Am I searching for a unicorn-Is there really a great school district that is affordable! (New York: renting)

[ambansal]

I feel totally overwhelmed thinking about a work related move from CT to New York next July!
Here is our list of "expectations" from a district-
1. Great elementary public schools
2.Short commute(15-20 mins) from Bronx
3. Safe-Affordable housing (Rent upto $2500/mo for atleast 2BR,2 BA)

My research showed up Edgemond,Scarsdale, Bronxville as some of the desirable neighborhoods that had good school districts and were a short commute from Bronx but boy are they expensive!! Now even if we do end up renting in any of those areas the zoning is such that one might still end up in a completely different school district. For example, some parts of Bronxville are serviced by Yonker district schools!

Does anyone know of any other really nice school districts that are a short commute from Bronx and are AFFORDABLE? I have a very bright 5 yr old who is performing a couple of grades above his grade level. He goes to a great school right now and the teachers work with him to stretch his abilities. I am not really looking to put him in a gifted program. A Magnet school might be an option but when I called up a magnet school they said they have a lottery system !??! Besides he is not eligible to participate in the lottery since we are not moving to NY till June 2011!!

I feel like I am chasing my tail- Please help!!

[streetsmart]

Originally Posted by ambansal

I feel totally overwhelmed thinking about a work related move from CT to New York next July!
Here is our list of "expectations" from a district-
1. Great elementary public schools
2.Short commute(15-20 mins) from Bronx
3. Safe-Affordable housing (Rent upto $2500/mo for atleast 2BR,2 BA)

My research showed up Edgemond,Scarsdale, Bronxville as some of the desirable neighborhoods that had good school districts and were a short commute from Bronx but boy are they expensive!! Now even if we do end up renting in any of those areas the zoning is such that one might still end up in a completely different school district. For example, some parts of Bronxville are serviced by Yonker district schools!

Does anyone know of any other really nice school districts that are a short commute from Bronx and are AFFORDABLE? I have a very bright 5 yr old who is performing a couple of grades above his grade level. He goes to a great school right now and the teachers work with him to stretch his abilities. I am not really looking to put him in a gifted program. A Magnet school might be an option but when I called up a magnet school they said they have a lottery system !??! Besides he is not eligible to participate in the lottery since we are not moving to NY till June 2011!!

I feel like I am chasing my tail- Please help!!

I would look into the following school districts:

Pelham, Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Ardsley, and Dobbs Ferry. All really good, and all maybe slightly more affordable than say Scarsdale or Bronxville. You are limiting yourself by requiring a 15-20 minute drive to the Bronx though. If you could extend this then more possibilities would open up for you.

Also, when you search for houses make sure you use a website that allows you to search by school district and not by zip code, because things get very confusing here with regards to where you live and what schools you are zoned for. Good luck!

[TDNY]

It also kind of depends on where in the Bronx the person needs to go.

[Sunflower09]

Hi there.
Great web place to look up school in any town-
schoolmatters.com.
Good luck! We are in same situation ,trying to exchange Yonkers(middle schools are not good)...but elementary very good.

[Heading upstate]

Hi ambansal, have you found the school district for you? I am looking as well. Very overwhelming when you know nothing of Westchester. We live in Manhattan.

I am looking for no more than a 50 minute commute to the city with great public school.