School Comparison Coppell, Plano, Colleyville (Dallas, Irving: section 8, crime, homes)

[akaistha]

All:
I received the job offer from a major company in Irving (Las Colinas)- we have a 3 year old kid who will go to school next year. Question: Which school district would you suggest:

Coppell, Lewisville, Colleyville, etc. I know that Plano is good too but our commute would be crazy. Please provide your feedback.

Regards. Amit

[TexasNC]

I think part of it depends on where you live, especially suburb and or community within that suburb. For example, Lewisville ISD serves many suburban communities in Dallas from Lewisville, Flower Mound, Highland Village, Carollton/Hebron & The Colony. So where you live depends on the type of neighborhood school you going to be attending. I would prefer Flower Mound or Highland Village over the city of Lewisville. Though all of those areas are served by LISD, the communities have different feels to them.

Coppell is served by both Coppell ISD and Irving ISD in some parts.

And Colleyville is served by Colleyville ISD as well Grapevine & HEB ISD I believe???

So in other words, with Dallas, your suburban location doesn't necessarily dictate you will attend a school in the district you live in. You can have one suburb served by 2, 3 or 4 different school districts. So be careful when choosing a neighborhood. It also makes it difficult to judge some of the schools within those areas. Do you know where you will be living? What school is zoned for that neighborhood? That will provide a more clearer picture. That's why I said, FM or HV would be a choice b/c you know most of the schools in those areas are pretty much safe and good quality. Not to say the other's aren't of course. However, if I were in Lewisville ISD, I would likely try living in FM or Highland Vill (nicer upscale communities) or even Carollton, Hebron or maybe The Colony. Lewisville has nice areas as well but just choose wisely on where to exactly live in Lewisville.

Nevertheless, I think all 3 you listed are very good to great ISD's. I think if you choose the right neighborhood/suburban community, esp Lewisville & Colleyville, your child should be at a excellent school. Most of Coppell is served by Coppell ISD, however, the far eastern half goes to Carollton/Farmers Branch ISD and the southern portion to Irving ISD, I believe. So as I've said that might change the scoop of your analysis on the school quality versus the suburban/neigborhood quality per se.

[ChristieP]

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is all one district, not two.

[Rakin]

With the new George Bush Tollroad, southern Plano is easier then getting around the airport to Grapevine & Colleyville.

Coppell is served by both Coppell ISD and Irving ISD in some parts.

It's Coppell & Carrollton ISD.

[ChristieP]

It's actually VERY easy to get from Grapevine to Las Colinas. As long as there isn't a wreck on the freewy, it is under 20 minutes' drive. I used to work at Stemmons and Mockingbird, and I drove THROUGH Las Colinas, and I could be at my job in 30 minutes at 7:30 AM!

Southern Plano on the PGBT can be a yucky drive. The freeway is often packed solid at rush hour from I-35 to the Coit toll plaza. Not fun! And with the price of gas and tolls, I wouldn't want that commute!

[loves2read]

PRICE dictates choice really--while some of these areas have homes in similar price ranges the age of home/neighborhood and amenities in area can vary widely...

some people knock HEB isd but there is good teaching going on there and several desireable programs like the Suzuki Strings, the Mandarin foreign language classes, and the IB program in secondary....Bedford and Hurst especially north of the freeway have affordable (although older) housing with great retail and traffic is manageble all times of the day--if you stay off the Airport Frwy during busy times--getting into Las Colinas area is not that good a commute though--know someone who goes that way dairly and even the GB is crowded...it is at least a 25 min dr each way...

Some parts of Grapevine have more crime problems than others--Section 8 housing and gangs--but there are parts that are really nice--Colleyville shares the same school ISD but is generally considered more desireable (and is more expensive)...
Southlake is usually more expensive on average than many people's budgets--especially because of the tax rate--and some people think it is kind of a Stepford-wife-existance...

don't know Coppell that well but many people on this board have positive comments
Lewisville ISD has some good schools but my experience when my daughter was playing against them has been that people who have kids there are pretty arrogant and unlikeabble--prejudiced frankly--so I don't have very positive POV of Lewisville but that is just me...

probably you need to check out the public transportation situation--right now there is DART service in Coppell I believe and maybe Lewisville--but there is no DART in Grapevine/Colleyville area...

[akaistha]

Thanks all: The price we are budgeting is in $350K or so.....I believe we should be able to find something decent in all mentioned suburbs. I live in a Chicago bungalow and I am NOT looking for a McMansion just a good, decent community with excellent schools so I don't ever have to move again

Some people have steered us towards Coppell because of schools but other have suggested that the HS is not that great. Little more help would be appreciated.

Thanks again
Amit

[Big G]

I'm not sure why people would be ripping on Coppell's high school. I guess maybe they don't win state championships in football every year like Southlake Carroll.

For your situation, I think the Coppell ISD would be ideal.

[needsomeinfo]

I think coppell would be your best best. good location for your commute and great schools (btw, I live in Plano, and the schools are great, but it's a longer drive for you.) but really you can't go wrong with g/c, coppell, plano, or southlake.

[5stones]

The only compalint I have heard about Coppell HS is the overcrowding issue. NOT academics etc...
The "new" HS opens in the fall but it's a Tech HS and will pull only a few kids out but not really enough to make a huge impact.