproportionate number of poor students, and ESL student as well.

Naturally if you put all the well to do people in one school district and all the poor in another it would look as if the districts themselves are to blame for the numbers. I attended South Omaha OPS schools and can say they are very good. Most low scores are mainly the fault of the students not caring enough to try.

[billiefan2000]

Originally Posted by harshbarj

Honestly, I don't see a problem with attending an OPS school. As iamjacobm pointed out, OPS has a disproportionate number of poor students, and ESL student as well.

Most low scores are mainly the fault of the students not caring enough to try.

u are so right. also the parents not being involved in their children's education or the schools much is another contributing factor

[ckhthankgod]

If it is also a matter of diversity, what about Bellevue or maybe parts of the Millard school districts? Perhaps Westside too.

How are Council Bluffs schools?

[JustMe_T3K]

Picking the perfect school can be difficult with so many variables.

I personally think how good a school turns out for you is rooted in
the child's personality/background
and the parental participation.

What I am saying is that even if you pick "the perfect" school,
that is only 1/3 of the education equation.

[dsrich98]

Originally Posted by Paperwork

I'm relocating to Omaha soon from Los Angeles. Everybody we've asked about school districts that is familiar with the area says to stay far away from OPS.

This has my wife scared sick of living in the city (where I would prefer to live). She's looked up the schools in the area with "school digger" and all of the elementary schools in the OPS school district ranked last relative to the other schools in other districts (like Millard, Papi, Belle, Westside, etc.)

My question:

Is it possible to find a nice place more centrally located in the city that will also provide my child with a good education?

Please visit this website, Omaha.com schools report | The pulse of public education in Douglas, Sarpy and Lancaster CountiesOmaha.com Schools Report

This will tell you everything you need to know about where you should send your kids to school in the metro. Here's a hint, none of them are OPS schools. After this information was released last year it solidified our plans to sell our home that we loved in Omaha's Keystone neighborhood, and find a home in either District 66 or Millard Public Schools. We ended up taking a significant financial hit to move before our girls started school so they could be starting on the right foot in a good school. Frankly anyone who understands what they read on that website and still thinks that OPS is the best choice for their child is fooling themselves. If you care about your child's education and have the means to choose where they go to school, don't choose OPS.

[dsrich98]

Originally Posted by CCJ

There is something called the "Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties". They have an open enrollment system. Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties

It's true, technically you can enroll any any school in the learning community. But everyone wants out of OPS and into District 66 (Westside) so there are very limited spots and long waits to get into desirable schools. The residents of each district will always have first access those schools, and there are not room for many to come in from other areas. For example Westside and all the Millard high schools run at capcity each year. While Omaha Northwest (OPS) has room for nearly 800 extra students because no one wants to go there!

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

If it is also a matter of diversity, what about Bellevue or maybe parts of the Millard school districts? Perhaps Westside too.

How are Council Bluffs schools?

I'm curious myself, what about the Council Bluffs schools? Wouldn't this be possibly a better move to maybe a school like Lewis Central?

[dsrich98]

Originally Posted by jmgg

I'm curious myself, what about the Council Bluffs schools? Wouldn't this be possibly a better move to maybe a school like Lewis Central?

Lewis Central is an excellent school. Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson... not so much.