Best Public School District to raise two teenagers

[RadicalModerate]

Please don't take this wrong, yet I think you left "in which" out of the thread title.
Public School Districts don't raise teenagers.
Families (especially parents) and Neighborhoods have a chance at so doing.
And even that statement isn't exactly correct.

I only say this because I worked at an education and training facility for "at-risk" youth for a number of years.
The youths that "slipped through the cracks" of regular, Public Education.

The job was rewarding and challenging.
Attempting to fix other peoples' mistakes usually is.

A teenager is essentially already raised . . . The challenge is to direct the individual in a positive direction in every sense of the word positive.
No Public School District can be expected to achieve that goal.
In fact, there is no 100% effective answer to the implied question posed.

[Zuplar]

Personal experience in mustang. Old college friend bought a nice house of cemetery rd. They had a house warming party and during the middle of it huge black clouds started coming from the neighbors yard - which was a delapidated mobile home. His neighbor was high on meth and set a fire to 'get rid of leaves', it got out of control and he was out there trying to put it out with a water hose.

All within city limits and under a burn ban.

My friend no longer lives in mustang after 2 years of escalating events.

If their house was on Cemetery Road, they didn't live in Mustang city limits.

[adaniel]

I have no doubt you heard that from people that went through school here. Because of Mustang's proximity it is an odd melting pot. You get those that think it's a small town, and hate that we are this close to city folk. All the while you get city folk who can't stand the small town backwards feel that sometimes resonates here. So there is this internal tug of war at the image, something I don't feel like you get in Edmond, Moore or Norman. Towns like that know they are suburbs of OKC.

Like Penny said, Mustang is experiencing growth, which is going to start pushing that suburb mentality, sort of like it did for Yukon some years ago. But the good ole boy system is still extremely rampant here. My in-laws live in Pauls Valley and I see a lot of similarities between the 2 towns.

I went to UCO for my undergrad, and we had a variety up there. Lots of Edmond kids naturally, but our fair share from the Moores, Norman, Yukon and Mustang. At the end of the day, I'd say we all had about the same experience in school, I think a lot of the difference in opinion comes from the town itself. Up until 5 years ago, if you wanted to do anything and lived in Mustang, you went to Yukon, which at the time I was in school didn't have much more, or some place like Norman or OKC. Since most kids aren't allowed to drive all that far when you are 16, kids get bored, and when they do get in trouble.

With that being said, I think any of the major districts coupled with good parenting will do an adequate job.

A lot of small towns have small town problems (meth and teen pregnancy). You get a different set of problems with urban schools. The thing I see in small towns are parents who are too trusting and let the kids run wild. If you keep an eye on your kids and get to know the families, a small town can put you well ahead of the game.

You all won't get any disagreement from me in regards to the bolded parts.

Unfortunately I see a lot of parents who think because they pay taxes, the schools should raise their kids and do all the hard stuff. And it transcends racial and socioeconomic lines.

If you think I am picking on Mustang, I'll point you to my old hometown in Texas. Very affluent suburb of Dallas that to this day has a SERIOUS drug problem; google Plano Texas Heroin. It was extremely bad when I was in middle school to the point we frequently made the national news. So I know how this stuff works. I of course never touched the stuff but to this day in my late 20's I am still asked about it.

And if Mustang is indeed growing, then a lot of this stuff will eventually go away. It wasn't that long ago that people said the same things about Moore, and look how much that place has changed.

[Bellaboo]

Mustang is gross. Lots of meth, teen moms, and oilfield trash.

We personally chose to stay away from west okc after spending a couple of days driving around looking for homes.

It's just a weird side of town.

Eastern Canadian county has had one of the higher percentage growth rates for the metro. There are reasons why don't you think ?

[warreng88]

What do your kids want to be involved in or what are they currently involved in? If they are involved in the arts in anyway, look at Classen SAS. If they are involved in sports, look at schools with good sports team and teachers as well. We live in Crestwood and plan on staying in OKC proper to raise our children. There are many good elementary schools in OKCPS but Middle and High Schools is where it gets tough. Classen SAS would be our preference but Dove Science Academy and Harding Prep would be great alternatives for OKCPS.

[ylouder]

If their house was on Cemetery Road, they didn't live in Mustang city limits.

Mustang school district though.

[ylouder]

Eastern Canadian county has had one of the higher percentage growth rates for the metro. There are reasons why don't you think ?

Cheap empty land.

We looked all over Yukon and mustang and the whole area feels like a amarillo. There were some decent new neighborhoods if you wanted a treeless lot that almost touching your neighbors house but once you leave the neighborhood it feels like your back at an amarillo truck stop.

