Is there anything good about Riverview?? (Tampa, Brandon: low income, houses, neighborhood)

[MortonR]

As an aside to the back and forth over Riverview versus Carrollwood, I'll lend my lengthy, direct and deep experience with the local school system as both a parent and an employee:

The majority of the schools in your area are good to better for the most part. The demographics will dictate that.

Understand that sites like "GreatSchools" can be gamed, and often are, as the locals don't want their school to be portrayed as a clunker. If you want to dig through the data, go to the state's Department of Education web site and look at the school grade data in detail. It will tell you all you need to know.

That being said, the real success for any student is an engaged family/parent(s). If you're involved with your child/children's education on a daily basis and stay connected with the faculty and school as either a volunteer or PTA member, they'll do just fine even in the worst environment.

I opened a number of schools in that area back in the early 2000s when we were tossing new elementary schools up at a rate of 4-5/year or more. They're all good schools and have continued to get better as the area builds out.

With the times that you gave for a commute you're on the fringes of rush hour. If you mean you work from 7:00 to 4:00 that's even better, as leaving the Riverview area at 6:00 or 6:30 would have a significant (good) effect on your commute time.

While I'm sort of in the camp of wondering why you would want to live in Riverview if you're working near the airport, it's certainly doable and not unrealistic. Your kids will be fine and you won't be spending 2-3 hours a day in commute time, for sure.

RM, former resident of Mount Healthy, OH (when it was still a nice area....)

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by bobandsherry

Amazing KMarc - you pull an incident, from 10 years ago, and try make it relevant today and apply to the general area at large - - just freakin' absurd. Grasping at straws -

Ya think Carrollwood is a place of rainbows and unicorns.... sorry to burst your bubble.... Let me share a more general picture of both areas. Based on this, the area of Riverview I live has less crime than Carrollwood.





You might find this interesting too, note that this area has a higher median income.





Your welcome

I noticed you selected out one specific zip code for Riverview, but lumped all of Carrollwood together. Both areas have four zip codes. Nice try, I hope you didn't spend too much time trying to figure out which one to use for comparison. It's like when you tried to deny all the pre-foreclosure activity in the Tampa Bay area.

I never said Carrollwood is a place of rainbows and unicorns, just that I like it better than Riverview and in my OPINION it's nicer and a better place for kids and families.

By the way, here's the foreclosure and pre-foreclosure activity for Riverview:

https://www.zillow.com/homes/Riverview-FL_rb/13_zm/

And here it is for Carrollwood:

https://www.zillow.com/homes/Carroll...d-FL_rb/13_zm/

So the income is higher in Riverview, is it? Posers.

[bobandsherry]

Originally Posted by kmarc

I noticed you selected out one specific zip code for Riverview, but lumped all of Carrollwood together. Both areas have four zip codes. Nice try, I hope you didn't spend too much time trying to figure out which one to use for comparison.

First, I selected a specific zip code as that's the area that I have been talking about, and an area that OP had said he looked. It would be just plain silly to select the other areas of Riverview as that's not relevant. Let's face it, Riverview is not a city. There's no municipal government, therefore no incorporation into anything. For all practical purposes this could have been called New Riverview or Riverview South, or Riverview Terrace all the same and have a different "viewpoint". Instead it's called Riverview which is simply a designation of as to which post office services the area. You disagree?

Second, I chose one of the zip codes for Carrollwood that had the highest median income, figured that are may be closer in relationship to 33579. But if it makes you feel better, here's for the other zip code:



So where Carrollwood 33624 had median income of $62,141, Carrollwood 33618 is even lower $59,515.

However you cut it, the point I was making was that your view of a longer established area like Carrollwood would have lower crime was WRONG. I added the reference for income levels to show that those moving in are not some low level scum looking for a bargain basement place to live.

I'm done with Carrollwood - only got off on a tangent as it seemed you were using that as a point of reference for comparing Riverview. I have no idea about Carrollwood, but can look at statistics to show that it's far from the "nirvana" that you want to portray, coming up 2nd in crime and income. Carry on....

[LKJ1988]

Originally Posted by bobandsherry

Amazing KMarc - you pull an incident, from 10 years ago, and try make it relevant today and apply to the general area at large - - just freakin' absurd. Grasping at straws -

Ya think Carrollwood is a place of rainbows and unicorns.... sorry to burst your bubble.... Let me share a more general picture of both areas. Based on this, the area of Riverview I live has less crime than Carrollwood.





And as a reference, compared to Cincinnati either is an improvement - so perspective for the OP on the relative crime vs. area he lives today. Numbers can be someone scary without relative context to go by.



