Klein High vs. Klein Oak (Houston, The Woodlands: new house, neighborhoods, high schools)

[H-Town Home Seeker]

Hello,
In January 2008, we moved from Irvine, CA where the schools and neighborhoods are very nice. We moved to Sienna Plantation (rented a house) with plans to build near friends. The neighborhood is nice and friendly BUT we are not happy with Hightower High School.
We have decided to move north to the Klein area because of the great schools and we have family close by. We are looking at two homes; one in Champion Forest about 5,000 sq ft (built in 1985) and the other in Auburn Lakes at about 4,200 sq ft (brand new). Both homes are very nice for different reasons however I'm concerned about the neighborhoods and schools.
My wife and I are in our late-thirties with kids that are 10, 12 and 14 and want to be around similiar families.

1. Does anyone know if Champion Forest (seems to be older age group) has a good population of young families as compared to Auburn Lakes?

2. I have done a lot of research on greatschools.net and heard that Klein High is better than Klein Oak. Is this true? Is there another site that can provide more comparison info?

Thanks!

[sunny57]

Originally Posted by H-Town Home Seeker

Hello,
In January 2008, we moved from Irvine, CA where the schools and neighborhoods are very nice. We moved to Sienna Plantation (rented a house) with plans to build near friends. The neighborhood is nice and friendly BUT we are not happy with Hightower High School.
We have decided to move north to the Klein area because of the great schools and we have family close by. We are looking at two homes; one in Champion Forest about 5,000 sq ft (built in 1985) and the other in Auburn Lakes at about 4,200 sq ft (brand new). Both homes are very nice for different reasons however I'm concerned about the neighborhoods and schools.
My wife and I are in our late-thirties with kids that are 10, 12 and 14 and want to be around similiar families.

1. Does anyone know if Champion Forest (seems to be older age group) has a good population of young families as compared to Auburn Lakes?

2. I have done a lot of research on greatschools.net and heard that Klein High is better than Klein Oak. Is this true? Is there another site that can provide more comparison info?

Thanks!

Champion Forest vs Auburn Lakes offer two very different products... custom built homes vs production homes with customized features.

Auburn Lakes has trendy designs with all the hot buttons. Being on the fringe of the Woodlands would be desirable for some but realize...your not in The Woodlands...Creekside is the boundary line.

Champion Forest homes are classic designs with interesting custom features. With homes being 20+ years old...you will see different levels of updating/remodeling going on. Like most older neighborhoods... the empty nesters are down sizing and younger families are moving in.

As far as the schools...Klein High carries a better reputation.

Best of Luck..Sunny

[citizen_jane]

We live in nearby Tomball ISD and I have a daughter at Tomball Hs. We know kids that attend both Klein and Klein Oak as well as friends that work as teachers in that district (but attend TISD) plus just talking to parents about the schools at basketball games and such. The Klein HS building itself is very old and in very poor condition while Klein Oak is a newer school. To address this issue the district is building a new HS near the coner of Spring-Cpyress and old Louetta. The kids from Klein HS will use the new building while Klein HS is re-built. When Klein is done they will go back to the new Klein HS building and then re-zone the area for the "old" new school. It's my understanding that the new high school will be huge both in square feet and student population. As in " biggest in the state" if not on a national level as well.

OK, I do not know exactly how big the new Klein will be or how this all fits together. For instances will the high school attendance zones be re-drawn and will you be affected? Maybe a KISD parent can fill that in. There are definite good points and bad points to really large "mega" high schools. So my only advice is to understand that Klein is going through some changes right now and what exactly those changes are. Honestly I've heard nothing but good things about both schools but I think the least "disruption" may be at Klein Oak.

There are a few threads about KHS and the recent Klein ISD bond election on the Houston architecture board (a lot of stuff about the election that is no longer relevant but maybe you can get info about the schools)

Klein Isd Bond Plan 2008 - Houston Architecture Info Forum - Houston's largest online community

Klein High School #5 - Houston Architecture Info Forum - Houston's largest online community

[Mom2Feebs]

Are your kids in high school already? I know they have plans for a high school strictly for Sienna Plantation because of the issues with Hightower.

[ReneeG71]

I live in Auburn Lakes and am my late 30's also. It is a great neighborhood with lots of families with young children. Mine are not yet in high school, but I have heard great things about Klein Oak. Before I moved here, I too researched and wanted to be in Klein High neighborhood. After looking at the area, I changed my mind. I like this side of town better, it is newer and just has a nicer feel, and is closer to the Woodlands and all those amenities. People I talked to about the difference in schools all told me that although Klein High has better scores, the school has more problems in it. I am not sure exactly what kind they are talking about, but I thinking maybe drugs or something. Anyway, I am sure either way you go you will be happy. It all comes down to if you want a new house or an old one. But the schools shouldn't be too much of an issue.

[Supermac34]

Here are the recent 2008 rankings of all the public high schools in the Houston area:

Google Docs - children at risk 2008 web

Klein High school is ranked 18 overall and is a tier 1 school.

Klein Oak was ranked 74 overall and was considered a tier 3 school.

I'm not sure how accurate these rankings are. I think both are good schools and I don't really know why Klein Oak has ranked so low.

Also, I think you are probably making a better pick if you go with the Champions Forest area compared to Auburn Lakes.

[H-Town Home Seeker]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

Are your kids in high school already? I know they have plans for a high school strictly for Sienna Plantation because of the issues with Hightower.

Yes, my 14 yr old is a freshman at Hightower. We understand the Sienna High School will be done for 2011-2012 school yr and my son may not be eligle to attend. Rumor is that they will open with 9th and 10th grade the first year.
Thank you for all your help.

[H-Town Home Seeker]

Originally Posted by Supermac34

Here are the recent 2008 rankings of all the public high schools in the Houston area:

Google Docs - children at risk 2008 web

Klein High school is ranked 18 overall and is a tier 1 school.

Klein Oak was ranked 74 overall and was considered a tier 3 school.

I'm not sure how accurate these rankings are. I think both are good schools and I don't really know why Klein Oak has ranked so low.

Also, I think you are probably making a better pick if you go with the Champions Forest area compared to Auburn Lakes.

Very interesting information. I wonder what the source of the information is?

[Supermac34]

Originally Posted by H-Town Home Seeker

Very interesting information. I wonder what the source of the information is?

Not sure, I just pulled it from another thread in this forum.


//www.city-data.com/forum/houst...-2008-out.html

Whatever the source, appears the Houston Chronicle printed it, heck, they may be the source itself.

[citizen_jane]

The source for that list is the group "Children At Risk". Here is the link describing their methodology
http://www.childrenatrisk.org//cmsFiles/Files/Methodology%202008%20FINAL2%20no%20sublists1.pdf (broken link)

The greatest weight is given to four-year, same school completion rates (27%), with significant weight also given to low socio-economic status (18%). Many experts, including CHILDREN AT RISK, conclude that schools that are successful with a student population that is historically the least likely to score well on standardized tests and the most likely to drop out deserve recognition.