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Considering moving from Triangle area to Charlotte area, Apex Cary school districts not willing to work with special needs children, real estate prices in Charlotte, Raleigh versus Charlotte
We moved from OH to NC in 1998 for my husband's job. We have lived in both Cary & Apex. Since 2000, my husband has been telecommuting. The way things are set up now we are relocatable pretty much anywhere. We love NC and want to live in the state, but are thinking about relocating from this area to Charlotte.
I was reading another thread about special needs children/Wake County schools and I was surprised to read about parents who had ripped their special needs children out of school to home school them after the school system refused to acknowledge their children's special needs. That is EXACTLY what happened to us!!!! Our daughter is severely speech delayed and well as having significant fine & gross motor delays. The school system ignored all my private testing and was even willing to go to court, all rather than spend 30 minutes a week working with my child in speech & OT. They graduated my child to the next grade even though she could barely write...made me realize how children can graduate from high school not knowing how to read, but I digress..... So needless to say, now that we can no longer utilize the school system it seems pointless to stay where we are. If we stayed in the Triangle area we'd probably move to Chapel Hill which would mean a much smaller house ( did I mention I have 4 kids? ).
We have been looking at Charlotte/Union county area. The big draw (besides local area attractions, closer to the mountains which we visit often & low taxes) is cheaper real estate. I estimate housing in Union County is at least 20% cheaper than it is here (comparing what you could buy for $300K here vs. $300K there) and large lot sizes are the norm. We really like the Weddington/Waxhaw area, and schools are supposed to be good in Union County? I guess my biggest concern is that we will move and find the schooling situation to be worse than it is in Wake County. I suppose I could deal with a lateral move (something about the same as far as schools) for the trade off of getting more bang for our real estate buck, but I wouldn't consider moving if the schools would be worse. I also have a child who is gifted so having those services available would be great, too. We are also considering other areas on the outskirts of Charlotte (Mint Hill, Huntersville, Concord, etc).
We are willing to consider other areas in NC that have excellent schools. Sadly, it doesn't seem NC has a very impressive education record
Raleigh vs. Charlotte.....which one would you choose and why????
I personally don't see a significant difference between the two where I could choose one over the other with any confidence that I made the right choice. Housing seems to be around 12% cheaper in the Mecklenburg, but local taxes and fees are higher, but both have an overall tax burden well above the NC average. Both school systems are rated high by NC standards. Climate is about the same. I'd have to flip a coin.
We moved from OH to NC in 1998 for my husband's job. We have lived in both Cary & Apex. Since 2000, my husband has been telecommuting. The way things are set up now we are relocatable pretty much anywhere. We love NC and want to live in the state, but are thinking about relocating from this area to Charlotte.
I was reading another thread about special needs children/Wake County schools and I was surprised to read about parents who had ripped their special needs children out of school to home school them after the school system refused to acknowledge their children's special needs. That is EXACTLY what happened to us!!!! Our daughter is severely speech delayed and well as having significant fine & gross motor delays. The school system ignored all my private testing and was even willing to go to court, all rather than spend 30 minutes a week working with my child in speech & OT. They graduated my child to the next grade even though she could barely write...made me realize how children can graduate from high school not knowing how to read, but I digress..... So needless to say, now that we can no longer utilize the school system it seems pointless to stay where we are. If we stayed in the Triangle area we'd probably move to Chapel Hill which would mean a much smaller house ( did I mention I have 4 kids? ).
We have been looking at Charlotte/Union county area. The big draw (besides local area attractions, closer to the mountains which we visit often & low taxes) is cheaper real estate. I estimate housing in Union County is at least 20% cheaper than it is here (comparing what you could buy for $300K here vs. $300K there) and large lot sizes are the norm. We really like the Weddington/Waxhaw area, and schools are supposed to be good in Union County? I guess my biggest concern is that we will move and find the schooling situation to be worse than it is in Wake County. I suppose I could deal with a lateral move (something about the same as far as schools) for the trade off of getting more bang for our real estate buck, but I wouldn't consider moving if the schools would be worse. I also have a child who is gifted so having those services available would be great, too. We are also considering other areas on the outskirts of Charlotte (Mint Hill, Huntersville, Concord, etc).
We are willing to consider other areas in NC that have excellent schools. Sadly, it doesn't seem NC has a very impressive education record
Raleigh vs. Charlotte.....which one would you choose and why????
Check out the Farm I77 n exit 25 go down the road 7 miles. It is considered Davidson but it is in Cabarrus County so you pay less property tax and it's Cabarrus county schools (I guess no busing around). You are close to Lake Norman and Birkdale shopping. I don't know how you can go wrong. I got a 3200.00 sqft home for 257,990 271,000 with my lot premium and upgrades. I loved the area. Can't wait to move. I'm sure everyone on this forum is sick of me saying that..................sorry. I'm excited I'm sure it will pass.
We moved from OH to NC in 1998 for my husband's job. We have lived in both Cary & Apex. Since 2000, my husband has been telecommuting. The way things are set up now we are relocatable pretty much anywhere. We love NC and want to live in the state, but are thinking about relocating from this area to Charlotte.