You might find this interesting too, note that this area has a higher median income.





Your welcome

Time to take your head out of the sand man.

[cjairo191]

I would suggest Lutz, which has newer homes and is easy to access the airport area from the toll road. They are suppose to have some of the best schools in the county. We opted out of a new home in Riverview because of commute and some schools sat at a C score. For that we decided might as well live closer to downtown (Seminole Heights) which is not for everyone but we like it. Schools is not as much a concern because we will probably do private school or charter.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by cjairo191

I would suggest Lutz, which has newer homes and is easy to access the airport area from the toll road. They are suppose to have some of the best schools in the county. We opted out of a new home in Riverview because of commute and some schools sat at a C score. For that we decided might as well live closer to downtown (Seminole Heights) which is not for everyone but we like it. Schools is not as much a concern because we will probably do private school or charter.

I would definitely not consider public schools in the Tampa Heights/Seminole Heights area. Pretty rough and tumble in that part of town.

RM

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by MortonR

I would definitely not consider public schools in the Tampa Heights/Seminole Heights area. Pretty rough and tumble in that part of town.

RM

Always remember, "the real success for any student is an engaged family/parent(s). If you're involved with your child/children's education on a daily basis and stay connected with the faculty and school as either a volunteer or PTA member, they'll do just fine even in the worst environment."

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Always remember, "the real success for any student is an engaged family/parent(s). If you're involved with your child/children's education on a daily basis and stay connected with the faculty and school as either a volunteer or PTA member, they'll do just fine even in the worst environment."

True, however, environment does have an effect on learning no matter how well you're supported. They might not do as well in the schools in that area as they would elsewhere. When many of your fellow students are disruptive, impoverished or a drain on resources for the teacher, you'll suffer some. And, if you're the minority, it's tough as well.

So while as a student you might do well with family support, the environment will be difficult and the quality of education you might receive will probably be poorer than in a school that's in a better socioeconomic area.

In other words, you might be an "A" student at Graham Elementary, but the quality and rigor of the instruction you're getting is less challenging because it's been reduced to accommodate the general learning abilities of the school's population at large.

I have worked in some of those schools. If I was choosing an area to live in based on schools, it would be way down the list no matter how gentrified it is.

The statement I made is a general one. If you want to pick nits, knock yourself out.

RM

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by MortonR

True, however, environment does have an effect on learning no matter how well you're supported. They might not do as well in the schools in that area as they would elsewhere. When many of your fellow students are disruptive, impoverished or a drain on resources for the teacher, you'll suffer some. And, if you're the minority, it's tough as well.

So while as a student you might do well with family support, the environment will be difficult and the quality of education you might receive will probably be poorer than in a school that's in a better socioeconomic area.

In other words, you might be an "A" student at Graham Elementary, but the quality and rigor of the instruction you're getting is less challenging because it's been reduced to accommodate the general learning abilities of the school's population at large.

I have worked in some of those schools. If I was choosing an area to live in based on schools, it would be way down the list no matter how gentrified it is.

The statement I made is a general one. If you want to pick nits, knock yourself out.

RM

You left an opening there and I couldn't help myself. Besides, you know I like you, Morton, even if you have lit me up good on occasion. As an educator/administrator, I have no doubt you've been in a tough spot or two over the years, when you'd really prefer to tell it like it is, but can't, and have to go with politically correct platitudes that grease the wheels of what passes for society these days.

In the end, thanks for keeping it real.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by kmarc

You left an opening there and I couldn't help myself. Besides, you know I like you, Morton, even if you have lit me up good on occasion. As an educator/administrator, I have no doubt you've been in a tough spot or two over the years, when you'd really prefer to tell it like it is, but can't, and have to go with politically correct platitudes that grease the wheels of what passes for society these days.

In the end, thanks for keeping it real.

Thanks, no harm done.

And yes, having worked in a Title 1 school and at least temporarily in a number of inner city schools it's difficult, at best. The people that do it are far, far better than I, and I have nothing but respect for them. Sadly, it takes a toll, but they're doing yeoman's work for sure.

I also get a bit worked up when I see people using nothing but school grades to judge a school. Sometimes some of the very best educators are in the worst places, as that's where they like to be and feel like they're doing the most under those circumstances (and they are!)

One of my children attended Gibsonton Elementary back in the 90s when it was carny central, and far from one of the better schools in the District. They had some of the very best, effective and most caring educators I have ever had the experience to know when they were there, and the years they attended Gibsonton were some of the most productive in their educational life. Even the kids who's parents couldn't be involved did pretty well there because of the great job the faculty and staff did for the students.

That stuff doesn't come out in school grades.

RM