Heritage Elementary in Keller ISD (Dallas, Fort Worth: real estate, apartment complex, foreclosed)

[NCtoTX2012]

We are moving from NC and just signed a lease for an apt for the short term in Keller. Just looked at the ratings online and am in a panic because it doesn't look great. Anyone have wisdom to share about Heritage Elementary and/or the reliability of those ratings?

[loves2read]

have no clue where you looked to get those ratings
Heritage is in Keller ISD but that area is in FTW city limits in all likelihood
right now the state is transitioning to a new evaluation system--changing from TAKS to STAARS
the TAKS scores for any school are a year or more out of date--since schools won't be evaluated using the new test format for two years after it goes into use...this year and next...

there are +/- for any school in any district
many negatives might come from disgruntled parent basing unhappy reaction on more personal than professional insight

I think Heritage is rated Acceptable which is considered mediocre--Exemplary (#1) or Recognized (#2) would be preferred....but the elementary school in my old neighborhood in HEB has been rated unacceptable the last TAKS round -- and that was because of three students in one grade who were in minority ethnic group/lower socioeconomic ranking--who failed TAKS and just screwed the entire school...

TAKS scores aren't the only way to rate a school--Keller has been going through some rezoning changes because of new schools and growth in the school population--
that too can cause problems on some campuses

but you signed the lease so you can't do much except find private school if you don't like the public...

guess you decided on Keller then

[NCtoTX2012]

My husband did - he found a nice apartment complex and went ahead and signed based on the advice of a coworker from his new office who lives in Keller. It's a 7-mo lease that starts in May, but I won't be down with the kids until after school ends here in June.

I looked at school digger.com and greatschools.org. And then the TEA site.

Can't help but be wigged out.

[loves2read]

if you have that attitude your kids are going to pickup on it--
what is done is done
they won't be in school a full semester before your lease is up--
frankly that was not such a smart move to me--
most people try to avoid moving kids once school has started--
this was what I referred to in the other thread--about staying where you light--
I think you are much more likely to stay close and keep your kids in the same school if they are at all happy...

[NCtoTX2012]

Didn't ask for parenting advice, just feedback about the school.

The state rating is "academically acceptable" and the test scores are in the 80th percentiles, and have dropped from the 90s over the past three years.

[Squirl]

I don't know about this particular elementary school. You can also look into the charter school option; tho there may not be spaces for this fall. Charter schools are publicly funded, so no tuition or application fees are charged individually to parents just like regular public school. Both Harmony and Uplift schools are scoring very high in all grade levels. You are not bound by school zones when you use a charter school. However each school might not have after school programs or transportation. If its too late this year you can try to get on a wait list. Benefit is great as far as giving the parents a consistent, highly rated school and not having to be concerned about living in a specific school zone.

Dallas-Fort Worth Charter Schools

[loves2read]

in ISD we lived in for longer (HEB ISD) I have personally seen the record for my zoned elementary drop when the number of apt children are increased--
Southlake Carroll ISD has managed to retain its highly desired and regarded reputation because there are no apts in Southlake
(and if people think that is not true they just don't understand the dynamics of having apartments, especially multiple/large apartments within a school district)

not saying that you are typical apartment dweller or that all apt dwellers have children who bring down test scores--but it is a challenging demographic if only because of the mobility aspect
depending on where the school is and how it is zoned, I wonder if in recent years more apts have been zoned into that area or the demographics have been shifted because of Keller rezoning its catchments...sometimes that is reason for some significant highs/lows in TAKS ratings
Keller has been highly advertised in national media as a very desireable area--
people move there and wind up in Keller ISD but not in Keller city limits--north Keller doesn't have as many apts as that part of Fort Worth
Keller ISD also pulls students from FTW city limits and other areas--including Colleyville on the far east side and north Hurst and North Richland Hills
TX has strange way of working school districts' boundaries--does not go by city/county limits--but ISDs have set their own and can flow into several different cities...and cities can have several different ISDs in their boundaries...

[NCtoTX2012]

Squirl that's an excellent idea, and one I hadn't considered!

Loves2- you hit the nail on the head. I called a Realtor and that's exactly what she said is the cause at this particular school. More apartments and rental homes feeding into the school, and the boundary lines also changed last year to include an area of northern Ft Worth that has a large population of migrant workers.

I just want what all parents want - my kid safe, challenged, and nurtured at school.

[loves2read]

Does not mean there is not good teaching going on there--
just that that particular school might have more than its fair share of students who are behind the learning curve...
the district's main concern is just class levels and teacher ratio--
ADDED: not that Keller ISD is uncaring--but it is still going through big changes directly caused by real estate fall, booming economy of DFW compared to other areas, and the media attention it got before the RE crash happened...Keller ISD has no control over where FTW city planners allow apartments to be built or the fact that more people are having to rent vs buy or that people can't sell homes and have to rent or be foreclosed--
this situation is confluence of problems really outside KISD's control to large extent
the staff at that school are expected to suck it up and succeed
to conquer all those problems w/o really any additional aids like reduced class size and more teachers for intensive instruction

you should ask how they layer their classes--
some districts/schools WILL put slower students (those who are below grade level in reading/math) in same room and try to give fewer of them to one teacher
others will spread 2 or 3 levels of students into each classroom and teacher will divide her time and class activities so that she interacts with groups for reading/math at different times...

just depends on the school/district's game plan

you can find that out now by calling the school and speaking with counselor or asst principal....

look online at Heritage's web site--
each teacher probably has webpage for class info/bios
check out what is going on in grade level your children will be in next year and this year
see how it compares to what they are doing currently...

and realistically this probably gives you incentive to look around and maybe find permanent housing in another areas--even if it is Keller--there are schools not so influenced by apt students

[NCtoTX2012]

Totally get it. I've emailed the principal and guidance counselor. And am going back to checkout the website again....