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Texas will have more parochial schools and less of an achievement gap among various races. However, on the whole, Minnesota's public schools would beat Texas's. Minnesota has one of the best public school systems in the country and some of the highest ACT scores to prove it. Minnesota also has a large number of charter schools, but I don't know how they compare to Texas.
Texas will have more parochial schools and less of an achievement gap among various races. However, on the whole, Minnesota's public schools would beat Texas's. Minnesota has one of the best public school systems in the country and some of the highest ACT scores to prove it. Minnesota also has a large number of charter schools, but I don't know how they compare to Texas.
I agree. As a whole, Texas public school system is average at the most. Lot more low-income areas here and more crime problems.
Generally Minnesota has excellent public schools, however the ones in Minneapolis proper are pretty awful.
As a parent of two kids in Minneapolis public schools, I disagree with your Minneapolis comment. I do agree that there is a very wide range of school quality in Minneapolis, but that is more reflective of an areas poverty level. There are also lots of good schools in the city! In the recent issue of Newsweek on best public high schools in the US, three of the ten best in Minnesota are actually Public schools in Minneapolis. Presented below is a list from the thread in the Minnesota category: I hope Slig doesn't mind my copying his list!
RANK SCHOOL
107 St. Louis Park
111 Edina
232 Southwest Minneapolis
498 St. Anthony Village
535 South Minneapolis
594 Eastview Apple Valley
635 Como Park St. Paul
645 Mahtomedi Mahtomedi
738 Patrick Henry Minneapolis
748 Minnetonka Minnetonka
829 Lakeville North Lakeville
839 Central St. Paul
922 Irondale New Brighton
949 Wayzata Plymouth
967 Century Rochester
1063 Eden Prairie Eden Prairie
1116 Simley Inver Grove Heights
1139 Moorhead Moorhead
1142 Hopkins Minnetonka
1199 North North St. Paul
1258 Stillwater Area
1279 South St. Paul
1290 Eagan
1298 Prior Lake
1331 Sibley West St. Paul
1421 Mounds View Arden Hills
1422 Robbinsdale Cooper New Hope
1506 Mankato West Mankato
Generally Minnesota has excellent public schools, however the ones in Minneapolis proper are pretty awful.
I agree with the first part of the sentence, but disagree 100% with the second part. One of the best things about Minnesota is that even the urban school districts - in this case Minneapolis - are very good. That's certainly not true in many parts of the country. Minneapolis has a long tradition of valuing public schools, and in part it's been that willingness for parents with the choice to stick with the public schools (rather than fleeing to the suburbs of going private) that has helped keep Minneapolis schools as good as they are. That doesn't mean that they work for everyone, but kids who go to the Minneapolis Public Schools are at no academic disadvantage when compared to kids from the suburbs.
I usually try not to bash the suburban schools, as I hate it when people from the suburbs or who otherwise lack personal experience with the MPS options bash the city schools, but I am completely comfortable with my son attending a public Minneapolis school when he's old enough. I would, in fact, choose a MPS over the suburbs (for multiple reasons), and will be purchasing a home within city limits with the expectation of taking full advantage of the MPS's educational offerings. And for the record, I'm a MPS graduate, have a graduate degree (and hope to finish off the PhD in the near future), and believe strongly in the importance of a quality education.
I think overall MN has better public schools than does Texas (due to issues relating to poverty, state funding, etc.), but of course both states are going to have plenty of excellent schools.
As far as the college level, I'd guess that they're about the same. The University of Minnesota is excellent, so is the University of Texas. Both states also have a number of well-regarded private colleges and universities.
Oh... I forgot about schools. Texas has great public, private and homeschooling options.
Public - my experience with McKinney, Dallas, Frisco and other suburbs is that their public options are fantastic. From the education to the post-secondary options: very good. I went to Northwestern University in Chicago and believe my kids (4) will have all the opportunities I had coming from Hopkins High School in MN.
Private - very affordable classic and christian and secular options.
Homeschool - tons of homeschooling groups and resources including 1-2 day/week options, tutors, classes geared for home educators, etc.
We feel that we have at least 10x the resources in Dallas than we had in MN.
I grew up in MN but love Texas. MN is a blue state with Huge government resources and high taxes. If that is what you are looking for, good luck. I have been a small business owner in both states. My MN business no longer exists. My Texas business is up over 400% over 2009. Also, the churches are great, there is tons of variety in landscapes and beauty, and the median housing price is WAY less than in MN. We sold our home for $820k in 2007 in Eden Prairie and (for a 15% loss) and then bought a bigger house with three times the yard (with lagoon pool and outdoor living area/ wood fireplace) in 45-hole golf course community. Price of home was less than $430k for over 5000sq ft 2 year old home! Read again: Get Double the Home for Half the Money!
Cost of living in TX:Way less.
Taxes: No state income taxes.
Opportunities: More fortune 500 companies than in any other state (127) and a growing and robust economy.
Livability/ Rankings: McKinney and Frisco are northern suburbs of Dallas that are the two fastest growing cities in the nation. McKinney was recently voted the 2nd best place to live in America. Austin is in my opinion the best city in the USA to live for a lot of reasons. Houston and San Antonio offer a ton.
Education Options: Texas has great public, private and homeschooling options.
Public - my experience with McKinney, Dallas, Frisco and other suburbs is that their public options are fantastic. From the education to the post-secondary options: very good. I went to Northwestern University in Chicago and believe my kids (4) will have all the opportunities I had coming from Hopkins High School in MN.
Private - very affordable classic and christian and secular options.
Homeschool - tons of homeschooling groups and resources including 1-2 day/week options, tutors, classes geared for home educators, etc.
We feel that we have at least 10x the resources in Dallas than we had in MN.
My favorite reason for voting for Texas: There are more perfect, bug-free, 76 degree sunny days in just the month of November (let alone Sept, Oct, February, March, and April) than in an ENTIRE summer in Minnsnowda.
The biggest perk: not having to listen to whining, complaining, one-track-record minnesotans constantly gripe about the weather. If you find yourself talking about the cold and the snow and the rain and the bugs and the taxes and the lavishness of your local city hall combined with the socialism ... realize its your choice to live in MN. Though it may feel like it, you do not live in communist North Korea (though colder). You have choices and you can live anywhere you want. In fact, you will have more opportunities, more disposable income, more beautiful weather, more housing choices and more quality of life in many other places.... though I believe Texas is the best.
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