Need a Good School District for Gifted Child (Dallas, Plano: low income, section 8)

[pitty_bull]

My 9 year old son, my little sister, my boyfriend, and I are all planning on moving to the Dallas area either this summer or next summer. I have been trying to research good school districts, but am getting so lost. Jack is in the 3rd grade and is in the gifted program at his current school. I need to find a school where he can be challenged, but that isn't in an area that has a high cost of living. Even though we are going to have 3 combined incomes, we are still pretty poor! My annual income is currently less than $15,000, and the other two's can vary. We can live in a hovel for awhile if need be, but a house with a fenced yard is preferred since we have a couple of large dogs. The 2 things that concern me most are A) location within an acceptable school district and B) reasonable cost of living. I work for a large chain pet store and can easily transfer to one of the several stores in the area.

So does a public school with a good/great gifted program in an area that poor people can afford exist anywhere around Dallas?

[Bypass13]

Stay in Dallas School district and keep trying to get him into magnet schools or look into Garland. I don't want to offend you but settling into a new town on a budget with possibly three other humans to feed is expensive, see if you can find good homes for your dogs before you move. Once other two find jobs and life is more predictable then you can adopt another dog who needs a loving home. This way you can be flexible to rent an apartment if you can't find a house under budget and near your work and acceptable schools.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Bypass, you must not be a dog lover. None would suggest getting rid of them then getting another later. Help her find a solution with the dogs.

[Bypass13]

I love dogs and have two but it is really really difficult to find a house in a safe area with good schools and big yard on a small budget. Not many landlords allow large dogs on their rentals. Life is tough and a parent needs to make rational choices.

[PlanoGirl]

I second the Garland recommendation. They have a fantastic GT program, and you would most likely be able to find something in your price range.

[pepper131]

Application period for DISD magnets is done for the 2013-2014 school year. Would hate for you to take that advice and find out you are too late.

[TurtleCreek80]

Why Dallas? Simply put, with a $15k reliable income, even if you are spending 50% of your take home pay on rent, you are working with $500/mo & under for rent. The only place you can find a 2BR apartment for that - much less a home with a yard- is going to be crime & drug infested apartments, probably in South or West Dallas. Public schools aren't good in those areas and competition for TAG schools at the elementary school level is district-wide (200,000+ students in the district, only a small handful of TAG schools). Charter schools could be an option to look into, but overall I highly discourage a move to Dallas with a $15k income. I fear you would see a really ugly and impoverished side of our city that could be avoided by staying where you are or moving somewhere with a lower cost of living.

Wanted to add some rent guidelines for the Dallas area that will get you into areas with at least decent schools and apartments or houses where you won't get shot or see drug deals on a daily basis: 2BR apartments- approx $800+/mo. Small house / small yard: approx $1200+.

[TX75007]

Dallas area has a number of phenomenal school districts (called ISD for Independent School Districts), Charter Schools, and a number of private schools, all of are in the top tier nationally.

The best ISDs are Highland Park, Plano, Flower Mound (Lewisville ISD), and then Coppell.

The best privates for a boy are St Marks and then Greenhill. Both schools will offer full rides to kids who come from low income families.

There are also charter schools. Vista and perhaps Founders Classical are in the top tier locally.

How smart is your son? Have you had him tested? Has he taken any standardized tests, ie MAP and what was his percentile ranking? Is there one area he excels in? Does he have any issues other than being too smart?

Unlike the other posters, and with the exception of Highland Park, I think you can make it work in the other ISDs, privates, and the charters.

Your biggest constraint is your income and then the dogs. I love dogs. And so does your family. Keep the dogs.

The next constraint is the amount of driving you have to do for school - you really want to live close enough to school to make it easy all around.

The third is the tradeoff between the various programs in the area and the expected cost of living and the payoff from the program you get him into.

So:

In my mind, these are your priorities.

1. How smart is your son? If he is 99% on his standardized tests and has an IQ > 130, then you should focus on getting him into a private on a scholarship. Then you can find a place to live in North Dallas. If he is off the charts, then you should go all out for a private. These schools admit 30% of their kids from low income on full rides and it is a life changing event.

2. If he is 99% on his math tests, then you should get him tested on the MAP test. Then see if he meets the Plano ISD guidelines for entrance to the Math Rocks program. If so, then get him in. Then you can look in East Plano near one of the Math Rocks Elementary schools.

3. If he is 98% or lower in percentile, then apply to a Vista charter school in Carrollton and Coppell. If accepted, then live in Carrollton. If he is 99% and is a hard worker, then apply to founders classical. Then you can live in Lewisville.

For 1-3 you should be able to find an older 2BR home to rent with a yard in a not bad neighborhood for around 1100 a month. Utilities will be another 300 a month not counting phone or internet.

4. At this point you start to run out of options. Renting a nicer home in West or Central Plano, Coppell, or Flower Mound with a large dog will not happen. Homes will be 1500 a month or more with a large deposit. There ARE some parts of Coppell that have older homes and parts of the FM ISD extend into the older parts of Lewisville. You would have to carefully look at school boundaries to find a place to rent. It can be done with patience.

5. If you don't have the dogs, then I would rent an apartment in West Plano that feeds into Renner Middle School.

I would also look into public assistance. Like food stamps (SNAP), Medicaid, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. DO NOT DO SECTION 8. The first three public programs can really help you out and you can stay below the radar. Unlike Section 8.

Texas Gifted programs (and schools in general) expect the kids to work really hard. These kids are seen as the future doctors, lawyers, engineers, leaders, etc and are expected to develop the emotional skills and work ethic required to succeed in these professions. You are looking at 1-2 hours of homework a night. He will need a quiet place to study and frankly, I would just not have TV - it will save you $$ and will not be a distraction for him. If your BF or sister does not like it, then tough. Your son will not succeed without daily studying.

I'd also find a church to belong to. This will help you and your family make friends and get connected. There are a number of tolerant, non-denominational churches in the area. Look around after you move unless you belong to one locally and can get an into to one here. Avoid the megachurches as the stigma against single moms is ever present and frankly disgusts me.

Its tough being a single parent but you are trying hard for your son. I think that's great.

The next step is to move here. And then get started on all the above. They all assume you are here and can commit to the time to execute them.

I would move to Garland right after the school year ends. Go to Garland ISD for the fall while working the above. It has a good GT program and a great set of programs. Garland has a number of homes for less than 1100 a month. Just come down with your son and yourself and find a place, then go back and move everyone.

There are a lot of opportunities in the area where you can move up and make more money over time. I think you will be surprised. With some hard work, you can eventually end up managing a number of pet stores. Bransom does not have much to offer 20 somethings. A lot of people have moved to the DFW area with far less and made it.

[TX75007]

Garland ISD

GISD- Elementary Gifted and Talented

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by TX75007

Garland ISD

GISD- Elementary Gifted and Talented

I'm not trying to be rude at all. You wrote up a fantastic post with lots of different suggestions / solutions. But realistically, how does a family of 4 with only $15k of documented, reliable annual income rent a house that is $1100/mo+ $300 for utilities? Even with food stamps, how will they feed 6 mouths (including the 2 dogs)? Much less take care of all the other basic things that must be paid for (transportation, any debt, etc).