NISD or NEISD? (Bowie: rentals, new house, school districts)

[fearn]

We arrived this weekend and are now looking for rentals. I'd like more specific info on the differences between NISD and NEISD and which is better. Our friends' kids go to NISD, but since I'm also considering Harmony Science, I did a basic search and found that many of the elementary schools in NEISD are Core Knowledge schools, which is what I wanted for my kids. So if anyoneknows anything that will help in my comparisons, I would appreciate it!!!
Thanks!

[Bo]

This is a little like picking sides between the Hatfields and the McCoys. Both have their strong points.

For me, the attendance area shifts caused by massive growth in the NISD would be unacceptable. The spokesperson at NISD made the public statement a couple of years back that the average student who attends school in that district from K-12 will be moved between attendance areas at least twice during his school career. That means that the student will start at one elementary school and finish at another... or at one middle school and finish at another... or at one high school and finish at another. And that will happen twice!

There are excellent schools in both districts and there are sub-par schools in both districts. We just preferred a nice, stable school community that won't shift. We live in the part of the NEISD where there are no enrollment caps.

When we first moved to the city, we were making the same decision. We visited the central office of both districts. The NISD office was more welcoming than NEISD. The NEISD office seemed kind of buttoned-up, corporate, and very professional. The NISD office folks were very friendly and gave us a bunch of literature about schools there. The visits were reassuring and left us feeling like our kids would be just fine in either district.

[fearn]

Thanks Bowie! Do you happen to know the difference in the school ratings and test scores, etc? I've tried to compare them online but am unfamiliar with some of the lingo and don't want to read things incorrectly. And yes, the capping and shifting makes me nervous too.

[Bo]

The ratings at Texas School Performance Maps are consistent with my informal perceptions of schools.

IMO, digging too deep into ratings is a waste of effort, because the 5th grade science scores of two years ago won't necessarily have any relation to the 5th grade science scores of this year. The students are all different and chances are that a teacher or two is different. Your kid may end up with a teacher who is brand new to the school and thus had nothing to do with any previous test scores!

[fearn]

What a wonderful tool!!! Thank you so much!!! Of course, the list of Core Knowledge schools I was looking into were all rated 9 or 10, so that may have further confused the search, but it also told me not to discount them entirely yet. I'll have to look into this further! Thank you!!!

[mamatotex97]

Both districts have great programs, great magnet schools as the student enters high school. If you are an involved parent, and you obviously are if you are checking into all this, you will get out of it what you put into it. I have worked for both school districts, started with NEISD and am now at NISD and both are great solid, professional districts. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[LovingSAT]

Well said to all who offered input and yes; be involved!

[majormadmax]

Both are great districts, but NEISD is having budgetary issues at the moment whereas NISD seems to be escaping that problem...

[zhugeliang1]

I have to agree with majormadmax. NISD is growing and has room to grow, the new houses can bring in tax money. But NEISD is maxed out with no more room to grow.