Stay in East Dallas and send kids to private school or move to an area with better public schools? (Plano: real estate, apartments)

[Macbeth2003]

Originally Posted by TX75007

LOL

Are stable, mostly two-parent, and law-abiding neighborhoods the best influence for your kids?

True, but she wasn't suggesting living in a run down, crime filled, slum. She was weighing staying in the neighborhood she is in now - which she likes- vs moving into one that is vastly culturally different. I stressed the major ways in which they were culturally different. Highland Park is overwelmingly culturally and poltically conservative, almost entirely white, and of mostly one economic level.

East Dallas is more politically mixed, racially mixed, and culturally.. well not liberal really but moderate.

Some people see any or all of those things as positives or negatives "There is nothing, good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

I wasn't just talking about the schools - as far as the bubble goes - but the social groups, who you are likely to see in your local store, etc.

It isn't as if someone new to town was asking, "Should I live in the area known as five points, or move to West Plano? Which would be better for my kids?" That has a definitive answer. This is about two different nice areas, with different strengths.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by Kmodo

Thanks for the thoughtful comments. More details:

We live in the Reinhardt zone so if we stay here we would go the private route unless we transferred into Hexter.

We plan to only have two kids.

We are Democrats. I don't want my kids to think they will get a brand new BMW when they turn 16, go to Europe for spring break, etc. My husband and I are both attorneys but I currently stay home. Right now, we would be buying at the low end of UP houses but in a few years when student loan debt is a distant memory and my husband is higher up in the ranks at his firm, it wouldn't be as big of a stretch. By the time our son is in school, I don't think private tuition is going to be an issue.

I guess I wonder if even if we stay in East Dallas, will going to one of the privates result in a similar bubble like environment that you hear about the Park Cities having?

It depends on the private school. My daughter started a very low key private this year. She's a bit of an odd duck (and I say this lovingly!), I think she would have been eaten alive by some of the students in the more elite privates. I'm also with you on the new BMW for a kid turning 16 deal...I don't get it, but I guess to each their own.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by jennifw

That said, if I had to do it again, I would probably have bought a house in HP/UP and gone public. We thought the Park Cities were out of reach, but now that we pay a big tuition, it would probably be a wash financially.

The financial "rule of thumb" regarding HPISD vs private schools is that with 1 child, it's cheaper to live elsewhere & go private. With 2, you break even (HPISD taxes + higher home expenses vs tuition). With 3+ kids, HPISD is way cheaper. IMO, Lake Highlands schools shouldn't be on the table at all if you can afford HPISD. Just stay in E Dallas and go private if your second E Dallas option is LH.

OP, if you can afford HPISD, go for it. Best schools around and better than the majority of private schools (save for St Mark's, Hockaday, Cisterician, & a small handful of others). There are MANY types of people there - those scrimping to keep kids in the district and the more stereotypical "socialite/philanthropist" types....and everything in between! The Park Cities is a great location - you're literally 10-15 minutes to anything in Dallas, so if you have a craving for Matt's or a run around White Rock, you can easily get there. But also get to other places much easier than you can from far East Dallas.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Kmodo

We are Democrats. I don't want my kids to think they will get a brand new BMW when they turn 16, go to Europe for spring break, etc.

HP grad here. Know how many friends in my graduating class got a brand new BMW @ 16? Exactly one. And her parents are huge Dallas Democrats, FWIW

Drive by the high school if you want to feel out the "normal". You'll see a handful of flashy cars (in a school with about 1,200 driving students....), but mostly mom or dad's last driven SUV, truck, Honda, etc mixed in with some new SUV's and some beaters. I see kids driving around in far flashier cars near my office on the West Plano/ Frisco border.

[HockDad]

Just curious, but why did you say likely St. Johns if he got in? You and your husband are two professionals. Based on your background, I am assuming that school is very important to you. Why would you not strive for St. Marks, Greenhill, Jesuit (eventually)? You make it sound like money should not be an issue (and I hope you are right!)- thus I would think that you might include some other schools on your list.

[Kmodo]

HockDad, that's one reason I asked what high schools he could get into if he went to St. Johns. One thought we had was St Johns and then St. Marks for high school. The drive is a big consideration as is going to school with kids from his neighborhood. Would you say St Johns is not as highly regarded?

[pepper131]

Not much to add....but our school was Reinhardt when my son started K 4 yrs ago. I transferred him to Lipscomb. It was a quick decision (with a long story) but for us it was good choice. I didnt have the time to tour Reinhardt as I should have to make a balanced decision. Now our son is going into 4th grade, we are going the magnet school route within DISD. If you like your location, I don't see any reason to leave it...there are options beyond private school, you just need to dig a little.

[Considering Coming Back]

Originally Posted by fndallas

White Rock elementary is still a very good school. A good number of homeowners in White Rock Valley and the neighborhood on Goforth send their kids there. Some bypass elementary and Junior high and send their kids to the privates like St. James, St. Patrick, White Rock Montessori, Highlander School. LH Junior High and the High School aren't bad as long as your kid is on the honors program in Junior High, and Pre AP/AP in High School. Very diverse. I think the junior high is a third white, third black, third hispanic. The high school is about the same but it's a "school within a school," as the honor/AP track is predominately white, while the regular track is black/hispanic.

Yes, and this is exactly how BA was 15 years ago. Demographic shift has changed that completely. In 15 years when OP would be there I imagine LH will look like BA does now. You can still get a good education, but most upper middle class parents feel uncomfortable there.

[Considering Coming Back]

Originally Posted by Kmodo

HockDad, that's one reason I asked what high schools he could get into if he went to St. Johns. One thought we had was St Johns and then St. Marks for high school. The drive is a big consideration as is going to school with kids from his neighborhood. Would you say St Johns is not as highly regarded?

20 years ago St Johns was teaching that dinosaurs and caveman lived side by side. I seriously doubt St Marks was doing the same...

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by Considering Coming Back

20 years ago St Johns was teaching that dinosaurs and caveman lived side by side. I seriously doubt St Marks was doing the same...

What??? I went to St. Johns for 5th and 6th in the 1970s. They taught me nothing of the sort!