Best Public High Schools Between Fort Lauderdale and Miami (Hollywood: renting, house)

[cmidnight]

Hi everyone. I did a search but didn't find an exact answer to my question.

Currently renting in Plantation, but working in downtown Miami. Have a son starting high school and am looking to buy. Not rich and house limit is $225,000, but want to make sure son goes to decent public high school.

Can someone tell me what areas those would be between Fort Lauderdale and Miami? Thank you.

[valicky]

Newsweek just released the best public high schools in America list for 2009. You can sort by area.
America's Top Public High Schools | Newsweek Best High Schools | Newsweek.com

[SadieMirsade]

By coincidence....I logged on thinking of asking the same question. I have been researching the Miami-Dade and the Broward schools...and I've also gone through all the schools rated on GreatSchools.com

It seems that some schools are very specialized....so the best thing would be to take into consideration your child's talents, interests and affinities. Then...go through all the special programmes in both Broward and Miami Dade. Then match up your child with the right school. Pick the school that has both: the right programme AND the higher rating.

Then....try to buy a place....in that district (if it's an open admissions school....that is....it is not a charter school or a selective academy).

That's exactly how I've been researching the schools and the neighbourhoods. But I'm not stopping there.

I'll get it down to 5 schools.....and will make it a point to take my son along while I check them out myself.
There is a brand new school opening up this summer...in East Kendall.
It seems like a really interesting "project" as they're calling it a "Green School". The school is very environmentally friendly....but the fields of study (academies) also reflect that theme: the environment, health, and "green" engineering.
It seems very well though out....and very well equipped and staffed. Check it out...and let me know how it looks.
PM me about your success...as I'll be venturing down the same road in about a year....so I'd really love to hear about your impressions and experience.

[cmidnight]

Thanks to you both for the replies. Here is the list of 2009 Miami Schools ranked from Valicky's post. I'm working my way through them and thought posting them for others might be helpful.

• 15 School for Advanced Studies - Miami

• 25 Coral Reef - Miami

• 49 MAST Academy - Miami

• 99 Design and Architecture Sr. High -Miami

• 142 Coral Gables - Coral Gables

• 205 Miami Palmetto - Miami

• 252 Nova - Davie

• 388 Miami Killian - Miami

• 438 Fort Lauderdale - FTL

• 444 Shanahan - FTL

• 557 New World School of the Arts - Miami

• 605 Miramar - Hollywood

• 668 Cooper City - Cooper City

• 708 Cypress Bay - Weston

• 770 American - Miami

• 788 SW Miami - Miami

• 808 G. Holmes Braddock - Miami

• 875 Flanagan - Pembroke Pines

• 921 Krop - Miami

• 974 Pembroke Pines Charter - Pembroke Pines

• 1153 Plantation - Plantation

• 1308 Doral Academy Charter - Miami

Sadie, the "green school" does sound interesting. I couldn't find much info on it, though, after googling.

[Momma_bear]

The above list is misleading. It was compiled using the number of students taking AP or IB exams as the sole criteria for ranking.

I would never choose Fort Lauderdale over Cypress Bay, or Flanagan over Pines Charter. Silly.

Where is Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS in Parkland?

[cmidnight]

I am just reposting from the Newsweek ranking. Anyone reading the link from Valicky would understand how their ranking system works.

You sound very knowledgeable, and I appreciate the constructive criticism. Maybe you could share your view of the schools you think are best.


edited to add:

208 Marjory Stoneman Douglas - Parkland

I'm not a Florida native and didn't recognize Parkland. My apologies.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by cmidnight

Thanks to you both for the replies. Here is the list of 2009 Miami Schools ranked from Valicky's post. I'm working my way through them and thought posting them for others might be helpful.