I was reading another thread about special needs children/Wake County schools and I was surprised to read about parents who had ripped their special needs children out of school to home school them after the school system refused to acknowledge their children's special needs. That is EXACTLY what happened to us!!!! Our daughter is severely speech delayed and well as having significant fine & gross motor delays. The school system ignored all my private testing and was even willing to go to court, all rather than spend 30 minutes a week working with my child in speech & OT. They graduated my child to the next grade even though she could barely write...made me realize how children can graduate from high school not knowing how to read, but I digress..... So needless to say, now that we can no longer utilize the school system it seems pointless to stay where we are. If we stayed in the Triangle area we'd probably move to Chapel Hill which would mean a much smaller house ( did I mention I have 4 kids? ).
We have been looking at Charlotte/Union county area. The big draw (besides local area attractions, closer to the mountains which we visit often & low taxes) is cheaper real estate. I estimate housing in Union County is at least 20% cheaper than it is here (comparing what you could buy for $300K here vs. $300K there) and large lot sizes are the norm. We really like the Weddington/Waxhaw area, and schools are supposed to be good in Union County? I guess my biggest concern is that we will move and find the schooling situation to be worse than it is in Wake County. I suppose I could deal with a lateral move (something about the same as far as schools) for the trade off of getting more bang for our real estate buck, but I wouldn't consider moving if the schools would be worse. I also have a child who is gifted so having those services available would be great, too. We are also considering other areas on the outskirts of Charlotte (Mint Hill, Huntersville, Concord, etc).
We are willing to consider other areas in NC that have excellent schools. Sadly, it doesn't seem NC has a very impressive education record
Raleigh vs. Charlotte.....which one would you choose and why????
I'm sure "peg" would agree with you and your school problems. But her main gripe is the harsh punishments she says is being used. I have never known anyone who encountered it...
I have to say that although we live in a poverty county (Greene County) we take care of one of our most valuable resources, our children. My grandson is in speech therapy for a delay of about a year and he will be pulled to a special class this fall when he starts pre-K (4 year old kindergarten) this fall. Even when his father started school in 1975 and he was in a cast on both legs from hip to ankle due to Legg Perthes Disease (yes there are two "g's" is Legg) they did everything they could to keep him in school. The bus was out of the question due to the abduction of his hips and the widening of the cast spreader bar. But the teacher was wonderful. Everyday he had a "Stephen buddy" and that meant this child assisted him with tying his shoes, getting his papers and books together, and carrying his lunch tray. I think they all learned something from it because now these kids are 36 years old and I still have them walk up to me and say they remember my son and how they use to "fight" over who would be his buddy for the day. It finally was done in a systematic way so that all the children participated. But I was scared to death when I registered him. His teacher assured me that nothing would be done to make him feel like he was inferior but that he just had a temporary condition that made it difficult for him to perform certain tasks. He says now that he enjoyed kindergarten and that his teacher really had her act together. But I bet there are some other counties that are just as great as ours are with dealing with special needs children. We have a high hispanic population with a lot of children entering kindergarten that can't speak English. They are paired in a two part class with an English speaking child and they teach each other their language.
We are willing to consider other areas in NC that have excellent schools. Sadly, it doesn't seem NC has a very impressive education record
Raleigh vs. Charlotte.....which one would you choose and why????
As to which would I choose ... neither. And I'll tell you why.
First off, in most parts of the world, urban-core and suburban schools have these kinds of systems set in place, and in theory, the same thing should be the case down here in NC. However, that is not really true.
Due to explosive growth (that has really been happening for the better part of two decades but has gotten more insane in recent years), the resources that the schools get are shuffled around and priorities are made. Children with special needs, I'm afraid, are a pretty low priority for schools in this scenario, where schools are rushing willy-nilly to stem the tide of people coming in and the problems that overcrowding brings. In both Raleigh and Charlotte, in some cases, the suburban schools are even worse than the urban schools.
In this case, location is less important. What you need for your situation is a good rapport with a good teacher who has a small class and can help your child with her needs.
Have you been to the NC Early Intervention website (search engines are your friend)? I'd recommend calling every expert listed -- doesn't matter if they are close or far away -- to get a sense of how the local area will be receptive to your child. Also, don't rule out rural schools. You wouldn't think it, but some of them are better than the suburban and urban schools, just by virtue of smaller class sizes and a greater sense of rapport.
Either way, best of luck to you! This situation must be quite frustrating for you and your little girl. Be well.
I'll drive by and check it out. If I don't like it I'll curse you for the entire 3-hour-trip back to Raleigh :P
Oh gosh now I feel pressure. I like the area and I'm excited because I wasn't really expecting to like anything I saw that much. I have been in the desert so long I've grown accustomed to it. I really expected most of it to look like upstate Ny. Raleigh reminded me of that. Charlotte has what someone on the forum stated previously, It has more life.
I am the mom who asked about the schools in Wake County. Last year I had my special needs son in Florida Public Schools and it is a nightmare! I will sooner chew off my right arm than to see him go back there to repeat kindergarten! At least Florida has the McKay Scholarship to give these kids a shot a private school. But the scholarship doesn't cover all the costs and we are looking to contribute about $500 a month to make the scholarship money last. And this doesn't cover any of the therapies that the kids need that the PSS fights VERY hard to deny the kids. For all of you who are complaining about the Wake County Public School System (supposedly one of the top 5% in the nation) count your blessings that you have sooooo many more advantages than a good portion of the country! All public schools will have their issues, as will private, but at least you have nice folks, little road rage, and a nice quality of life...all of which should figure into the equation. School is definately a top priority, but it takes a village to raise a child and your NC village is far superior to our Floridah! village.
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Special Needs in Florida Vs Wake County
