MSD Washington Township -- quality? (Indianapolis, Lawrence: section 8, apartment complex, rental)

[wintertown]

Hi,

my family is relocating to Indy and have heard from various sources (my wife's new coworkers, the real-estate agent) that we should strongly consider buying in Washington Township, in part because the schools are so good, and we have three young kids. But in the online ranking sites, I'm seeing that MSD Washington is actually ranked quite low. Can anyone account for the discrepancy? Are our sources mistaken?

Any advice most welcome

[msamhunter]

Most "ranking" sites tend to be wrong. The residents of any given area would know more about the local school districts than any ranking entity that never so much as step foot in the state let alone know how the schools are. Washington Township isn't bad at all and is home to one of the best career centers in J. Everett Light just north of the school on school grounds of North Central which is the high school in Wash. Township.

[BU191433]

It is pretty good. Not as good generally as most of the more suburban schools. But they are more diverse. I do know the high school is excellent if your child is in the honors program. But the high school is really diverse and by that I mean if you student is a self starter and can navigate into having friends that are high achievers then they will be OK. But there are gang problems and in general the "normal" classes have some discipline problems.

Some of the grade schools are really good.

Me personally I would not send my kids to Wash. Twp (although I would if I had too, it is better than Pike or Lawrence). ( I graduated from North Central about 20 years ago, but the school is not generally as good, although they still have some really good programs)

Tell us more of what you want in a school and where you want to live, we can probably give you better advice.

Washington township overall is very diverse, with many really really nice neighborhoods and many OK neighborhoods. There are a few pockets (mainly areas with a lot of apartments) that aren't so nice. So the schools have all kinds

[indy_317]

Originally Posted by wintertown

Hi,

my family is relocating to Indy and have heard from various sources (my wife's new coworkers, the real-estate agent) that we should strongly consider buying in Washington Township, in part because the schools are so good, and we have three young kids. But in the online ranking sites, I'm seeing that MSD Washington is actually ranked quite low. Can anyone account for the discrepancy? Are our sources mistaken?

Any advice most welcome

Lots of older apartment complexes in that area have started taking HUD Section 8 low-income rental vouchers, or are have a gangsta/thug crowd paying full rent. Lower income usually brings with it trouble. If the population is small, not much of an issue. If the lower income population is at a certain %, you usually have crime, fights, trash follow. Might have something to do with it. There has definitely been an increase in crime in the northern townships, especially the Nora area. There is an apartment complex within a mile of St. Vincent's Hospital where there has been two homicides (one domestic related, the other I can't recall) over the last five or six years. Definitely not something I recall hearing about when I would travel to the area back in the 90s.

[Southside Shrek]

Originally Posted by indy_317

There has definitely been an increase in crime in the northern townships, especially the Nora area. There is an apartment complex within a mile of St. Vincent's Hospital where there has been two homicides (one domestic related, the other I can't recall) over the last five or six years. Definitely not something I recall hearing about when I would travel to the area back in the 90s.

Was that Sparkle Diamond who was shot and killed by her boyfriend early last year in an apartment complex close to St. Vincent's Hospital not far from West 86th? A Village Pantry clerk was also shot on 86th just east of St. Vincent's and she suffered horrendous injuries--I believe at 86th and Ditch Road. There was also a man shot on the Monon Trail while walking home from work near West 86th. That area definitely has something to be desired. It is not the safe area it once was.

[indy_317]

Originally Posted by Southside Shrek

Was that Sparkle Diamond who was shot and killed by her boyfriend early last year in an apartment complex close to St. Vincent's Hospital not far from West 86th? A Village Pantry clerk was also shot on 86th just east of St. Vincent's and she suffered horrendous injuries--I believe at 86th and Ditch Road. There was also a man shot on the Monon Trail while walking home from work near West 86th. That area definitely has something to be desired. It is not the safe area it once was.

Yes, I believe that was her name. If you Google the same complex, there was another killing there in the prior years. Here is a link to that homicide:

Man Found Fatally Shot At Apartment - Indiana News Story - WRTV Indianapolis

[Southside Shrek]

Originally Posted by indy_317

Yes, I believe that was her name. If you Google the same complex, there was another killing there in the prior years. Here is a link to that homicide:

Man Found Fatally Shot At Apartment - Indiana News Story - WRTV Indianapolis

I know a gal who worked at St. Vincent's who lived in that apartment complex close to where Sparkle lived. She couldn't wait to get out of there after Sparkle was killed.

[sheath]

Unfortunately it seems as if most of the townships in Marion County aren't what they use to be. I do agree that Washington Twp is better than most. As a alum of Lawrence Twp, I will say that even that school system isn't what it was years back.