WWYD-stay or move to new school district

[cilantromapuche]

We live in a high need rural area with an urban population and a small school. The area is building more low income housing, graduation rates are plummeting and good teachers are leaving because it is a difficult climate to teach in. DS and DD are bright, accelerated (Ages 6 and 9) but with no where to go. There is a lot of help if your child underperforms but very, very little for the bright kids. THere is enrichment but they do things like make slime. There are about 10 AP classes offered at the HS.
Would you move? Is it deterimental to leave them in this situation? They have good friends but not a lot of them, so I don't think it would be devastating.
If we moved DH and I would have a longer commute but the kids a much better school enivronment and more electives.
I worry about what would happen to DS when he gets to middle school and there is no afterschool care and we are further away.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We have similar public schools here (though not rural) and we opted for a charter school (private was also considered). On one hand, I felt badly about abandoning the public school b/c proactive, involved parents are an advantage to schools. However, the challenges the school faces couldn't be overcome by a few families. I feel like we made the right choice. However, we didn't have to move to make the choice. Longer commutes aren't ideal as it affects family life-- how long of a commute would it be? Are there other schools in your area (private, charter...) that you could consider?

[AngB]

I would move or send private.

[schrocat]

It depends on how long the commute is. If I were in your situation I'd definitely move or try to send my child to a charter or private school. We moved for a job relocation and the difference between my son's old school and his new school is very very marked. His old school was well regarded in our immediate area but there was low income housing around and frankly he didn't learn anything in Kindergarten when he was there. At least he's being challenged sufficiently in his new school.

[Octobermommy]

I would send my kids to a different school, no question. I was in a similar situation & we chose to move schools.

[kdeunc]

We are iin a very similar situation and we are putting our house on the market next week. We are really concerned that our high achieving kids are not being challenged and the AP offerings at the high school level are similar to yours.

[mom3boys]

I would move if you can, or find appropriate charter or private schools. My 2 DS (4 and 6) attend preK and first grade in a low-income, urban area (about 75% of the kids qualify for free or reduced lunch, my kids do not) and I do feel bad "abandoning" the school but I can see the limitations even at their young ages. We are moving next month to a much better school district and I could not be happier about it. Our commutes are increasing as a result.

I graduated from a small, rural school in a mixed income area. I went to an excellent university but had NO AP credits as my school did not offer any AP courses. So I did very well but was not very challenged and coasted through, and it hit me over the head in college when I had terrible study skills, plus I did not get to opt out of any courses. It really took me 2 years in college before I started doing well. My friend was valedictorian of my high school one year above me and also felt very ill-prepared for college (he went to Stanford). The only advantage (I guess) was that not very many people in my school/area were applying to top universities so my friend and I were probably beneficiaries of geographic diversity in getting into college!

[wellyes]

I grew up in a school like that - it is not something I would recommend. Move no doubt.

[cilantromapuche]

Thanks for the feedback. We are too small of an area to have a charter school. There is a Catholic school but it is bare bones too. The options are to drive the kids anhour to school or have them go to school in the bigger city and we drive. I assume there are options for afterschool and they are in sports.

[ha98ed14]

Thanks for the feedback. We are too small of an area to have a charter school. There is a Catholic school but it is bare bones too. The options are to drive the kids anhour to school or have them go to school in the bigger city and we drive. I assume there are options for afterschool and they are in sports.

Do you work in the bigger city? There is a mom of a boy in DD's class who lives 45 mins away in San Bernardino. That city is a hot mess! But she works in the boundaries of DD's school and her son just drives with her 45 minutes.

[cilantromapuche]

No, DH and I both work near where we live. We won't be able to change that. I'll double my commute to 45 min. and DH will go from. 3 mile commute to 40 mile commute. That is why it is a tough choice. DH will be home for sure by 6.

[SkyrMommy]

I would move, if the district(s) that you are looking at have greater options for advanced courses it really makes all the difference. Also if a district has the budget and support for advanced courses and offerings there is a good chance that there will be great clubs, activities and sports as well.

[codex57]

I'd move or go private. Sucks to have a longer commute, but that's worth it to me if things are getting that bad.

[ha98ed14]

What about a cyber charter school? I know a 2 parent working family that does this. They have kids 9 and 11. The parents work during the day and the kids "work from home" on their computers. Their grandmother comes over for 3 hours in the morning. (She lives across the street.) It's a dream, but their might be a way to finagle it if you have someone who could look in on them during the day.

[AnnieW625]

How do you like the area you live in? If you like it I would think twice about moving. There is nothing better than living somewhere that you really love. If you aren't really connected to the area and are only there because you work there and you wouldn't mind commuting then I don't see the harm in moving.

Does your school district have a gate program?

Do you know anyone whose kids currently go to the high school?

Honestly can you see your child taking all 10 AP classes in high school?

Are the schools where you would be moving to pressure cookers? If so are you okay with that even if your kids are over achievers?

[Clarity]

I'm not sure that I would move either. I think I would take a watch/wait/explore approach. Can your children attend school closer to where you work? Can you meet with your school teachers to talk about additional enrichment opportunities for your kids? Can you supplement what they learn at school with activities at home?

While the teacher situation is definitely a concern, I actually think that having 10 AP courses available is pretty good! We have maybe 5 and I live in a district with and Excellent+ state rating. Does the district have dual enrollment (HS-College) programs?

[cilantromapuche]

Thank you Clarity. I need a reality check. DS goes up a grade for math but that was a huge fight.
What is GATE?
I know that the other HS is more competative but I don't know my kids would handle it. They are not extroverts.

[crl]

Thank you Clarity. I need a reality check. DS goes up a grade for math but that was a huge fight.
What is GATE?
I know that the other HS is more competative but I don't know my kids would handle it. They are not extroverts.

GATE is gift and talented enrichment or some such. It's a California thing.

I would be very hesitant to have a longer commute. I had a wide variety of public school experiences (we moved a lot) and zero AP classes at my high school. I ended up at a decent, though not well known, state undergraduate, graduated magna cum laude in four years and then went to a top twenty law school. I just don't think that a school has to be the best of the best for things to work out fine. I am frankly avoiding the best of the best schools for my ds because he is reasonably bright but no genius and he is a very anxious kid. As an acquaintance put it when describing her kid, "he needs regular school for regular kids."

I agree with looking carefully at what can be done without changing your commute for the worse.

Catherine

[Nooknookmom]

Do you work in the bigger city? There is a mom of a boy in DD's class who lives 45 mins away in San Bernardino. That city is a hot mess! But she works in the boundaries of DD's school and her son just drives with her 45 minutes.

LOADS of people do that out here. I say "out here" bc where I grew up I had never heard of of people enrolling their kids where they worked.

In the LA area it seems the norm. We have TONS of kids who's parents work in our district but live elsewhere. We now have an open door enrollment policy, but several years ago we did not and even with working in the district boundaries it was hard to get placement.

Maybe you can look into something similar? Good luck and I hope you find a good plan!

[hellokitty]

I'd move. It sounds like the catholic private school option isn't great either. The school district next to us has the same problem. Luckily ppl can move to surrounding towns and the schools are much better.

[cilantromapuche]

I don't think that central NY has these options. School districts (unless you are in the suburbs) are pretty small. Then I freak out about the peer pressure that DD might get when a teenager. Being small and rural they pretty much just let each other be (in certain regards not all) because everyone has grown up together.