Affordable private schools (Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth: real estate, custom home, neighborhoods)

[cordata]

I agree with numbersguy (and was surprised to learn that Bishop Lynch tuition is now about $17K). I don't think there is any private high school of good quality under $15K.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by cordata

I agree with numbersguy (and was surprised to learn that Bishop Lynch tuition is now about $17K). I don't think there is any private high school of good quality under $15K.

I don't know how BL does it. Low tuition and lots of financial aid, page says ~35% of students receive some tuition aid averaging ~$5K.

Either the school raises massive amounts through it's development campaign (hitting up parents and businesses for cash) and/or the diocese kicks in some cash.

[jennifw]

Adding to the "how do they do it" for BL, breakfast and lunch is included for all students. I know at my daughter's old private, that could easily add on a few thousand for the year. If you take that out of the equation (to compare apples-to-apples, BL is around $15k/year)

I only know a few people with kids at BL and they are BIG donors. I am guessing BL's development campaign is pretty lucrative. :-)

[NP78]

Originally Posted by jennifw

Adding to the "how do they do it" for BL, breakfast and lunch is included for all students. I know at my daughter's old private, that could easily add on a few thousand for the year. If you take that out of the equation (to compare apples-to-apples, BL is around $15k/year)

I only know a few people with kids at BL and they are BIG donors. I am guessing BL's development campaign is pretty lucrative. :-)

I know quite a few folks that have sent their kids to BL here in Lakewood/East Dallas and I would echo your comments. They seem to have very effective fund-raising through several channels (current families, alumni, businesses, etc.). I don't know about contributions from the diocese or anything, but I assume that is generally part of the funding picture at many catholic schools. Maybe Jesuit and Ursuline are different, but I assume from the cost that the elementary/middle schools (St. Monica, St. Rita, St. Thomas, etc.) all receive support from the diocese. EDS probably knows better than I do, but I have always assumed that.


Bishop Lynch is probably the best value, in many ways, among private schools. I have been impressed with what I have seen/heard from families that have attended.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by NP78

I know quite a few folks that have sent their kids to BL here in Lakewood/East Dallas and I would echo your comments. They seem to have very effective fund-raising through several channels (current families, alumni, businesses, etc.). I don't know about contributions from the diocese or anything, but I assume that is generally part of the funding picture at many catholic schools. Maybe Jesuit and Ursuline are different, but I assume from the cost that the elementary/middle schools (St. Monica, St. Rita, St. Thomas, etc.) all receive support from the diocese. EDS probably knows better than I do, but I have always assumed that.


Bishop Lynch is probably the best value, in many ways, among private schools. I have been impressed with what I have seen/heard from families that have attended.

1). I agree that BL is a screaming value*. Especially considering that so many kids graduate BL with many college credits. I realize the pitfalls of dual-credit but for many families BL's dual-credit program is pretty much without peer locally. Friends put 3 kids through BL all entered college as juniors. The oldest graduated engineering school after two years at university and had is license before his 25th birthday. Pretty sweet IMO.

2). I'm half guessing here so if someone really knows please chime in. Jesuit, Ursuline and Cistercian either technically are or function as Catholic order schools although UA touts itself as independent I believe that means UA is not tied to a particular parish nor is it funded by one**. BL, Bishop Dunne and JP II function as diocesan schools - meaning the Dallas Diocese oversees everything. The former less so although I'm sure there are myriad baseline Dallas Dioceses rules the "order" schools must follow.

My guess is if the diocese gives money directly, which they might, or indirectly through scholarships, which I know they do the order schools get less. As a matter of fact I've heard from people who probably know what they are talking about that Jesuit, UA and Cistercian are net contributors towards the diocese or things the diocese wants money spent on.

*IMO BL might be the best value private high school in grater Dallas. It's ~59% as expensive and for better students probably 100% as good as ESD and BL is multifacetedly diverse very rich, very poor, top notch kids academically and the not so.


**As opposed to a school like Prince of Peace Catholic in Plano which is tied to it namesake parish (in the same structure actually) and POP for certain is significantly funded by POP Catholic Church. I'm guessing the same sort of thing follows at BL, Dunne and JPII with BL for sure being partially funded by several parishes.

I really hope someone who understands local Catholic school funding chimes in with corrections.

[Threestep2]

Is your husband working from home or a pilot flying out of Love Field?

[Mollyhankam]

Thanks everyone, my husband is a pilot. Dallas has the most expensive private schools out of all the cities that we have looked in (Atlanta, Orlando, Denver, Houston. Not only are they more expensive but almost double the price. We can find affordable and high quality schools in these cities for 12,000-16,000 buy Dallas prices are crazy. We aren’t looking exactly for a catholic school but in most cities the Catholic Church will subsidize for the catholic school.

[RoamingTX]

Originally Posted by Mollyhankam

Thanks everyone, my husband is a pilot. Dallas has the most expensive private schools out of all the cities that we have looked in (Atlanta, Orlando, Denver, Houston. Not only are they more expensive but almost double the price. We can find affordable and high quality schools in these cities for 12,000-16,000 buy Dallas prices are crazy. We aren’t looking exactly for a catholic school but in most cities the Catholic Church will subsidize for the catholic school.

You’re also looking for housing in the areas with the most expensive ISD taxes. You’re looking to pay for the same service twice, which makes no sense.

[cordata]

If you compare the "elite" privates in Dallas to what's in Atlanta the names Lovett, Westminster and Pace Academy come to mind. Those schools are just as expensive as Greenhill, Hockaday, St Mark's.

It's possible there is less of a market for a mid-tier basic (non religious) private school in Dallas. You may be surprised and pleased with the quality of the public schools here.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by cordata

If you compare the "elite" privates in Dallas to what's in Atlanta the names Lovett, Westminster and Pace Academy come to mind. Those schools are just as expensive as Greenhill, Hockaday, St Mark's.

It's possible there is less of a market for a mid-tier basic (non religious) private school in Dallas. You may be surprised and pleased with the quality of the public schools here.

Same with Houston. Kincaid, Episcopal, Awty, Strake Jesuit, St Agnes, Regis...they're all within $1000 of their counterpart schools in Dallas. Catholic high schools are all right around $19k in Houston. I'm not sure what schools OP was looking at that were half the cost.