West Plano - schools, neighborhoods, future? (Dallas, Coppell: low income, real estate, apartments)

[EC2005]

This site has been so useful for me over the years. When I look for information regarding a neighborhood, school, etc., City Data usually delivers the best insight. So, many thanks to the members that contribute great information.


ABOUT ME
I have a little one, and hope to have another kid within the next few years. While I enjoy our current neighborhood, schools are very poorly rated. I'd like to move to a neighborhood with a great school district.


The neighborhoods with great schools that stick out to me are Coppell, Southlake, and West Plano. Due to location (proximity to my work, downtown Dallas, family, etc.), West Plano seems to be our primary search area at this point. We also enjoy the stores and restaurants in West Plano.


MY QUESTIONS FOR THE FORUM
There is plenty of great information posted on West Plano, its schools, etc. on this site. I especially love the posts about "10 Things I Miss After Moving From Plano", as well as the "10 Things I Don't Miss After Moving From Plano" (I may have the titles wrong).


Here are my questions to those familiar with Plano and West Plano:


1. What's the consensus regarding the future of West Plano schools, specifically Hightower, Shepton, and Plano West Senior High? I've heard mixed things (so perhaps there is no consensus). For example, some have said it's pound-for-pound one of the best school districts in the metroplex. On the other hand, I have seen posts that said more and more West Plano residents are sending their kids to private schools instead. As we drove past a neighborhood in West Plano, we noticed a few lawn signs for private schools.


I'm interested to hear (I) if schools are expected to be excellent in the foreseeable future, or (II) if there are any reasons to believe that Plano West schools may deteriorate significantly in the future (i.e. building lots of lower income apartments, budget cuts, etc.).


2. Is there any reason to expect West Plano neighborhoods to decline in quality soon?


3. Related to number 2, is there any reason to expect West Plano home prices to head downwards (for example, as families continue migrating north to Frisco instead)? Specifically, any reason to expect West Plano home prices to fall more than in other nearby areas?


4. For those that are familiar with West Plano, any warnings or words of encouragement as I consider moving there?


Thanks in advance!

[turf3]

West Plano is very bland. Every mile there is another intersection with the same strip center and the same stores.

[DitsyD]

West Plano is mostly built out, so don't look for lots of low income apartments to be built.

West Plano is mostly built out, and Toyota and Chase and Fannie Mae are all building national and regional headquarters there. I don't see housing prices falling at all. Nor, do I see school quality declining.

Plano West just announced that 69 students are National Merit Semifinalists. Even with a large graduating class, that is far and beyond other schools.

Some people may move to Frisco to get more bang for their buck, but it is further out and it doesn't have the cachet of Plano. I have not seen a huge exodus of people moving from Plano to Frisco, so don't count on it.

Even our East Plano prices are climbing, so again, I wouldn't count on West Plano prices declining any time soon, if ever.

[Aceraceae]

This has been discussed over and over and over.

[TurtleCreek80]

West Plano is one of the safest suburban real estate bets in DFW! I don't even know how a logical and informed person could ask some of the questions you're asking.

No, the schools are not going downhill; they just announced a bazillion NMSF yesterday for the umpteenth year in a row. If anything, the housing values have increased so much that now people who do prefer elite private schools (regardless of where they live) see Plano West as a great place to live and work. Plano West's school population is definitely not declining, nor is there a mass exodus to private school.

West Plano is almost entirely built out and what little vacant land there is will not be turned into low income apartments. The land is far too valuable to do that!!

[numbersguy100]

What TC80 said. Once you get to a certain price point, the availability of good public schools doesn't influence school choice, and I'm guessing some of West Plano has gotten there. We know a few people who like Highland Park but wanted to send kids to private schools. Doing both isn't a financial burden so why not? Same is increasingly true of Lakewood.

[EC2005]

DitsyD, TC80, and numbersguy100 - thanks for the affirmation. I really appreciate the feedback.


I personally felt that West Plano was the safest area to move to (and so it was highest on my list). Glad to hear that I'm not crazy.


I was somewhat looking for validation for potentially moving to West Plano. It will be a big move for us, so I wanted to make sure that I wasn't overlooking anything. Would hate to move there and find out that I missed something.


Thanks again!

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by numbersguy100

What TC80 said. Once you get to a certain price point, the availability of good public schools doesn't influence school choice, and I'm guessing some of West Plano has gotten there. We know a few people who like Highland Park but wanted to send kids to private schools. Doing both isn't a financial burden so why not? Same is increasingly true of Lakewood.

Exactly. Almost 20% of the school-aged kids in HPISD attend private schools. That 20% number has held steady since I was a kid.

[EC2005]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Exactly. Almost 20% of the school-aged kids in HPISD attend private schools. That 20% number has held steady since I was a kid.

Let me know if I am interpreting this correctly:


1. More West Plano families might be sending kids to private schools (I don't know if this is actually true, but I have seen some posts that suggest this).
2. This is not a bad reflection of West Plano public schools, which are still top notch (and projected to stay that way).
3. Instead, it's likely driven by increasing wealth in the West Plano area.
4. This can be compared to HPISD families, who often send their kids to private school (even though HPISD is top notch) because cost isn't a meaningful factor to some HPISD families.


If so, that makes sense to me.

[BLDSoon]

Originally Posted by EC2005

Let me know if I am interpreting this correctly:


1. More West Plano families might be sending kids to private schools (I don't know if this is actually true, but I have seen some posts that suggest this).
2. This is not a bad reflection of West Plano public schools, which are still top notch (and projected to stay that way).
3. Instead, it's likely driven by increasing wealth in the West Plano area.
4. This can be compared to HPISD families, who often send their kids to private school (even though HPISD is top notch) because cost isn't a meaningful factor to some HPISD families.


If so, that makes sense to me.

True, and that phenomenon is repeated in virtually every affluent zip code in most places with a good public schools. Many go with private because they can or want to; not because they need or have to.