Alamo Heights ISD (Terrell, Center, Terrell Hills: houses, neighborhoods, buying)

[kdobie73]

Got a question... I've been looking into places to live in SA and I've seen a lot of traffic about Alamo Heights and what a great area it is and how great the school district is, but when I look at the accountability ratings, the majority of schools have received Academically Acceptable ratings?? So I'm confused. What makes Alamo Heights ISD so much better in reputation that NEISD or NISD who have a lot of Exemplary rated schools? Is it because it's older and more established???

[Eleanor Rigby]

I grew up in the district, but I went to private school starting at 3, so I didn't actually attend any of the schools.

If disaster struck and I had to send my future kids to public school, it would be to AHISD, because every one of my friends who went there got a great education, had high test scores, played on highly ranked teams (tennis and golf in particular are always powerhouses, and lately football has done very well) and went to good colleges. I also like that there is only one middle and one high school in the district, and they are a manageable size.

As for the ratings, I've always felt that sort of stuff is bunk, especially with all this NLCB testing mandates ridiculousness that has been foisted on the public schools over the past 7 years. Another thing that happened to AHISD is that several years ago the district lines were redrawn to increase economic diversity and improve their overall diversity numbers, which had the effect of pulling down scores overall when those students that were underprepared by their old school district were added into the AHISD pool. I doubt you see this sort of issue at a school like Reagan, where the pool of students comes from an almost exclusively upper middle class housing stock.

Historically, Alamo Heights and the other areas within the AHISD have very strong resale value because people find the school district appealing for reasons other than State rankings with suspect biases.

I'd still move heaven and earth to send kids to private school, though.

[kdobie73]

Thanks for the info Eleanor! I'm kind of torn between buying in an area like Terrell Hills that has great historical homes with character and original detail or buying in Alamo Ranch and getting twice the home (ie.. size), but a cookie cutter. It also looks like Terrell Hills is within walking distance to a lot of restaraunts and shops, which is very appealing to me. What to do?????

[Eleanor Rigby]

Well, I'm biased. I say go for Terrell Hills or Northwood or Alamo Heights or Olmos Park, because I hate a)new construction and b) traffic, both of which Alamo Ranch has in spades. I like having local stores that are easy to shop at and get to, and I like having the Quarry shopping center where the chains are available but not omnipresent. I like not having to get on the freeway just to run to the grocery store, I like the stable housing stock that tends to have lots of space between the homes and mature trees and large front and back yards, and I think sprawl is both environmentally offensive and aesthetically soul sucking. But that's just me.

So many of the things people complain about on this board - traffic, construction, toll roads, that sort of thing - can be avoided by living in 09 or 12.

But I would check out both options as thoroughly as you can - I know a lot of people on the board live in Alamo Ranch and the other subdivisions out on the West Side, so make sure to get the countervailing argument from them.

[kdobie73]

Great! Thanks for the advice.

[Chakapu]

Originally Posted by Eleanor Rigby

So many of the things people complain about on this board - traffic, construction, toll roads, that sort of thing - can be avoided by living in 09 or 12.
.

or 10.

Although now that I work in the Medical Center, I'm stuck with traffic anyway. When I worked downtown I could walk to work....

[CelesteDF]

Originally Posted by Eleanor Rigby

I like having local stores that are easy to shop at and get to, and I like having the Quarry shopping center where the chains are available but not omnipresent. I like not having to get on the freeway just to run to the grocery store, I like the stable housing stock that tends to have lots of space between the homes and mature trees and large front and back yards, and I think sprawl is both environmentally offensive and aesthetically soul sucking. But that's just me.

Just add decent public transportation to your platform and I'll be voting Eleanor for President!!!!

[Eleanor Rigby]

Hah, tiny American flags for some, light rail and bike paths for all!

[PugnamCommitere]

Alamo Heights is better because of its academic success and its kids.

You see in other school districts (the ones you mentioned) they have problems
with gangs and violence.Some even have metal detectors ,well AHISD does not
have any medal detectors ,gangs ,or problems.(May'be a little bit with drugs).
Teachers are devoted to teaching ,with experience and devotion far beyond
other school districts.

[AH parent]

AHISD is an interesting district. In spite of what the previous poster said, there is a horrific drug & alcohol problem in the district. Parents contribute to the problem to a large extent. The district is bringing in consultants to help with it.

There have been minor gang issues off and on over the years.

North East and Northside do not have metal detectors in their schools.

The junior school got a new administration three years ago and has had about a 75% turnover in staff since then. (check ratemyteachers) A natural amount of turnover is occuring in other schools also, so the experience of teachers is not significantly greater than other districts.

There is a huge sense of entitlement among many students and their parents in the district.

The district does a good job with white, middle to high income students. There is a huge achievement gap between these kids and lower income students and students of color. The bigger districts do a much better job educating all students, hence the higher ratings.

AH has a very percentage of it's graduating class attending college, and a very high percentage flunking out after one year, not because of lack of ability, but because they never had to work on their own.

For good students with strong families who hold them accountable, the district does a very good job.

The neighborhoods are lovely, although some remodeling looks way too much like Stone Oak. Unless you live right next to Broadway, they are not really pedestrian friendly.

It is a very convenient part of town; easy access to almost anywhere.