which public schools almost as good as private ? (Houston, Dallas: buy, best school)

[TX75007]

Originally Posted by frenzyrider

If you look at purely from the following metrics, then none of the school districts will come close -
1. % of students making it to Top 10 national universities to the total students (ideally you would like total students who applied to those schools but that will be hard to find so the closest substitute is total students)
2. % of NMSF vs. total students
3. Average and Median SAT score for the class.
).

PISD has more NMSF at PSH than all the privates combined. In terms of a peer group, and expectations, it is on par with the top privates. PISD also has more kids placing high on the AMC tests than the privates. Flower Mound and HP are close behind.

[Back2Texas]

Originally Posted by billpritjr

Yes academics. However ideally the kids have some foreign language/cultural opportunities at their schools. In addition, since 2013 forward we obviously live in a more global, more international world, ideally the school has some diversity, to prepare and mature the kids for adulthood.

Are you looking for diversity among the student body, or foreign language education? Two different things

For diversity among the student body, as someone else said, the "better" school districts tend to have more whites and Asians, fewer blacks and Hispanics and economically disadvantaged kids.

HPISD and Carroll ISD are far and away the least diverse. I believe they are both over 95% white and basically 0% economically disadvantaged.

Coppell and the FM schools are about 70% white, I think, with a good chunk of the remainder being Asian. Not sure about Plano, we didn't look there.

For foreign language opportunities, what age are your kids? I know both Coppell ISD and Lewisville ISD (which includes Flower Mound schools) offer dual language immersion (Spanish/English), but you have to start in kindergarten or first grade, or have significant prior Spanish experience. LISD also has Spanish classes at some campuses, but I think they are phasing it out. Aside from that, I didn't find a lot of language instruction at the elementary school level. Middle/high school is a different story.

[PISDstudent]

Originally Posted by Back2Texas

Coppell and the FM schools are about 70% white, I think, with a good chunk of the remainder being Asian. Not sure about Plano, we didn't look there.

Plano ISD is roughly 40% white. (A bit over 20% for Asian and Hispanic, about 11% African American, and the rest is mix or other).

[billpritjr]

Originally Posted by Back2Texas

Are you looking for diversity among the student body, or foreign language education? Two different things

For diversity among the student body, as someone else said, the "better" school districts tend to have more whites and Asians, fewer blacks and Hispanics and economically disadvantaged kids.

HPISD and Carroll ISD are far and away the least diverse. I believe they are both over 95% white and basically 0% economically disadvantaged.

Coppell and the FM schools are about 70% white, I think, with a good chunk of the remainder being Asian. Not sure about Plano, we didn't look there.

For foreign language opportunities, what age are your kids? I know both Coppell ISD and Lewisville ISD (which includes Flower Mound schools) offer dual language immersion (Spanish/English), but you have to start in kindergarten or first grade, or have significant prior Spanish experience. LISD also has Spanish classes at some campuses, but I think they are phasing it out. Aside from that, I didn't find a lot of language instruction at the elementary school level. Middle/high school is a different story.

Good points. Ideally, I want both. Kids are bilingual Spanish/English due to company assignments overseas. Ideally, we keep that up

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by billpritjr

Maybe a vague question (I admit that), but what public schools or at least what ISD offers classroom size, quality of education, almost as good as private. This makes the assumption that private is better, which may not be the case in all situations.

Reason I ask, is I am more inclined to go "good public" versus "outstanding private" due to affordability, etc. At the present time, my wife and I are looking at a move to DFW area in the future and focusing on Coppell and Grapevine areas. Southlake homes slightly out of our budget, and Keller too congested/saturated. Work location for me will be the Alliance area, in company provided car and gas.

I was in Keller a few weeks ago and its just too crowded, that whole area. I can't imagine in 5 years what it will look like. Nice town, great folks out there, don't get me wrong.

Thank You guys

It depends....
As for Classroom size, none of the publics can match the student: teacher ratios in privates. The legal max for K-5 is 24 students and for 6-12 is 35 students. You will find most public schools - even the top ones - at or near the max.

As for quality of education, none of the publics are on par with the elite privates (Hockaday, St Marks, & Cistercian and prob put Greenhill in that bucket, too). Below that, I'd probably call the quality of teaching at ESD / Jesuit / Ursuline/ FW Country Day on par with the top districts (HP, Coppell, SL, FM, Plano) Honors/ AP / TAG programs. I would put the balance of private schools below the top publics.

If you are working at Alliance and looking as far east as Coppell, I would just stick to Coppell or Southlake or possibly Colleyville for strong public schools. All of the privates worth going to are way too far east (unless you have a high school daughter you want to board at Hockaday). All of the mid- cities privates are nowhere near as good as Coppell / SL / Colleyville schools. No where near.

[billpritjr]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

It depends....
As for Classroom size, none of the publics can match the student: teacher ratios in privates. The legal max for K-5 is 24 students and for 6-12 is 35 students. You will find most public schools - even the top ones - at or near the max.

As for quality of education, none of the publics are on par with the elite privates (Hockaday, St Marks, & Cistercian and prob put Greenhill in that bucket, too). Below that, I'd probably call the quality of teaching at ESD / Jesuit / Ursuline/ FW Country Day on par with the top districts (HP, Coppell, SL, FM, Plano) Honors/ AP / TAG programs. I would put the balance of private schools below the top publics.

If you are working at Alliance and looking as far east as Coppell, I would just stick to Coppell or Southlake or possibly Colleyville for strong public schools. All of the privates worth going to are way too far east (unless you have a high school daughter you want to board at Hockaday). All of the mid- cities privates are nowhere near as good as Coppell / SL / Colleyville schools. No where near.

Thank you Turtle. You have a lot of great posts on this board, thank you again

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by frenzyrider

If you look at purely from the following metrics, then none of the school districts will come close -
1. % of students making it to Top 10 national universities to the total students (ideally you would like total students who applied to those schools but that will be hard to find so the closest substitute is total students)
2. % of NMSF vs. total students
3. Average and Median SAT score for the class.

The top private schools (there is no point in sending to mediocre private schools) in the area - Greenhill, Hockaday, St. Marks ONLY.

The above point is if your definition of "good" is academics. If you think about college football, I think "Jesuit" just kills the competition... Prosper and Frisco schools districts (I think are good in sports).

That's quite an absurd post. Cistercian not good enough for you? Please.

[HockDad]

Cistercian is a great school, too often overlooked due to its size and location.

[castlebravo]

Originally Posted by frenzyrider

If you look at purely from the following metrics, then none of the school districts will come close -
1. % of students making it to Top 10 national universities to the total students (ideally you would like total students who applied to those schools but that will be hard to find so the closest substitute is total students)
2. % of NMSF vs. total students
3. Average and Median SAT score for the class.

Percentage numbers are a poor metric, really, because private schools are highly selective, whereas public schools have to take all comers. I went to Trinity Valley in Fort Worth (and they did pretty damn good on % of NMSF btw), and finished out my last two years of high school in public schools (LD Bell). The academic climate in honors classes is typically just as challenging and good in a decent public school as what I saw in private school.

[dallasboi]

the #1 & #2 public school in the NATION is in DISD......no credit for that huh?