Tyler ISD (Dallas, Whitehouse, Caldwell: low income, chapel, how much)

[apazwife]

I have read that the Tyler ISD is one to avoid...is there anyone who lives in Tyler and actually has kids going to one of the schools? We are planning on moving to the Tyler area with a 4th grader and we want to choose the best school for our daughter. We don't have to be in Tyler, so any ISD nearby would be ok. Any thoughts on nearby areas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

[kentuckycats]

We are getting ready to move to Tyler and also looked into the schools. There is a christian school called Grace Community that I like and hope my children can attend. It is worth visiting. The school help me decide to move to Tyler.

[apazwife]

Isn't Grace Community a Private school? I wonder if that's the one where tuition is $5000+ per year for one child?

[FarNorthDallas]

According to this District Profile - Tyler ISD - School Data - Texas - NCEA/Just for the Kids it doesn't look like any of the elemetary schools are very good in Tyler ISD.

[apazwife]

FarNorthDallas-thank you so much for the link! Wow, that was enlightening...why are the Tyler schools rated so low???? I think that the Whitehouse schools are the best rated over Tyler or even Lindale! I'm sure the private schools rate better, but they are so much $$$.

Thanks again for the link! I was very helpful!

[loves2read]

Tyler is town that is pretty socially stratified--lots of families have been there for long time--plenty of money with them--but other people who have moved in for jobs aren't usually invited into that coffee klatch group---some social issues still around from what I hear

that web page shows that there is high percentage of low income--usually free-lunch eligible students--of over 50% and there is also significant numbers of AA and Hispanic--with fewer than 25% Anglo--yet if you look at city-data info on Tyler--the city itself is about half anglo and the rest predominately AA and Hispanic--so it seems like there is lot of white flight out of the elementary schools--people are using private schools for those grades...
maybe parents put them back into schools as they get older and costs rise---
I have friends in Tyler who have 3 children--they all went to public schools in Tyler--one graduated with honors from TX A&M and two went to Alabama U and graduated---they seem to get good education there--graduated about 7=8 years ago from HS...

[apazwife]

Thanks loves2read! I really appreciate everyones viewpoint of the school system in Tyler and surrounding areas.

[txtechjd]

There are several excellent schools in Tyler. I live in Tyler and my children attend Caldwell Elementary. It is a magnet school near downtown and it has won many awards as well as state-wide recognition (TX Monthly Best 100 Elementary Schools, etc). There is a brand-new elementary south of town, Dr. Brian Jack, that should be good. The District passed a bond election a couple of years ago that went for elementary schools and the result is several new school buildings. For middle school, Hubbard and Moore are considered the best. Robert E. Lee is the preferred High school.

While Tyler the city has its problems with social stratification, I prefer TISD to any of the surrounding school districts. I'll be frank with you, also--your kids won't get as good an education at any of the private schools here as they will at any of the public schools. (especially in the math and science arenas) The main attraction that the private schools offer is that they are not diverse. That's not an attraction to me, but I get the feeling that's why folks send their kids there. Kids from TISD get into very competitive colleges, Harvard, Rice, MIT, CalTech, you name it. The Tyler schools have their share of problems, but it has some excellent schools and teachers. We have been very pleased with our experiences so far. We are the parents of a 3rd grader and a kindergartener. Good luck with your move and your decision!

[khtyler]

I have lived in Tyler (came from dallas) for over 7 years and currently have 2 in elementary and one in jr high. Here's my 2 cents. Tyler is very much split north/south along racial lines so much so that its hard not to let it affect your decisions. The elementary schools on the south part of town are very good...specifically woods, bell, clarkston, jack and a few others. The southside middle schools are good too, Moore and Hubbard are fantastic. I have heard the high schools are questionable but can not speak from experience. There are a lot of great families in Tyler. Unfortunetly, many of those families choose to send thier kids to private schools which takes that support and leadership out of the public arena and weakens the system. We will soon face the decision of high school in Tyler or move to Chapel Hill or Whitehouse (both are great). We are leaning toward sticking it out and doing our part to make it a better place.

[whitehouse mom]

My kids have gone to Whitehouse for 12 years. It is about 2-3 miles South of Tyler and well worth the drive. You can actually live in Tyler and go to Whitehouse schools if you're in the right part.

As for Tyler schools, my husband grew up in them and they're good, but it's easy to be overlooked if your not careful. You really have to be on top of your game.

Private schools are good here. Grace is excellent, but expensive for the average person. Stepping Stone is awesome for EC-7th grade. I worked there. They are very academically motivated. G.K. Gorman Catholic school is also very good.

Your choice of school depends on how much money, time, etc, that you are willing to invest in the daily activity. I keep a close eye on what goes on with my kids, and they are both well above state standards in Whitehouse. My Junior will be doing her senior year and her freshman year of college concurrently at the Whitehouse highschool and my 5th grader, who was born with chronic ear infections, and consequently hearing loss, was told that he'd have difficulty reading. He just took his 5th grade reading TAKS and got commended.

Whitehouse Rocks.