Blanchard further away is really nice though.

[PennyQuilts]

Cheap empty land.

We looked all over Yukon and mustang and the whole area feels like a amarillo. There were some decent new neighborhoods if you wanted a treeless lot that almost touching your neighbors house but once you leave the neighborhood it feels like your back at an amarillo truck stop.

Blanchard further away is really nice though.

Clearly, you dislike the area but this is about schools. Just for the record, a number of us who post regularly live in Mustang or right next to it. It really isn't hell. If you're looking in neighborhoods where houses are jammed up with no trees, that's gross, anywhere. I know quite a few people in the area with really nice places that cost more but that much more.

[Zuplar]

Mustang school district though.

True, but you said within city limits, I just wanted to make sure you were aware the actual City of Mustang is only 12 square miles so the part you are referring too is actually Oklahoma City.

Cheap empty land.

We looked all over Yukon and mustang and the whole area feels like a amarillo. There were some decent new neighborhoods if you wanted a treeless lot that almost touching your neighbors house but once you leave the neighborhood it feels like your back at an amarillo truck stop.

Blanchard further away is really nice though.

How is Blachard nice? It's even more hick and redneck than Mustang. They got a couple nice neighborhoods, but if I remember right wasn't that where the 2 guys broke into a house with a single mom and she shot one of them, all over drugs? Point is crazy drug addicts live everywhere and places where there are more people means there is a higher probability those crazies live.

[rezman]

Personal experience in mustang. Old college friend bought a nice house of cemetery rd. They had a house warming party and during the middle of it huge black clouds started coming from the neighbors yard - which was a delapidated mobile home. His neighbor was high on meth and set a fire to 'get rid of leaves', it got out of control and he was out there trying to put it out with a water hose.

All within city limits and under a burn ban.

My friend no longer lives in mustang after 2 years of escalating events.

Sounds more like bad neighbors. We had the same thing over in the eastern part of the county. Our neighbor was the guy who was recently in the news for animal cruelty after authorities found 30 dead animals on his property, and 40 more near death. That's just one of the reasons why we moved.

We were in a four corners situation. NE 164th by Choctaw Rd. We were in Oklahoma City with a Jones address, Luther school district, 911 was who ever got there first, which could have been Okc, Arcadia, Luther, or Okla County. Edmond was just on the north side of 164th.

By the way... Stay away from Luther schools.

[ylouder]

I don't have a very favorable view of Yukon and mustang as places where good education is available. Most of the residents probably have less than a highschool diploma and are generally heavy blue collar outdoor workers or on welfare. The type that have bull testicles on the back of their trucks, park in their front yards, and are at the stop slights in town rolling coal (youtube it) in a beat up late model truck.

I'm there regularly for lunch (more in mustang) and it never fails, I always see 1 of those 3 things.

Norman, edmond, West or southmoore, shawnee, pc north, and Oakdale if you can afford a 500k house

[OSUFan]

I don't have a very favorable view of Yukon and mustang as places where good education is available.

That is cool and all that you got that view from your extensive lunch research but it is far, far from the case.

[adaniel]

I don't have a very favorable view of Yukon and mustang as places where good education is available. Most of the residents probably have less than a highschool diploma and are generally heavy blue collar outdoor workers or on welfare. The type that have bull testicles on the back of their trucks, park in their front yards, and are at the stop slights in town rolling coal (youtube it) in a beat up late model truck.

I'm there regularly for lunch (more in mustang) and it never fails, I always see 1 of those 3 things.

People do love their diesels out in Canadian County, I have an old coworker who lives in Westbury with a lifted F350 with a turbo and stack exhaust and I'm pretty sure he "rolls coal," which might just be the stupidest thing ever.

In Mustang's defense, this type of jackassery can be found in any blue collar suburb/exurb of OKC.

[PennyQuilts]

I don't have a very favorable view of Yukon and mustang as places where good education is available. Most of the residents probably have less than a highschool diploma and are generally heavy blue collar outdoor workers or on welfare. The type that have bull testicles on the back of their trucks, park in their front yards, and are at the stop slights in town rolling coal (youtube it) in a beat up late model truck.

I'm there regularly for lunch (more in mustang) and it never fails, I always see 1 of those 3 things.

Norman, edmond, West or southmoore, shawnee, pc north, and Oakdale if you can afford a 500k house

Omg - clearly, you haven't researched tbe demographics. Hint: It's a bedroom community. Most people are working elsewhere. And, really, what an elitist. Bet you hate the 99%.

[PennyQuilts]

Mustang, Oklahoma Demographics - Income, Housing, Race, Business

[Zuplar]

Omg - clearly, you haven't researched tbe demographics. Hint: It's a bedroom community. Most people are working elsewhere. And, really, what an elitist. Bet you hate the 99%.

