Moving to Austin...charter school vs public question (Plano, Round Rock: homes, neighborhoods)

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by caseynjason

Hi, my family and I live in Kansas City, MO and my husband just got a job in Austin (as of yesterday) and I am frantically searching the area about schools, neighborhoods, etc. So far I like Round Rock and Cedar Creek areas. I have 5 children, my oldest girls (15 and 13) go to traditional public school and enjoy it, but my younger 3 (11, 9, and 6) go to a little christian private school and receive a more classical instruction.
We pulled them out of public school last year because the schools here were just not giving any individual instruction and the common core was just awful for my children, and they were not thriving at all. My teens are happily integrated into HS and are not wanting to change to private/charter.

We cannot afford private school when we move (this one was very small and affordable) and I tried homeschooling and hated every minute. Charter schools are not around here, and love that option, but they are all so different in their approaches and the whole lottery thing scares me.

I would love some direction. Charter sounds nice for the individualized instruction (my children are slightly behind from the switching of schools and a more relaxed approach), but if the public schools in the area are not a tightly governed by the state and politics like they are here, that would be great as well.

Help please! Thank you soon to be neighbors!!

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

You might want to look into St. Francis School, independent private school (no religious affiliation), they provide small classes, great teachers and individualized instruction, they offer financial aid and strive to keep tuition low as a way of meeting their mission of "excellence without exclusivity."

St. Francis School

They are in north central Austin and would work with a north Austin/Round Rock location for your home.

good luck!

Originally Posted by eirenecat

This is a great suggestion--we looked into St Francis and our daughter was accepted there--but they are not in what I'd consider a realistic school-time commute from North Austin and especially not Round Rock. St Johns and Lamar area is a long morning drive from the areas the OP suggests.

OP, we do have charter schools here and one of the biggest local chains of them is the Harmony system. Lots of people seem to like them; I have no experience with them.

Originally Posted by caseynjason

We could do $450 if we needed to. We are getting paid very well, but so used to pinching pennies that is it difficult to imagine a mortgage that high. I think I can get used to it.

St Francis' 2015 - 2016 Tuition for the applicable grades are:

Kindergarten through 2nd $8143.
3rd through 4th $8647.
5th through 8th $9414.

St. Francis is not a charter school, and even with a multiple student discount (not even sure they offer that) and significant financial aid, it's doubtful it will fall into line with the OP's stated budget needs. There is also the mentioned distance issue.

OP, there are many strong public schools in both CP and RR, and as others have mentioned we don't use common core. There are also many charter schools in the area. I think the only way to get a feel for those is to personally visit. People are going to feel strongly about charter schools they have personal experience with, and given the highly individual nature of the reasons/student needs that people send their kids to those schools, those experiences are unlikely to align with your expectations.

[caseynjason]

Yikes, good to know. We are looking for 5 bedroom, but can squeeze into 4. Current schools we are spoiled, 10 per teacher. Sad to leave that. Mostly looking for individualized instruction or at least want my children not left behind because the class moves on ahead of them. So I am seeing many independent school districts as I house hunt, and some aren't rated so well. Are the greatschools.com ratings accurate? I find a possible home, then find the elementary school has a 6, and the HS has an 8 for example.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by caseynjason

Yikes, good to know. We are looking for 5 bedroom, but can squeeze into 4. Current schools we are spoiled, 10 per teacher. Sad to leave that. Mostly looking for individualized instruction or at least want my children not left behind because the class moves on ahead of them. So I am seeing many independent school districts as I house hunt, and some aren't rated so well. Are the greatschools.com ratings accurate? I find a possible home, then find the elementary school has a 6, and the HS has an 8 for example.

This is why I suggested St. Francis, for the small classes, typically 15 students or less, capped at 18. Charter schools tend to have quite large classes, 22 in ES, 28 in MS and up. Right in line with public schools.

St. Francis does offer a sibling discount and has a robust financial aid program. I have kids thriving in public school and I have kids who absolutely need a different, smaller, more personalized environment. I have no idea what would work for the OP.

Great school ratings mainly reflect the past reputation, the schools around your husband work, Gullet ES, Lamar MS, and McCallum HS are quite good, look at the most recent TEA reports for proof but the Greatschool ranking won't be as high.

I would work with a good realtor.

