Best school district in Tennessee? (Johnson City, Franklin: homeowners insurance, crime, homes)

[menglin]

Hi we are looking to relocate to Tennessee this year, to get away from the Florida school system. I have 4 year old and 2 year old. Where would you take your family if you were looking for the best education? My husband is a New store developer for Quiznos so being close to an airport and major highways probably would be good. But hey we can drive. LOL Schools are our number 1 concern. I welcome all information about what looks to be one of the prettiest states. Oh yeah anybody have any info on the Tellico Village area I see Eric Estrada talking about on T.V? LOL

[JMT]

Originally Posted by menglin

Hi we are looking to relocate to Tennessee this year, to get away from the Florida school system. I have 4 year old and 2 year old. Where would you take your family if you were looking for the best education? My husband is a New store developer for Quiznos so being close to an airport and major highways probably would be good. But hey we can drive. LOL Schools are our number 1 concern. I welcome all information about what looks to be one of the prettiest states. Oh yeah anybody have any info on the Tellico Village area I see Eric Estrada talking about on T.V? LOL

Oak Ridge has the reputation of having the best schools in the state. Other good public school systems (not in any particular order) are Johnson City schools, Putnam County (Cookeville), Tullahoma city, Maryville city, Franklin city, Williamson County. At least that's the perception among people in my field (university education). There are definitely individual schools in just about every district that are outstanding, but to make a sweeping generalization about an entire school district is difficult.

Tellico Village is a beautiful area, but I don't think the schools around there are particularly known for their high level of education. Eric Estrada is doing commercials for Tellico Village??

[hiknapster]

Oh, yeah, he is. I guess you take it where you can get it, employment-wise that is. The night before we moved out of Florida we saw one of those infomericals. It was not the first time we had seen it, but we rolled on the floor laughing. Apparently, they are still playing it. You know what PT Barnum said...and it may be timely and still pertains about Tennessee developments.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Oh, yeah, he is. I guess you take it where you can get it, employment-wise that is. The night before we moved out of Florida we saw one of those infomericals. It was not the first time we had seen it, but we rolled on the floor laughing. Apparently, they are still playing it. You know what PT Barnum said...and it may be timely and still pertains about Tennessee developments.

haha how true! And does Eric Estrada actually live in Tellico Village? I'd be more inclined to take him seriously if he actually lived there. Or maybe he just has some gambling debts to pay off and needed the cash...

[jkmewright]

For school report cards for each county: http://www2.state.tn.us/k-12/ayp05.asp This will give you all kinds of info

[hiknapster]

When we lived in Florida I also saw another infomercial by Estrada for a development in Alabama. I checked out the web and sure enough he has another infomercial for a development in California, too, and he claims to actually live at that one. Some of those lots are now on e-bay. I followed that road a little bit on e-bay and found a 1.69 acre lot at Tellico Lakes with a starting bid of $185,000!

I investigated further and see that they are putting up these gated communities all over Tennessee. There is one going up in Straw Plains! The homesites average two acres and range in price from $254,000 to $465,000!

I hear the stampede a-comin'!

[JMT]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

When we lived in Florida I also saw another infomercial by Estrada for a development in Alabama. I checked out the web and sure enough he has another infomercial for a development in California, too, and he claims to actually live at that one. Some of those lots are now on e-bay. I followed that road a little bit on e-bay and found a 1.69 acre lot at Tellico Lakes with a starting bid of $185,000!

I investigated further and see that they are putting up these gated communities all over Tennessee. There is one going up in Straw Plains! The homesites average two acres and range in price from $254,000 to $465,000!

I hear the stampede a-comin'!

A gated community in Straw Plains? Why on earth would anyone needs to live in a gated community in peaceful little Strawberry Plains??? sigh There goes the neighborhood.

[menglin]

Thank you keep the info coming we will be visiting your beautiful state soon. I am guessing that you guys don't need gated communities? Here in orlando where we have been just ranked #14 in the US for murders. gated communities are a must. I came from a small town in Massachusetts where you could leave your doors unlocked. That is what I am looking for for my girls without all the taxes. LOL

[hiknapster]

I come from a small town in Mass., too!

I first moved to Orlando. That was ten years ago, and it was terrifying then. I can't imagine what it is like now.

I later lived in Fort Myers. Not as terrifying, but the crime was still high. However, the snowbirds were truly terrifying in their own little miserable way.

I can see gated communities being okay for keeping out crime. Sometimes it is not that effective, though.

Also, they are not always constructed for that reason. Look at Naples, FL. A lot of those communities are not near any crime. Developers know how to attract people with more money than brains.

I call it the "Disney lifestyle."

Folks go to Disney on vacation, look around and decide they want to live in fantasy land. They buy into these slapped-together developments. The builder knocks down all the trees and creates this plastic little utopia. In some communities they are actually living on top of each other and I think they were quite happy that way.

Then reality sets in. Their neighbor gets mugged at the mall parking lot. The kids are attending school in modular classrooms. Service is poor at the restaurants because the minimum wage folks have moved out. The traffic is horrendous and everybody is so rude! They. of course, are not rude, just everybody else.

Then one day the tax bill comes, then the homeowners insurance bill.

Now they want out and are coming here. But darn it all, Tennessee is a real state with real people. Stomping your feet will not cut it here. Yes, there may be a trailer that you have to drive by on your way to the grocery store (the horrors!). Your neighbors may shoot their guns on their property and when you call the cops they laugh in your face. Folks might actually knock on your door and invite you to church!

I like it!

[menglin]

I so agree with you. Both my husband and I would love to be able not to have to look in our neighbors window. LOL My husband is excited about being somewhere people have guns. He says he needs a double barrel since he has two girls.LOL He doesn't hunt but we are use to seeing the deer on hoods and stuff since it was big in Massachusetts. I miss the trees and seasons and walking in the woods. I am tired of no being able to let my kids out the front door for fear someone is going to take them. I hate being suspiscious of people that talk to me in a store. I am an outgoing chatty person and I love to talk to people. I think we have more brains than money right now. LOL I lived in south Florida and they run you down with shopping carts there. LOL
Again I want my girls to have the small town feel with good education but close to culture. It is asking alot. I understand why the people who live in Tennessee would want to preserve their way of life. Your way of life is harder and harder to find.