I got a feeling I know what kind of person they are and it's not the 1%. Clearly they are butthurt about some incident that happened long ago that they are oppressing.

Now show me on the doll where Mustang/Yukon touched you. lol.

[PennyQuilts]

I got a feeling I know what kind of person they are and it's not the 1%. Clearly they are butthurt about some incident that happened long ago that they are oppressing.

Now show me on the doll where Mustang/Yukon touched you. lol.

Yeah, something. It sure isn't rational.

[ylouder]

I got a feeling I know what kind of person they are and it's not the 1%. Clearly they are butthurt about some incident that happened long ago that they are oppressing.

Now show me on the doll where Mustang/Yukon touched you. lol.

What's with the personal insults. Geesh.

Just telling about my own personal experience with the area.

If it matters years ago we looked around westberry (looked nice online), but when we drove there we found a falling apart club house and cars parked in the yard. We drove past the city dump to get there, a operating powerplant, the old lucent facility, auto scrap yard and recycling center, sand dredging operation and numerous truck stops and walk up motels. Outside of that it's just a bunch of gravel lots for oil field equipment. Didn't seem like a place for raising a family.

Now I do like the older part of yukon. There are some neat older houses there, but I kinda felt like the new developments weren't anything you couldn't easily find in North okc\ deer creek\ edmond. Just all nice homes but on small flat lots.

[Pete]

Please people, try to be respectful to one another even if you disagree.

[Zuplar]

What's with the personal insults. Geesh.

Just telling about my own personal experience with the area.

If it matters years ago we looked around westberry (looked nice online), but when we drove there we found a falling apart club house and cars parked in the yard. We drove past the city dump to get there, a operating powerplant, the old lucent facility, auto scrap yard and recycling center, sand dredging operation and numerous truck stops and walk up motels. Outside of that it's just a bunch of gravel lots for oil field equipment. Didn't seem like a place for raising a family.

Now I do like the older part of yukon. There are some neat older houses there, but I kinda felt like the new developments weren't anything you couldn't easily find in North okc\ deer creek\ edmond. Just all nice homes but on small flat lots.

Not sure where the insult is there. I found it to be fairly tame compared to the majority of forums I visit.

I guess what I don't get is anywhere in the city you will find similar issues that you have brought up. When I drive into Edmond I smell dogfood. I'd rather drive by a gravel lot with some oilfield equipment than have to smell that all the time. I understand bringing up these points to make someone aware, but insulting 2 towns and the people that live in and around them isn't even in the same park.

[ylouder]

Penny that's good information but it doesn't really cover the school area. Just some old legacy farms and the walmart\lowes\ main drag of fast food placed. Like you said the actual town of Mustang is small and concentrated but it pulls from a large and very poor area. Just like yukon.

[Zuplar]

Penny that's good information but it doesn't really cover the school area. Just some old legacy farms and the walmart\lowes\ main drag of fast food placed. Like you said the actual town of Mustang is small and concentrated but it pulls from a large and very poor area. Just like yukon.

What are these poor areas? I live close to Mustang. My zip is 73173, if you want to look it up. Does it qualify as a poor area?

[okrednk]

Btw, relocating teenagers is always risky business. In addition to finding good schools, be sure to scope out activities they can get involved in that suit their interests. If there is a school that looks like a particularly good fit, a rougher commute might be worth it. Good luck!

Much appreciated to you and everyone who has provided advice. We are definitely considering Yukon, Mustang, West Moore, Norman, Newcastle school districts. Just wanted to get outsiders opinions about the issues. Thanks everyone for the helpful advice.

[PennyQuilts]

Penny that's good information but it doesn't really cover the school area. Just some old legacy farms and the walmart\lowes\ main drag of fast food placed. Like you said the actual town of Mustang is small and concentrated but it pulls from a large and very poor area. Just like yukon.

We'll just have to disagree. Yes, it pulls from farmland, originally, and farmers often aren't wealthy. So what? I particularly enjoy the area because it's a nice mix of blue and white collar workers, farmers and professionals. That's America.

[PennyQuilts]

Much appreciated to you and everyone who has provided advice. We are definitely considering Yukon, Mustang, West Moore, Norman, Newcastle school districts. Just wanted to get outsiders opinions about the issues. Thanks everyone for the helpful advice.

This is secondhand so take it for what it is worth - a friend of mine in Newcastle schools has a never ending list of horror stories. According to her, lots of bullying, poorly managed school and, allegedly, a lot of good parents have yanked out their kids. Maybe someone from there can chime in with first hand experience.