[rangergrit]

I looked at greatschools and wasn't impressed. Lots of good schools were not even listed. I would ignore it.

Austin is a little unique in that the public schools are very uneven in quality. And they are also changing. That is a key factor in the housing market here.

The one group that lives and breathes that reality is realtors. So while C-D can give you good info, your first source should be a realtor. As centralaustinite just said.

[mesmer]

Originally Posted by caseynjason

Yikes, good to know. We are looking for 5 bedroom, but can squeeze into 4. Current schools we are spoiled, 10 per teacher. Sad to leave that. Mostly looking for individualized instruction or at least want my children not left behind because the class moves on ahead of them. So I am seeing many independent school districts as I house hunt, and some aren't rated so well. Are the greatschools.com ratings accurate? I find a possible home, then find the elementary school has a 6, and the HS has an 8 for example.

If you really want 5 bedrooms, you will definitely be in the northern parts of the austin area - cedar park, round rock, as you've already noticed. You may want to consider new. With that kind of commute, stay as close to 45 as possible so the commute won't be as terrible. It will still be terrible. Central austin doesn't have huge houses with lots of bedrooms unless you are downright wealthy.

There are two school districts up there - Leander ISD and Round Rock ISD. Both are considered good school districts but as you've already noticed, they will have average public school class sizes. When we say good school district we mean that most, but not all, of the schools within the district are decent.

Great schools has some value but it doesn't tell the story. The 1-10 ratings are based on test scores, which considering the upheaval in the texas testing system over the last five years, are not particularly useful.

In your shoes I would definitely try the public system prior to trying charter or private schools.

[gpurcell]

Where in KCMO were you from (I grew up in Grandview [cough] years ago)? There are a lot of good public school options here.

[JT-3]

As another poster mentioned, don't forget about property taxes. They can be a major gotcha.

[caseynjason]

Thanks everyone! This is very helpful and thankfully my husband will be working for a while and able to get to know the area before we follow. I am hoping he can handle a commute, as that is what it is looking like he will need to do. Next step is a Realtor!

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by caseynjason

Yikes, good to know. We are looking for 5 bedroom, but can squeeze into 4. Current schools we are spoiled, 10 per teacher. Sad to leave that. Mostly looking for individualized instruction or at least want my children not left behind because the class moves on ahead of them. So I am seeing many independent school districts as I house hunt, and some aren't rated so well. Are the greatschools.com ratings accurate? I find a possible home, then find the elementary school has a 6, and the HS has an 8 for example.

Great Schools ratings are sometimes accurate & sometimes WILDLY inaccurate. (Plano West, one of the best schools in the US was given a 4). They are NOT only based on test scores, but also on other (sometimes) odd factors.

Also, stop looking at "independent school districts" as you hunt. Kids attend schools not ISDs. Focus on HS feeder patterns and neighborhoods.

- hubby works at 45th & Lamar.
- budget of 400-450K.
- Needs 4-5 bedrooms.

1. Everything south of 183 (& west of 35 & north of the river and inside 620) is out of your price range for THAT bedroom count. Which knocks out most of Anderson HS, Vandegrift HS, WWHS & McCallum HS tracks. (all very good to great schools)

2. Maybe an older home north of 183 (& west of Mopac) that feeds into Anderson HS or McNeil HS. Not a bad commute and VERY good schools.

3. Or way out NW (outside 620) for a home/neighborhood that feeds into RRHS, VRHS or Rouse/Leander HS - awful commute (but better value homes) and some good school tracks. (also maybe some older areas that feed into CPHS)

4. East RR & Pville - almost as awful commute but also better value homes and some good school tracks. (Cedar Ridge and Hendrickson HS tracks)

[eirenecat]

I will also suggest 78729--this entire area feeds to McNeil, which is a great high school. This zip code will be the closest into town and near your husband's job that you can get AND still find a large sized 4-5 bedroom within your stated budget.

(There's a house near me right now with a pool and a giant backyard, a 5-3, for $364K. It is 3000 sq feet. Most of the inside is still very 90s, but you can find others which are not.)

I am not having a great time with our local elementary school, but I am beginning to think it's largely because of my daughter's particular teacher, who seems to be out of it. Everyone else in our neighborhood loves the elementary, and it gets great ratings.