Need Help Navigating DFW Elementary Schools (Dallas, Austin: spring break, apartments, chapel)

[justsomeguy]

One child is 3 years old, birthday is in October. So should start regular school in....2026....? Have 2nd child that is a newborn. So should start 3 years later...2029?

We have private daycare/school covered all the way through Kindergarten for both.

My question is around the timelines and options after that.

We're in northwest Dallas (DISD) - the zoned public school probably isn't going to be a route we'll want to go (though it is rated 7/10 on GreatSchools?). And not sure I'm interested in moving to an area with a different zoned school, honestly.

So when do we need to start thinking about applications for private schools? And which private schools? I also don't understand how the admissions at these schools work for PK/K - how do they assess the candidacy and readiness of someone who probably can't even tie their own shoes??

Obviously I'd like a quality education for our children, I am hesitant though to put them in situations that are hyper-competitive and pressure intense. I'd like them to just enjoy being a kid. And honestly I have no idea if they are, or will be "gifted" intellectually. Seems too early to know that. Which I'm assuming some level of giftedness will be needed for more challenging programs.

I'm at a bit of a loss as far as planning what to do and where to try and put them.

[TurtleCreek80]

If you’re zoned to DISD Withers, you should definitely visit it before assuming you must go private. It’s an excellent elementary school.

For the “usual list” of North Dallas private schools, the biggest application year as far as number of spots available tends to be PK4 for most schools. That means you would be touring and applying next fall for the 2024-25 school year. Very, very few spots are available in 1st grade (at our school it’s 5ish spots compared to around 30 spots for PK4) so I would highly recommend not waiting that long even if you *can* stay preschool/daycare through Kinder.

Each school has its own feel & slightly different admissions criteria. I would start making a list of schools you’d be willing to commute to & tour as many as you can next year. There are SO many options I’m sure a small handful will resonate with your family.

Some main considerations include:
• schools that go from PK through late elementary school or PK-8 or PK-12
• co-ed vs single sex
• diversity of student body, including racial/cultural, religious, economic, & geographic diversity
• the role / influence of a religion or church
• language immersion, Montessori, or traditional curriculum
• the actual school day schedule: some have half & full day PK, some offer more after school care & enrichment, etc.
• the vibe of the community - ie, do you see your family/children fitting in & thriving there?
• Budget. schools run anywhere from <$10k per year per kid to $35k in just tuition & fees alone.

Tours are usually Sept - Dec timing with apps due Dec / Jan and decisions made right before spring break.

[NTXPerson]

NW Dallas has several great options for DISD public schools. My opinion is the top three would be Withers, Degolyer and Prestonwood. I wouldn’t give up on public just because Great Schools gave them a certain rating. Being DISD, there is a higher number of economically disadvantaged students compared to the suburb school districts. Therefore, School ratings and test scores will be skewed. If you are an involved parent who helps your children thrive academically, your child will do well in most environments. There was a study done several years ago comparing students with similar socioeconomic backgrounds in DISD, Highland Park ISD and Plano ISD. The research found that DISD kids performed at the same level academically to the kids in the other ISDs.

If you aren’t looking for a super competitive environment, the private schools in NW/N Dallas are some of the most competitive private schools in DFW and even in the state. So, I would definitely get feedback from people with personal experience with any schools you want to look at instead of looking at school rating websites like Great Schools or Niche.

Lastly, as some who graduated from W.T. White HS in NW Dallas, every single friend of mine and classmates went on to college or other paths like the military. Some of the schools my peers went to include, UT Austin, A&M, Texas Tech, OU, OSU, UNT, Duke, UTD, Rice, Georgetown, Pepperdine, Auburn, Brown, Harvard, Columbia, Ole Miss, Northwestern, UNC Chapel Hill, and Yale.

W. T. White on the school rating websites is rated low, so it’s easy for one to assume your child couldn’t thrive there. However, if you start talking to parents with students there, you will learn there is more to the story.

[75214Dad]

You’ll move. That’s a long time

[NTXPerson]

Also, I want to add that DISD offers a choice School program. So, your children don’t have to go to the neighborhood school closest to you. There are school all over Dallas are perform very well that your kids can attend. There’s even several Montessori schools offered in DISD that are free! DISD also has some of the best ranked schools in the state and nation if you want to consider that route in the future. You could technically get a private school level education, if not better, depending on what school your child attends in DISD.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by NTXPerson

If you aren’t looking for a super competitive environment, the private schools in NW/N Dallas are some of the most competitive private schools in DFW and even in the state. So, I would definitely get feedback from people with personal experience with any schools you want to look at instead of looking at school rating websites like Great Schools or Niche.

To tell a more complete picture, not every private school is as competitive as Greenhill / Hockaday / St Marks. And not every private school is $35k a year.

There are many other private schools near OP that might work for their family with a balance of academics & good community - Wesley Prep, St Monica, St Rita, Grace Academy, Our Redeemer Lutheran, Mary Immaculate, & I’m sure I’m leaving a few others out that are in that North Dallas from 75 to Midway zone.

[justsomeguy]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

To tell a more complete picture, not every private school is as competitive as Greenhill / Hockaday / St Marks. And not every private school is $35k a year.

There are many other private schools near OP that might work for their family with a balance of academics & good community - Wesley Prep, St Monica, St Rita, Grace Academy, Our Redeemer Lutheran, Mary Immaculate, & I’m sure I’m leaving a few others out that are in that North Dallas from 75 to Midway zone.

Are there any that don't have a strong religious bent?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

Are there any that don't have a strong religious bent?

There are few non-sectarian private schools in the Dallas area. Greenhill, Hockaday, St Marks, Lamplighter, Lakehill, The Kessler School, Dallas International School, Fort Worth Country Day & the bigger learning difference schools like Winston & Shelton.

The schools affiliated with a church or denomination range from highly religious (ie, praying with teachers in classroom, Bible-based curriculum, daily mass,Etc) to more welcoming, inclusive faith based schools (typically Episcopalian & Methodist affiliates) where daily/ weekly chapel is more values & ethics based and non-affiliated families are welcome and even celebrated and there is little to no religious instruction in the classroom.. I know some of the Episcopalian schools have chapel services that include Jewish, Muslim, etc holidays throughout the year. Even Jesuit is very welcoming to boys of all (and no) faith.

Again, when your visit the schools you can ask questions and figure out which schools synch with your family values and educational wishlist.

[rabbit33]

As to "ratings", it's important to keep in mind that many of the DISD schools are really two schools in one building: the poorly-performing school full of the kids whose parents live in those skanky apartments along the highway, and the highly-performing school full of the kids whose parents have bought the McMansions down the street and who are in the school every day watching and holding the school to account. The two populations of students intersect at lunch and gym and pretty much nowhere else.

[Waterdragon8212]

TC 80 is absolutely spot on in terms of recommendations. While pre-K is typically easier than older grades for gaining admission, at some of the competitive schools (i.e. Hockaday/Greenhill), pre-K admissions can skew highly loaded in terms of legacy families. They don't get auto-admission, but occasionally, Kinder is an easier entry point for a non-legacy fam because most of the legacies have already been admitted. That shouldn't discourage you from applying for pre-K though, as I've had numerous friends get waitlisted for pre-K and admitted for K and told (off the record) that their persistence in applying made a difference to the admissions committee.

Also, for the record, many of the "competitive" privates are pretty chill in preschool/lower school. It tends to be middle school where the crazy intense thing starts...