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The schools are not ranked on a par with the Katy schools you're talking about, but it's also not a bad place to live. Lots of different people, and a wide variety of neighborhoods. It's close to the city and we have the memorial/city centre stuff nearby.
I know, I lived there until my 30s. I would love to live closer to town, but I like Katy now. I just feel there is no reason all the schools in SBISD couldn't be good, even with a diverse population. My kids go to a school that is predominantly Hispanic, and it's a good school. Why are people in SBISD trying to only go to certain schools? My family in Spring Shadows make sure their kids go to anywhere but Northbrook. Why not stay and make Northbrook good again?
I know, I lived there until my 30s. I would love to live closer to town, but I like Katy now. I just feel there is no reason all the schools in SBISD couldn't be good, even with a diverse population. My kids go to a school that is predominantly Hispanic, and it's a good school. Why are people in SBISD trying to only go to certain schools? My family in Spring Shadows make sure their kids go to anywhere but Northbrook. Why not stay and make Northbrook good again?
One of the unique issues that the Spring Branch area faces is that there are a significant number of students who are non-native speakers. This may also be an issue at Katy ISD, but I think to a lesser extent. This is just a guess, but my sense is that Katy has more Americanized and 2nd gen Hispanics than does Spring Branch. I think this because Spring Branch has a huge Central American population (I'm willing to admit being wrong about this if I am).
But to our schools, I don't know. I do think we could be doing better. I think part of the issue IS the segregation of attitudes and resources--south of the highway implies a certain kind of educational comportment and north, another. I don't see very many people questioning it. I agree with you that the best thing to do is to stay and put your kids in the schools they are zoned to--this is something I'm considering doing. But when the school is ranked almost dead last in the whole state, you have to think about your kid, too. I have no problem sending my teenager to Spring Woods High School--it's ranked near the middle of the pack in terms of state rankings according to Schooldigger.com. The education at Spring Woods is acceptable and they have a great extracurricular program that he's really attached to. It's an underrated school, if you ask me. BUT, that's a different scenario than a school where you're really going to be putting your kid at an academic disadvantage. I believe you're right ultimately, but I don't blame people who make other choices because that's their kid.
One final thought: When I think of Spring Branch in comparison to other "hot" locations closer in like Garden Oaks/Oak Forest, Westbury and the like, I do think that the one disadvantage we have is that it is much more difficult here to find quality education for your children. If it were not for this factor, I believe the area would be growing at an even greater rate than it currently is. And for people interested in moving to this area, it really offers a lot of great elements. The trees are amazing, the houses offer history and are often remodeled, and the people come from all over the world. Moreover, the vast majority of the neighborhoods here are very safe, which is something I think needs to be stated. SBISD absolutely needs to work on the radical disparity evident in its educational system, but Spring Branch definitely has its charms and outside of education, the quality of life here is on a par with or better than many of the other sought-after "close in" areas of the city.
Last edited by jerbear30; 06-07-2017 at 12:26 PM..
One of the unique issues that the Spring Branch area faces is that there are a significant number of students who are non-native speakers. This may also be an issue at Katy ISD, but I think to a lesser extent. This is just a guess, but my sense is that Katy has more Americanized and 2nd gen Hispanics than does Spring Branch. I think this because Spring Branch has a huge Central American population (I'm willing to admit being wrong about this if I am).
But to our schools, I don't know. I do think we could be doing better. I think part of the issue IS the segregation of attitudes and resources--south of the highway implies a certain kind of educational comportment and north, another. I don't see very many people questioning it. I agree with you that the best thing to do is to stay and put your kids in the schools they are zoned to--this is something I'm considering doing. But when the school is ranked almost dead last in the whole state, you have to think about your kid, too. I have no problem sending my teenager to Spring Woods High School--it's ranked near the middle of the pack in terms of state rankings according to Schooldigger.com. The education at Spring Woods is acceptable and they have a great extracurricular program that he's really attached to. It's an underrated school, if you ask me. BUT, that's a different scenario than a school where you're really going to be putting your kid at an academic disadvantage. I believe you're right ultimately, but I don't blame people who make other choices because that's their kid.
One final thought: When I think of Spring Branch in comparison to other "hot" locations closer in like Garden Oaks/Oak Forest, Westbury and the like, I do think that the one disadvantage we have is that it is much more difficult here to find quality education for your children. If it were not for this factor, I believe the area would be growing at an even greater rate than it currently is. And for people interested in moving to this area, it really offers a lot of great elements. The trees are amazing, the houses offer history and are often remodeled, and the people come from all over the world. Moreover, the vast majority of the neighborhoods here are very safe, which is something I think needs to be stated. SBISD absolutely needs to work on the radical disparity evident in its educational system, but Spring Branch definitely has its charms and outside of education, the quality of life here is on a par with or better than many of the other sought-after "close in" areas of the city.
Thanks for the very thoughtful response. I agree that there are probably more recent immigrants in Spring Branch than in Katy, though we have our share, especially at Morton Ranch where my kids go to school.
