If I have learned nothing else since taking my first real estate course in the 1970’s, it is that the School zone matters. No parent wants their child to be in anything less than the best school. Unfortunately schools are not all equal for a variety of reasons. We as realtors know this and try to do the best we can to educate ourselves about the schools in our county.
The great debate to me is whether the schools brought the people are the people caused the system to change. Nowhere is this issue more pronounced than Katy. About the only thing Katy was known for years ago was having a great Barbecue Joint where residents sat in picnic tables with colored Christmas lights dangling above them. Now Katy is growing even faster than its large neighbor Houston. Ask anyone today what Katy is known for and they will tell you the school district.
The Houston Independent School District faces a growing minority population with inadequate resources both in money and personnel. Communities that were built around schools now find they have to fight to keep their school open. HISD has a program for everyone but the emphasis seems to be on state test scores and getting government money. If you are rich you just send your children to private schools, and if you are poor you get involved.
I have attended HISD meetings and meetings put on by private organizations. I recently attended a meeting hosted by Real Value$ for TEXAS across from Henderson N Elementary School. The meeting was composed of teachers, homeowners, and community leaders. They had a catchy slogan on the back of t-shirts which said “Putting the Public Back in Public Education.” What they were saying was what I have been hearing for years. We want the best for our children.
I can tell you the top schools in Harris County without even doing any research. The reason is because this is where I sale homes. I can also tell where some of the worse schools are located. That is because I try to help people move from these areas.
There are many organizations which rate the schools. The Houston Association of Realtors rates schools. I am not a fan of our ratings system because it is to simplex and is like a 5 star system. Some good schools can suffer with this type of rating. A good rating system is provided by Children at Risk. Their mission is to “serve as a catalyst for change to improve the quality of life for children through strategic research, public policy analysis, education, collaboration and advocacy.
I urge you to get involved with your local schools. My children are in college now. But I am a volunteer mentor at Robert E Lee High School. I am proud to say that I have helped 3 fine young men to attend college. It is my belief that all children should have the best education possible.