advice about vero schools (Sunrise, Country Club: 2015, rent, house)

[treasurecoaster]

So the schools are less than great in IR county. I am trying to decide the best way to proceed and would like advice. I have a preschooler, one entering K, and one entering 1st grade. We are in a fantastic fl school in another area and are relocating to the area. Schools and the kid's education is a huge priority. We are just not sure what to do. We want to put them in really good public schools. Not thrilled about private schools after some previous preschool experiences. The best in the area is Beachland which would require me renting a place on the island... but in the future I don't want to buy one there and we will eventually buy so if we rent there they would have to change schools later on. Next is Osceola magnet, Rosewood magnet, and Imagine. With the lottery and waiting list we probably won't be getting in to those, and if we rent a place close to them we will not have a great public school as the home school. None of the Vero public schools are highly rated. Our business is going to be in Sebastian anyway, so now we look at Sebastian schools, and would have to opt for Sebastian elementary, which is nowhere near as good as Beachland. Proximity, convenience is great though. We wouldn't have to drive all over and at our business we'd be close by to the kids. One has a life threatening food allergy so being close to him is certainly a plus. It is a B school and rated about in the middle in terms of all the schools in the state. It is ranked as number 1,033 out of 1,974 elementary schools in the state. Beachland is 281. We could rent a house first and then buy one in a year or two in Sebastian and it would be great. Liberty magnet is not much better in terms of the numbers. (which I realize are based on test scores for 3-5th grade, but are the only objective measures one really has for a school.) I have heard a few negative things about Liberty and it also is based on the lottery system to get in, and I never win lotteries so I don't put much hope in getting them in there even if it were great. Another school relatively around Sebastian is a Brevard school called sunrise, but now we'd have to live way out there and drive around 17 miles to the business in Sebastian. Sunrise is way better than Sebastian according to the state numbers. It is ranked at number 597 out of 1,974 schools and has higher test scores.
I know there are some private schools in the area but again especially with St. Eds the price for 3 kids would be 60,000 per year and it's too far south and I'm not sure it's all that it's cracked up to be.
So what is your advice? What would you do if you were in this situation?
Additionally, any input from people who have dealt with these schools would be really appreciated.

[verobound]

Just an FYI- The whole Country Club area east of US1 on the mainland is also Beachland schools. I think it runs a little south on IR Boulevard also.

[runswithscissors]

I don't know anything about the schools but there are lots other CHEAPER private schools besides St Eds, a prep school. Did you actually look?

And you get discounts with more than one kid in them.

Master's Academy Tuition Fee Schedule 2014 – 2015 |

Vero Beach Private Education | The Willow School

And many others but I see lots of religious affiliations but so is St Eds. There are a few Montessori schools, too I think.

If I were being FORCED to move somewhere with questionable schools, I'd send them to a private school even if it had a religious affiliation that I may not even be part of. If they'd accept them.

Or home school for now.
https://www.indianriverschools.org/S...onProgram.aspx

Some of these schools you can volunteer to be a teachers aid so you can see what's going on in there, too.

Also I would RENT. Especially if this is a business you're STARTING UP.

Of course this Common Core thing is going to be a HUGE ISSUE and I see even WILLOW has embraced it. So I wouldn't even CONSIDER that one but that's just ME.

[jadidonato]

St Helens is a good school (K-8) and a lot cheaper than St Eds. While it's religious they don't cram it down their students through.
I know the rankings aren't that high but I don't know why Vero schools aren't considered good. I grew up there and most people I know have gone on to be employed in well paying jobs.

Sorry but the guy mentioning "the Willow School"

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by jadidonato

St Helens is a good school (K-8) and a lot cheaper than St Eds. While it's religious they don't cram it down their students through.
I know the rankings aren't that high but I don't know why Vero schools aren't considered good. I grew up there and most people I know have gone on to be employed in well paying jobs.

Sorry but the guy mentioning "the Willow School"

The OP would probably benefit from an explanation instead of an obtuse comment and facepalm.

Since I said I knew nothing about the schools but posted ALTERNATIVES to St Eds as examples and said "and many others" and that Common Core would be a rule out for me.