One of my family members had a child at Valley Oaks Elementary, which comprises some of the richest and poorest people on the north side of I-10. One of the things the parents and school agreed was that the more wealthy group would agree to send their kids there so the school would have a good mix and all boats would be lifted (I'm paraphrasing). That was in the '90s, and as far as I know the parents and school do that to this day and it is considered a really good elementary school.
It could be just that there are not enough kids in the Northbrook zone to do that. They were shutting down schools when I was there in the '80s, and I recently went to a graduation at Stratford and the class was only about 450 + students. My daughter's class at Morton Ranch is nearly 950 students at this point (which is too much but they finally built a new school on the north side to relieve us).
I have a friend who used to teach at Memorial High School. After a couple of years dealing with spoiled-brat students and busybody parents, she requested a transfer to Northbrook HS and was much happier there. Go figure...
I agree that having a mix of demographics can be beneficial to educational quality, but this isn't necessarily reflected in school ratings. The elementary school that we're zoned to in KISD serves a mix of wealthier and poorer students. Believe it was set up this way because the student population in wealthier area was shrinking too quickly (although anecdotally - this seems to be reversing, as our neighborhood is popular with young families). Our school ranking isn't very good, but my neighbors whose kids actually attend have nothing but good things to say about the teachers, small class sizes, and overall quality of education.
It was an unofficial program, but every child had to participate, correct?
Did you contact the elected school board and/or the media?
At the time we were waiting for our green cards to be approved so we didn't want to rock any boats. And honestly, it doesn't look good to complain that your child has to go to school with all the immigrant kids. Especially when you are immigrants yourselves. No matter how justified we were to be upset about it, people would have taken it the wrong way. It was easier to just move, so we did.
If your child had a higher English proficiency than the other kids, I don't see how it would have been bad to ask for a different academic program or one closer to that of native speakers. I suppose someone could have taken it the wrong way, but demonstrated English speaking ability should be enough of a justification to avoid an ESL program (which differs from, say, a bilingual one).
Out of curiosity, what country did your family come from?
There was a case where Hispanic and black kids were deliberately placed in ESL classes at Preston Hollow Elementary so all the white students would be grouped together in the same class, even if ESL placement was inappropriate. The Hispanic parents complained and that was shut down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lbjen
At the time we were waiting for our green cards to be approved so we didn't want to rock any boats. And honestly, it doesn't look good to complain that your child has to go to school with all the immigrant kids. Especially when you are immigrants yourselves. No matter how justified we were to be upset about it, people would have taken it the wrong way. It was easier to just move, so we did.
Has anyone heard of Westchester Academy in SBISD? They have the IB MYP and Diploma Programmes which are very good and the school is ranked 99th in all of Texas. It is a district charter, but it is a lottery school. It is open to all SBISD residents from what I have read. It is 6-12 which is very appealing from what I have heard since it pulls kids from all areas of SBISD and is very diverse. Has anyone heard anything about it?
One of the unique issues that the Spring Branch area faces is that there are a significant number of students who are non-native speakers. This may also be an issue at Katy ISD, but I think to a lesser extent. This is just a guess, but my sense is that Katy has more Americanized and 2nd gen Hispanics than does Spring Branch. I think this because Spring Branch has a huge Central American population (I'm willing to admit being wrong about this if I am).
But to our schools, I don't know. I do think we could be doing better. I think part of the issue IS the segregation of attitudes and resources--south of the highway implies a certain kind of educational comportment and north, another. I don't see very many people questioning it. I agree with you that the best thing to do is to stay and put your kids in the schools they are zoned to--this is something I'm considering doing. But when the school is ranked almost dead last in the whole state, you have to think about your kid, too. I have no problem sending my teenager to Spring Woods High School--it's ranked near the middle of the pack in terms of state rankings according to Schooldigger.com. The education at Spring Woods is acceptable and they have a great extracurricular program that he's really attached to. It's an underrated school, if you ask me. BUT, that's a different scenario than a school where you're really going to be putting your kid at an academic disadvantage. I believe you're right ultimately, but I don't blame people who make other choices because that's their kid.
One final thought: When I think of Spring Branch in comparison to other "hot" locations closer in like Garden Oaks/Oak Forest, Westbury and the like, I do think that the one disadvantage we have is that it is much more difficult here to find quality education for your children. If it were not for this factor, I believe the area would be growing at an even greater rate than it currently is. And for people interested in moving to this area, it really offers a lot of great elements. The trees are amazing, the houses offer history and are often remodeled, and the people come from all over the world. Moreover, the vast majority of the neighborhoods here are very safe, which is something I think needs to be stated. SBISD absolutely needs to work on the radical disparity evident in its educational system, but Spring Branch definitely has its charms and outside of education, the quality of life here is on a par with or better than many of the other sought-after "close in" areas of the city.
I'm not sure the bolded is necessarily true. At least for the Oak Forest/Garden Oaks area.
I used to live in the suburbs and went to our zoned school, because that's what you do in the suburbs. Then we moved closer into town and live in Oak Forest, purposely zoned to Oak Forest Elementary. Don't get me wrong - it's a great school. No doubt, the upturn of the neighborhood over the past decade has really brought the area and the school way up. Garden Oaks Montessori is also getting better and better.
