Plano High Schools (San Antonio, Jasper, West: homes, teaching jobs, middle schools)

[cbisenberg]

I am relocated to the Plano area from San Antonio this summer. My youngest will be starting kindergarten. I've been looking at the schools and while most elementary and middle schools are rated (greatschools.com) pretty good, some of the High Schools are rated pretty low (i.e. Vines HS and Clark HS). Anyone have insight into this? I don't understand how the quality of school could drop that low for only two grades! Once 11-12th grade comes along, the school rating is back up to a 8-10! Thanks in advance all!

[Katana49]

Those schools are in areas where the homes and families are less affluent than the majority of Plano is (Vines more so than Clark.) Been that way since as long as I can remember. Plano ISD is still an overall great district, but the top teachers if given a choice would rather take teaching jobs at Shepton or Jasper for example. The Senior high schools as you noted the ratings go back up, as those schools pull kids from a wider area.

[DitsyD]

Originally Posted by Katana49

Those schools are in areas where the homes and families are less affluent than the majority of Plano is (Vines more so than Clark.) Been that way since as long as I can remember. Plano ISD is still an overall great district, but the top teachers if given a choice would rather take teaching jobs at Shepton or Jasper for example. The Senior high schools as you noted the ratings go back up, as those schools pull kids from a wider area.

Actually, Plano Senior High only draws from Vines and Clark High Schools. I don't know the answer as to why the lower ratings though.

[CMC_TX]

Originally Posted by cbisenberg

I am relocated to the Plano area from San Antonio this summer. My youngest will be starting kindergarten. I've been looking at the schools and while most elementary and middle schools are rated (greatschools.com) pretty good, some of the High Schools are rated pretty low (i.e. Vines HS and Clark HS). Anyone have insight into this? I don't understand how the quality of school could drop that low for only two grades! Once 11-12th grade comes along, the school rating is back up to a 8-10! Thanks in advance all!

I would look at other metrics outside of just the GreatSchools ranking, as those can be misleading sometimes. It's kind of akin to using a Zillow estimate and assuming that's fact on what your home will sell for.

[TheOverdog]

Those schools are in areas where the homes and families are less affluent than the majority of Plano is (Vines more so than Clark.)

Not really, at least not according to any income metrics I've ever found. The real difference is that there are way fewer high performing Asians and Indians in that area. Whites perform similarly across Plano ISD, ie: the number of high performing whites is way below Asians at West, Central, and East, at least in terms of NMSF scholars, high SAT performers, etc. The income demographics of most zip codes in Central are great, maybe below west but still mostly very high. The number of eco disadvantaged is clustered, but below East, which also has more Asians so it outperforms Plano Senior High.



Use this site to compare: Shepton feeding to West is similar demographically to Vines. Vines' demographics are better than Clark. Neither compares to Jasper.

https://schools.texastribune.org/dis...s-high-school/

[PriscillaVanilla]

Originally Posted by Katana49

Those schools are in areas where the homes and families are less affluent than the majority of Plano is (Vines more so than Clark.) .

This.

[Taub201]

Hear that Jasper is tougher than the Sr Highs are. It prepares you well but your GPA may suffer.

[Peter5457]

Originally Posted by cbisenberg

I am relocated to the Plano area from San Antonio this summer. My youngest will be starting kindergarten. I've been looking at the schools and while most elementary and middle schools are rated (greatschools.com) pretty good, some of the High Schools are rated pretty low (i.e. Vines HS and Clark HS). Anyone have insight into this? I don't understand how the quality of school could drop that low for only two grades! Once 11-12th grade comes along, the school rating is back up to a 8-10! Thanks in advance all!

It's very simple. Greatschools does not account for Plano's 9-10th grade HS system. Therefore you have to go based on the 11-12th grade Sr HS's.

Actually, many of the 9-10 schools like Jasper and Clark are more competitive than West and Plano Sr. because many of their very top students go to TAMS starting 11th grade. So, many of those supersmart National merits at Tams went to PISD until 10th grade.

PISD grade tier system is extremely rare although incredibly effective. I think every daughter's parents should welcome such a separation of HS grade system. I have seen too many negative effects on young girls of having too many older boys around.

Both Vines and Clark are excellent schools with great teachers. And many of the elemantary and middle schools have incredible track records. Many science, math and academic awards won every year throughout PISD in west, central and east cluster too. Same goes for their fine teachers winning awards also.

[UnfairPark]

1. All ratings by school ranking websites need to be taken with grain++++ of salt.

2. All of these schools are good and provide Plano ISD’s standards, some differences are due to higher income/education/motivation/stability of families. Just like other things good academics are result of a snowball effect of peer group, big percentage of driven peers are like social influencers, working hard and aiming for higher education at good colleges becomes a culture and cool trend..