My family has been considering a move to south Florida, in particular the area encompassing Weston to West Palm Beach, generally speaking. The most important consideration are the schools, regardless whether they are public or private. Fair/reasonably priced housing is secondary.

We would like to hear the suggestions of people who have had experience with the schools, the more specific the information the better.

With regard to housing, we would be looking for something with a pool, three+ bedrooms, and at least 2500 square feet. We would like a ball-park figure of what this theoretical home would cost near the suggested schools.

Many thanks for giving this request serious consideration.

 

Don't know about schools, but homes (detached ones, in good shape in good neighborhoods) are ~$250 or so a square foot just now. That may be your secondary concern, but for many people here it's the primary one. HPH

 

The median price of a home in Palm Beach County is up to about 400k.

The median price of a home in Broward County is almost there. I think the last I saw, it was $389k.

 

I live in West Boynton Beach. Schools in this area are very good. Home prices not bad, but still up there. Something in the style you are looking for are in the 400+ range.

I do have my house up for sale in this area. 3 bedrooms (4th bedroom optional) / 3 bath. 2300 sq. ft. I can get you further info. if you are interested.

Deiger

 

"We would like to hear the suggestions of people who have had experience with the schools, the more specific the information the better." Wellington is known for good public schools. Home prices there are on the higher end of the scale.

 

Public schools are a joke in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. You have drugs, violence, indifferent teachers and the meaningless FCAT. Every week, there seems to be a news story about an incident occuring in a public school.

I have more specific info on Catholic private schools in the Miami area only but not in Weston to West Palm Beach areas. Question - have you considered Miami?

The real estate that you are describing are in the $400K to $500K range.

 

Tommy, please don't lump all public school teachers into the same category. I'm a public school teacher in Broward and the last thing I'd want someone classifying me as is being "indifferent". While there may be some like that, there are more who are NOT indifferent and who really take their job and their students' success seriously. This is the same in the private school industry too....

By the way, drugs and violence can happen in any school....public or private.

 

Well Kim you are the exception to the rule. In my experience, public schools and its teachers are indifferent. They care more about getting their students to pass the worthless FCAT than preparing their students for college and how to be successful in life.

And please, the same in public and private schools? What is the average graduation rate of seniors in a public school in Miami? How many will go to college? My graduating class consisted of 107 seniors. Our graduation rate was 100% and all of us went on to college. I don't know what the exact numbers are for a public school, but I know for a fact that its not 100%, not even close. This speaks volumes as to how good or bad the education is and how good or bad public school versus private school teachers are.

Violence can happen in any school... public or private? Do you not watch the news? Just last week, a girl was shot on a bus school by her classmate. Link - http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/bro...mostemailedlink And yes, both are public school students. Of course anything can happen but it doesn't mean that it will. How often do you hear of a shooting or a violent incident occuring at a private school? Never.

 

Just so you know, private schools do NOT have to report all incidents to the police the way that public schools do. You'd be surprised at the drug-related problems (selling, buying, thefts, etc.) that happen at some of the high priced private schools around here. You can bet that they want to handle that stuff internally so that word doesn't get out.

The public schools down here have their fair share of problems and I know that. However, private schools aren't immune to all of these things....you just don't hear about them as frequently.

By the way, that school shooting last week happened on a bus that was going to a charter school, not a full-fledged public school.

 

For your information, a charter school IS a public school. It just operates independently from the local school board.

In this day and age, it would be difficult to just cover up any incident and handle it internally. Parents talk, teachers talk, people talk.

I'm not claiming that private schools are perfect, but even the worst are far better than the best public school.