OFE has a Vanguard Magnet Program that you can get into via lottery. We tried for next year (just moved here this year) - and we were on the waiting list to get in. So my daughter would not have made it into the Magnet Program for next year. The neighborhood program is fine and well, but I was really hoping she would get a seat.
But when you hear about the GOOF area, you don't ever hear about all the other schools here. It's not like there's only OFE and GOMM. There's Stevens Elem, Durham, Scarborough, Wainwright, etc that are never talked about, because their standings and test scores are not up to par with OFE and GOMM. And because of how HISD does their school magnet system (at least up until this year)...many parents try their luck at getting a seat via lotter in a different school, or they send their kid to private school. It's mostly known that people moving into this area will send their kids to private school for upper grades especially. And when you do talk to people who live here who are not zoned to OFE or GOMM, chances are their kid is in a Magnet Program elsewhere in the city. If anything, I think it's harder to get into a school of your choice because it's all luck of the lottery system. And the desired schools of course have homes with a price tag that most can't afford.
If you look at the map I attached, notice how many green schools there are compared to the red schools in the GOOF area. And this area is much smaller in size than Spring Branch.
But because HISD is in upheaval regarding their magnet programs - we decided to move to SBISB for a variety of reasons. We are looking forward to the move, the area, and the schools. We will be zoned to Valley Oaks, SB Middle and Memorial high. I think they will be great fits for younger daughter.
But to our schools, I don't know. I do think we could be doing better. I think part of the issue IS the segregation of attitudes and resources--south of the highway implies a certain kind of educational comportment and north, another. I don't see very many people questioning it.
You realize that everyone south of I-10 bought there for the schools, right? The schools, which they have worked hard to maintain high academic performance are the only reason the property values there are higher than the north side of I-10. (that and lack of apartments) It is precisely why most of the affluent people buy there...because they want to send their kids to good, safe schools without moving too far out.
Your integration of north/south of I-10 would literally destroy the property values of the entire area South of I-10. Billions of dollars gone overnight in taxable real estate. I understand that a rising tide floats all boats, but a far better approach to improving the north side schools without destroying something,would be to advocate the end to Robin Hood. Spring Branch has TONS of money it could use to make all of the other schools better, but unfortunately, just like HISD - it has to send $100,000,000 every year to the state so a poor school out in the valley can open a water-park. La Joya ISD opens first school-owned water park in state of Texas | KGBT
I don't think anyone is against diversity, many of the schools south of I-10 are very diverse - but what people who buy their house based on schools are looking for is a common theme of people who care about education and make it a priority. I understand that you don't have to be rich to care about your childs education, but it takes time & effort to make sure your child succeeds, and lots of people just expect the school to do it for them and check out at home because its easier to do.
If parents don't reinforce education at home, a child will very seldom excel. The common thread among most people south of I-10 is that the parents are VERY involved in both the school, and their kids...and money certainly makes that easier to do. Without the parental involvement, all the money in the world wont save a school. Unfortunately, a parent needs to be around to make that work, and in some of the lower income areas, that just isnt a reality. It's sad b/c its a cycle of poverty that is seldom broken.
You realize that everyone south of I-10 bought there for the schools, right? The schools, which they have worked hard to maintain high academic performance are the only reason the property values there are higher than the north side of I-10. (that and lack of apartments) It is precisely why most of the affluent people buy there...because they want to send their kids to good, safe schools without moving too far out.
Your integration of north/south of I-10 would literally destroy the property values of the entire area South of I-10. Billions of dollars gone overnight in taxable real estate. I understand that a rising tide floats all boats, but a far better approach to improving the north side schools without destroying something,would be to advocate the end to Robin Hood. Spring Branch has TONS of money it could use to make all of the other schools better, but unfortunately, just like HISD - it has to send $100,000,000 every year to the state so a poor school out in the valley can open a water-park. La Joya ISD opens first school-owned water park in state of Texas | KGBT
I don't think anyone is against diversity, many of the schools south of I-10 are very diverse - but what people who buy their house based on schools are looking for is a common theme of people who care about education and make it a priority. I understand that you don't have to be rich to care about your childs education, but it takes time & effort to make sure your child succeeds, and lots of people just expect the school to do it for them and check out at home because its easier to do.
If parents don't reinforce education at home, a child will very seldom excel. The common thread among most people south of I-10 is that the parents are VERY involved in both the school, and their kids...and money certainly makes that easier to do. Without the parental involvement, all the money in the world wont save a school. Unfortunately, a parent needs to be around to make that work, and in some of the lower income areas, that just isnt a reality. It's sad b/c its a cycle of poverty that is seldom broken.
Well, I agree with you about La Joya. They have about $500 of my own personal money in speeding tickets and they're known throughout the valley for their largess, so it should be noted that they are an exception. The other stuff we're not going to agree on. You're painting a picture of one of the wealthiest zip codes in all of the Houston metro area as if it's weak and vulnerable and needs special allotments to maintain its privilege. That's not true. It is also not true that wealthy people get that way because of care in planning and attention to things like education. They get that way usually because they already were that way--even more than in socialist countries, according to most studies. Working class, poor and middle class families all want a good education for their kids.
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