The Public School Systems in Dallas Suburbs (Arlington, Plano: low income, home)

[Winter2010]

How are they? If you have to rank them, how would you rank the following suburbs: Plano, Garland, Richardson, Irving, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, and Arlting.

[SloopJohnZ]

Richardson and Plano probably have the best schools (aka wealthier demographic), but I like how Garland's high schools have no zoning restrictions and the different programs each school offers.

[FarNorthDallas]

There are 100+ school districts in the DFW area, but out of the ones you listed Plano would be the best and Irving would be the worst - generally speaking (individual schools will vary). Carrollton-Farmers Branch is one district, not separate.

Arlington is a huge district with just a small handful of above average schools. Richardson ISD (which is located mostly in the city of Dallas) has some really good schools and some other schools that are 95% low income and hispanic. Irving ISD is mostly low income Hispanics.

Garland is another majority minority, large low income population, inner ring suburb like Richardson, C-FB and Irving. Garland ISD more like Dallas ISD in that they segregate their top performing students into their own schools, which is good for those students, but not so good for the kids left behind.

Richardson ISD has some magnet programs but they are really about attracting non-low income white kids to certain schools or a way to manage over-crowding at some schools - with the exception of Hamilton Park Pacesetter Magnet School which is a court-ordered school, meaning a court order determines the demographics of the school.

[MurphyPl1]

That is really poor explanation of Garland's system. Dallas is the one that funnels all of their resources into magnets and lets the rest flounder. (Except for the Lake Highlands area which has exceptional parents who fight for schools).

Garland has school choice. ALL students can request their top three schools each spring. Just because a student cannot get into a magnet does not mean they are left to languish at an underperforming school. Parents can, and do, choose the best schools for their students.

My step-daughter went to a different elementary than the "neighborhood school." And then joined the neighbor kids at the local MS and HS. And it was what was best for her. Two families on our street had kids who went to different HS. Pain in the rear transportation-wise, but best overall for the students.

[mSooner]

In most of these areas there are better/worse schools as well, I wouldn't necessarily go based on the district, but by which high school you would feed into.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

Richardson ISD has some magnet programs but they are really about attracting non-low income white kids to certain schools or a way to manage over-crowding at some schools - with the exception of Hamilton Park Pacesetter Magnet School which is a court-ordered school, meaning a court order determines the demographics of the school.

Richardson has 42 exemplary and 11 recognized campuses. No acceptable or unacceptable ratings.

http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2010/static/summary/d057916.html (broken link)

Plano has 34 exemplary campuses, 26 recognized campuses, and 4 acceptable campuses.

2010 District Accountability Summary (http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2010/static/summary/d043910.html - broken link)

In terms of TAKS performance, RISD beats PISD.

[5stones]

schools have been discussed ad-nauseum on this forum...

please do a search of each district and you will find PLENTY of info!!

here is a limk for HS and the national merit finalists //www.city-data.com/forum/dalla...finalists.html

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

Garland is another majority minority, large low income population, inner ring suburb like Richardson, C-FB and Irving. Garland ISD more like Dallas ISD in that they segregate their top performing students into their own schools, which is good for those students, but not so good for the kids left behind.

Not an accurate description of the GISD at all. Not every parent will place their child in a magnet setting if they do not want to. I know of many kids that do not accept their invitation to the magnets and chose to stay at their neighborhood school.

When it comes to the kids leaving the middle school magnet and going onto high school they can pick any school they want. My daughter went thru the MS magnet and we/she chose to continue the path onto the HS with the IB program. It was what is best for her. She had MANY friends that scattered to every single high school in the district. Some parents want their kids at the HS close to home or where another sibling is attending. It is the PARENTS that pick which school their child attends. They are not forced at all to attend a magnet program or school at all.

Then there are the students that are in a school that has the magnet program and they did not start out in it but got in based on it being their neighborhood school. Those kids often excel beyond their peers because they are exposed to a higher level of learning.

Originally Posted by MurphyPl1

That is really poor explanation of Garland's system. Dallas is the one that funnels all of their resources into magnets and lets the rest flounder. (Except for the Lake Highlands area which has exceptional parents who fight for schools).

Garland has school choice. ALL students can request their top three schools each spring. Just because a student cannot get into a magnet does not mean they are left to languish at an underperforming school. Parents can, and do, choose the best schools for their students.

My step-daughter went to a different elementary than the "neighborhood school." And then joined the neighbor kids at the local MS and HS. And it was what was best for her. Two families on our street had kids who went to different HS. Pain in the rear transportation-wise, but best overall for the students.

I know, not a good explanation at all.

FYI: Garland High School was only 5 percentage points short in Math on the TAKS from making GHS an Exemplary Campus. Garland High School also had 9 National Merit Scholars. If you compare those numbers based on the demographics and the number of seniors........... VERY GOOD!!!!