Wooten Schools (Austin, Burnet, Howe: transplants, 2015, apartments)

[austinguy001]

will do. I've got a few years, so plenty of time to get a strategy together. Thanks for all the awesome info.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by austinguy001

will do. I've got a few years, so plenty of time to get a strategy together. Thanks for all the awesome info.

I'm also in Wooten. No kids yet or the near future, so I've got a while (if ever), but I've also at least given thought to it.


It's too bad about the dual language immersion program. That was going to be my way to defer the decision until middle school.


Though part of me also thinks that things will end up changing very quickly. Wooten will continue gentrifying, even NACA has started (even close to Rundberg).

[austinguy001]

Yeah, we're hoping that in a few years things will turn for the better- though it's hard to imagine a huge turnover given the demographics of the area. Walkable schools are such a cool thing, though.

Maybe Leslie Pool can get involved?

[ashbeeigh]

While I understand concerns with the low ratings if the school and the area schools do not improve without the involvement of the community and parents at the school. (And I realize you have already complained about this) If you want to see the area improve then you need to put faith in the school and the district to do its job and to advocate for better programs and maybe even to keep that bilingual programs. Find out who the school board trustee is, get involved in CAC meetings, visit with the principals, talk to parents who do send their kids to Wooten.

I am also going to say what I said in another thread that brought up Hispanic parental involvement: parents work their butts off to be where they are. Unlike the middle class white folks thst you are who may have a college degree and are living within your means these low income Hispanic families are working minimum wage jobs and raising their kids just like you. . They can go to pta meetings at noon on a Tuesday or they can work to keep their kids fed. Some schools in AISD have acknowledged this and have events and meetings in the evenings (and I believe that is mandated as a title I school) but it's still hard.

When parents send their kids to private schools and charters the immediate community loses out on some great parents and even grester kids. Just my two cents and I understand if you end up going private or relocating.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by austinguy001

Yeah, we're hoping that in a few years things will turn for the better- though it's hard to imagine a huge turnover given the demographics of the area.

That's what I mean though. There's at least the potential for a large demographic shift. It's occurred elsewhere in Austin before.


It's sort of a chicken/egg situation. One of the things holding back (somewhat) the gentrification of the area north of 183 (that Wooten gets attached to because of school zoning) is the schools. But the schools would change if the area gentrified.

If and when it ever starts, there's the potential for it to accelerate and rapidly shift. The current school age population of the area could be priced out (stating that factually, not making any value judgement on that pro/con).

[eirenecat]

Before enrolling in Pillow, I recommend giving it a visit. We did, and I found that it was not what I was looking for. I have friends whose children attend there right now and they like it, but it was not what I wanted for my daughter. It is not very diverse--it is majority Hispanic also and the kindergarten classes were majority ESL/bilingual. I saw my friend's oldest daughter's class when I visited and her daughter was one of 3 non-Hispanic kids in her class.

I was in the same situation as you, OP, when we were zoned to Cook Elementary. It is similar to Wooten. We ended up moving out of district, though unbeknownst to me the same year AISD announced their open transfer policy. Most of the best AISD elementaries are closed to transfers, but there are still some good ones open. I believe Summitt is still open, as is Davis possibly. St Francis is also an excellent option that is close to where you live.

[sua2017]

Just a thought-- could you move just across Anderson Lane and go to Brentwood-Lamar-McCallum? You said you are close to Doss/Murchison/Anderson and while you are, you would have to pass through Pillow, Gullet, and Hill zones to get to Doss, so it isn't specifically close but Brentwood is right south of you in the Crestview/Brentwood neighborhoods. Similar in style to Wooten but gentrification was completed a while ago and now it is mostly middle class families in houses that used to be working class. It will give you similar neighborhood vibes but with a better school system.

I would never, never, never send my kids to Wooten-Burnet-Lanier.

[austinnative69]

in the 8 years i have lived in Brentwood, I have seen Brentwood Elementary and Lamar Middle School do a 180. Now many the parents who would have transferred are staying in their neighborhood schools. It can happen VERY quickly.

[orngkat]

We spent a few months in a Wooten area rental after we sold our Allandale home and I was amazed at the large number of hispanic families in section 8 housing nearby walking to and from school everyday. Due to the demand for central area housing, I imagine that will change in a relatively short time.

[sua2017]

Originally Posted by orngkat

We spent a few months in a Wooten area rental after we sold our Allandale home and I was amazed at the large number of hispanic families in section 8 housing nearby walking to and from school everyday. Due to the demand for central area housing, I imagine that will change in a relatively short time.

That being said, even if Wooten changes, you still have Lanier and Burnet-- nearly all the people going to those schools live between MoPac and I-35 north of 183 until it becomes Pflugerville ISD. There are around 5 other elementary schools that would need to quickly change to really make an impact on the long term potential of Lanier and Burnet doing a 180. They are wooldridge, barrington, walnut creek, cook, and Thompson all north of 183, and Brown which is a bit more central. Wooten has nearly 800 students and 94% of them are low-income. I can't imagine things will be changing fast enough for this young family.

Lamar when it transitioned had Gullett and Highland Park! No one can argue that highland park had anything but affluence, and Gullet is similar. It had the feeder pattern that could transition, as well as meeting up with Lee Elementary in high school (Hyde Park). Lanier does not have its own Mount Bonnell/Allendale/Hyde Park to help transform it, nor a gentrified East Austin (Maple wood Elementary and Mueller). Nor does it have the attractive Fine Arts programs that bring in kids around the city to the area.