• 15 School for Advanced Studies - Miami

• 25 Coral Reef - Miami

• 49 MAST Academy - Miami

• 99 Design and Architecture Sr. High -Miami

• 142 Coral Gables - Coral Gables

• 205 Miami Palmetto - Miami

• 252 Nova - Davie

• 388 Miami Killian - Miami

• 438 Fort Lauderdale - FTL

• 444 Shanahan - FTL

• 557 New World School of the Arts - Miami

• 605 Miramar - Hollywood

• 668 Cooper City - Cooper City

• 708 Cypress Bay - Weston

• 770 American - Miami

• 788 SW Miami - Miami

• 808 G. Holmes Braddock - Miami

• 875 Flanagan - Pembroke Pines

• 921 Krop - Miami

• 974 Pembroke Pines Charter - Pembroke Pines

• 1153 Plantation - Plantation

• 1308 Doral Academy Charter - Miami

Sadie, the "green school" does sound interesting. I couldn't find much info on it, though, after googling.

Bold indicates "yeah right"! Actually that whole list pretty much does. Fort Lauderdale High is actually a good school, but over Cypress Bay? Miramar over Cooper City?

For the 225k price range, probably Cooper City or Western, maybe Cypress Bay but 225 is still a little tight for Weston. The new school, West Broward HS might have some homes in that price range. I would also say Palmetto down in Pinecrest but it's very expensive to live in that district.

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Bold indicates "yeah right"! Actually that whole list pretty much does. Fort Lauderdale High is actually a good school, but over Cypress Bay? Miramar over Cooper City?

For the 225k price range, probably Cooper City or Western, maybe Cypress Bay but 225 is still a little tight for Weston. The new school, West Broward HS might have some homes in that price range. I would also say Palmetto down in Pinecrest but it's very expensive to live in that district.

I think that some of the questionable schools on the list have magnet programs (like Ft Lauderdale). I would really question this list. I don't know enough about the Dade schools to comment on them but Pines Charter is an Excellent school compared to others that are ranked higher.

There might be some small homes in the Cypress Bay zone available for $225. Maybe same deal in Douglas zone. Really small places.

Cooper City and Western HS probably both have decent housing stock in that price range, and although Western HS is not on the list it is at least as good as Cooper City or Flanagan (probably better).

West Broward is a brand new school and probably a good one. They have a really good principal there and I hear good things about it. There should be housing stock available in that price range.

[valicky]

#15 - on MDC Kendall campus. I think that's the one where you get your AA during your last two years of high school. We homeschool and that program is available for homeschoolers as well. You only have to pay for your books.
I posted the link because I had just read the article a couple of days prior and thought it would be a starting point for research.
I've always heard good things about the top 4 on that local listed posted above. I know Palmetto is good for a regular non-magnet public school but tough to find a cheaper home in the district. #557 New World is Arts based, tough to get in, by audition/portfolio so that one's for a very specific education. I graduated from SW Miami #788 in 1980. It was a pretty good school then.

[somebodymiami]

Originally Posted by SadieMirsade

By coincidence....I logged on thinking of asking the same question. I have been researching the Miami-Dade and the Broward schools...and I've also gone through all the schools rated on GreatSchools.com

It seems that some schools are very specialized....so the best thing would be to take into consideration your child's talents, interests and affinities. Then...go through all the special programmes in both Broward and Miami Dade. Then match up your child with the right school. Pick the school that has both: the right programme AND the higher rating.

Then....try to buy a place....in that district (if it's an open admissions school....that is....it is not a charter school or a selective academy).

That's exactly how I've been researching the schools and the neighbourhoods. But I'm not stopping there.

I'll get it down to 5 schools.....and will make it a point to take my son along while I check them out myself.
There is a brand new school opening up this summer...in East Kendall.
It seems like a really interesting "project" as they're calling it a "Green School". The school is very environmentally friendly....but the fields of study (academies) also reflect that theme: the environment, health, and "green" engineering.
It seems very well though out....and very well equipped and staffed. Check it out...and let me know how it looks.
PM me about your success...as I'll be venturing down the same road in about a year....so I'd really love to hear about your impressions and experience.

please elaborate on this "green school" as it is news to me... although they are building a new school in downtown called Miami Dade Senior High : Law Studies it looks nice and it will offer electives like homeland security training lol that would sure be interesting to take.... and to be honest every high school in miami is ghetto no matter how good it is miami just has a ghetto attitude its all up to your kid how far he wants to suceed.