Stay in East Dallas and send kids to private school or move to an area with better public schools? (Richardson: apartment, renting)

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by Considering Coming Back

20 years ago St Johns was teaching that dinosaurs and caveman lived side by side. I seriously doubt St Marks was doing the same...

Wow. I mean I know St. Johns is in the conservative wing of the Episcopal Church, but in 1992 that would have put them way way out there compared to the most conservative Episcopal Bishops and priests in the land.

EDIT: I realized that could sound like I disbelieved you. I didn't mean it to. I just meant it to express shock and horror.

[Considering Coming Back]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

What??? I went to St. Johns for 5th and 6th in the 1970s. They taught me nothing of the sort!

87-88. Younger grades.

Edit: I should add that this is a reason I was told that one student gave for pulling out of St Johns and enrolling at Hexter in the 80s. I seriously doubt that St Johns does this now and for all I know it was one rogue teacher back then. But OP was asking about the quality of St Johns in comparison to St Marks, and well there is none.

[Lakewooder]

I would first try the elementary transfer route. I don't know much about that process but it seems many people are doing it - somehow Lakewood Elementary is now over 800 students and the parents are planning to raise private money for an addition (I don't know if that's ever been done around here). It seems half of Hexter is going to J. L. Long (it's in the Hill/ BA feeder pattern).

In high school it's very easy to transfer due to the academy system and curriculum system - if what you want is not offered at your home high school, you can apply to transfer...I am not sure what the process is for J. L. Long with IB MYP, but anyone can apply to Woodrow for IB Diploma or IBCC. Since the Woodrow feeder pattern may be getting an elementary or two applying to offer IB PYP, that may open up another transfer option at the elementary level.

[rantanamo]

are these schools really better or are they just filled with more upper middle class kids of parents that did well in school? Let's stop saying good schools and make that distinction. There's nothing special about the curriculum or the teachers for that matter. Parents that did well in school and care as a whole.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Considering Coming Back

Yes, and this is exactly how BA was 15 years ago. Demographic shift has changed that completely. In 15 years when OP would be there I imagine LH will look like BA does now. You can still get a good education, but most upper middle class parents feel uncomfortable there.

Uh, BA was a **** hole 15 years ago. I think you meant to say 25 years ago...

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by rantanamo

are these schools really better or are they just filled with more upper middle class kids of parents that did well in school? Let's stop saying good schools and make that distinction. There's nothing special about the curriculum or the teachers for that matter. Parents that did well in school and care as a whole.

The sscholls are better because the parents care/ are involved and achieved higher education themselves. If all parents all over Dallas actually care and had educational expectations for their children, all schools would be good. What difference does it make why the school is better? It's better.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by Considering Coming Back

87-88. Younger grades.

Edit: I should add that this is a reason I was told that one student gave for pulling out of St Johns and enrolling at Hexter in the 80s. I seriously doubt that St Johns does this now and for all I know it was one rogue teacher back then. But OP was asking about the quality of St Johns in comparison to St Marks, and well there is none.

I bet it was one teacher. When I was there, except for chapel, it wasn't all that hyper-religious. It was probably my favorite out of the three schools I went to as a kid. It was the most diverse I had been to, with kids from all sorts of different backgrounds, different learning styles, too. I understand it's grown quite a bit since my day. The school ended in 6th grade back then, now it's up to 8th and I suspect a little more rigorous academically. Back then it was kind of touchy-feely, but I learned so much in my two years there. It would surprise me greatly if they were teaching about cavemen living with dinosaurs as part of their curriculum. Episcopaleans around here tend to be pretty sophisticated people.

I agree about any comparison of St. Marks and St. Johns, two very different types of school. Some kids will thrive in one and not the other. It really depends on the kid. And I say this as a parent who swore I would not be sending my child to private school. I'm eating my words.

[Leopard3]

Back to the original question, we just sort of went through this ourselves (although we were relocating to Dallas--but, still, the same issues had to be thought-out before making a decision on a house purchase). We were in a position (not because of current income, but because of previous real estate purchases in high-dollar market, right place at the right time) where we really could have lived anywhere in Dallas--UP/HP, Southlake, Plano, etc. I think you have to really decide how you want to raise your child. Are you committed to public schools? If so, then you've got to get into a neighborhood where your values line up with the neighborhood and the school has strong parental involvement. Not just going for what other folks consider "THE BEST" because the best for some isn't the best for all. I wouldn't count on transferring into a school, I'd buy into the schools you want your child to attend. If you're open to private school, then you obviously don't have to consider the schools you're zoned to, but you still want to be in a neighborhood that fits your family, your values, the way you want to raise your child.
It's an extremely personal decision, and when we were moving here we had everyone and their cousin telling us we HAD to do HPISD because it is the best for our children but it's more than that. One size just does not fit all. That being said, I really WOULD have relished all the absurd "classmates vacationing in Switzerland, getting BMW's for their 16th birthdays" and other tales of indulged children. And promptly denied my kids all of that and more. Because it's good for them to not be indulged. And it is good for them to see others being indulged and learning why those material things aren't the important things. (this is completely how my Highland-Park raised father raised me and my siblings--hated it then but appreciate it now of course!)
You don't need to be in a hurry, and you're lucky for that. Take your time, think about how you want to raise your child. It really is more than just about schools, it's community too.
Best of luck. Sincerely.

[Falafelosophy]

If you have two or more school age children than it makes more sense to live in a nicer town with a good local school system. Whole family enjoyes the area, kids get good school and extra money goes to house which you get back when you sell the house.

[Considering Coming Back]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Uh, BA was a **** hole 15 years ago. I think you meant to say 25 years ago...

Well the ****hole comment is really immaterial. I was referring to the demographics and "school within a school" being the same. LH has always been about 15 years behind BA in trends. Which makes sense considering the neighborhood is about 15 years older and adjacent.

In 97 BA was roughly 33-33-33 and had about 15% of the students getting a quality education in the AP track. As the neighborhood has gotten both more affluent in the north and west and poorer in the south and east there has been a steady decoupling of the affluent section from the school. To the point where 80% of the students at BA are in the federal lunch program despite the increasing desirability of the 75218 neighborhoods.

LH is having similar issues. At the turn of the century LH was majority middle income and nearly 2/3 white. Now the campus is plurality black and was about to hit the 50% federal lunch mark 3 years ago. I would anticipate it is majority federal lunch now. Even with the tearing down of all the apartments, the edges of the neighborhood have decayed. Fewer affluent families from White Rock Valley and the other desirable SFD neighborhoods are staying in LH for high school.

BA will likely drop to 0% from the affluent sections (like TJ 20 years ago). I don't think LH will, but I do think it will drop below Woodrow-- if it hasn't already. If I have a 1 year old in Casa Linda I'm looking at Woodrow over LH. And I would keep in mind that I can transfer into Woodrow (or Booker T) from Casa Linda. If I'm in White Rock Valley I have to go privates or move again.