My husband and I consciously made the decision to live in an area that had great public schools because we knew that these communities come with so much more than a higher quality of education. So much more.

Sure, we definitely missed out on living in those swanky uptown condos, and we have never had a neighborhood bar or coffee shop downstairs, but we have had a great community of neighbors around us from day 1.

Why we’ve chosen public school for our family:

1. We wanted choices when it came to education for our future children. I would be lying if I didn’t mention this one. We were definitely mindful of the educational aspect of moving into an area with good public schools. Although we didn’t have kids yet or plan to have any for several years, we wanted to make sure we were very well-prepared in the case that children came quicker than we had planned. We were happy to be settled in the area we knew we’d love to raise kiddos.
2. We wanted a strong sense of community. Most of our area public schools have been around for a very long time. With that comes a sense of pride in the communities they serve, and this goes beyond teaching our children. Many schools we have lived near host neighborhood association meetings, serve as voting poll locations, host community movie nights, and are a safe space for the people even outside of their walls. We have loved getting to know our neighbors at school fundraisers for the public. We even went and enjoyed outdoor movie nights at the school before we had kids just to be able to hang out with the people around us.
3. We have found a great amount of diversity through our public school area. We love Richardson for many reasons, but one of our top reasons is the great sense of diversity our community has. We love that our children will learn more than just educational teachings in school, but they will also learn about other cultures and walks of life through the diversity of our schools. We really believe our children will grow up with less bias toward others by being surrounded by all different races, religions, and other diverse qualities. Further, we hope that by being submerged in a melting pot will help our children to be kind toward others, and we pray that the next generation can help mold a new vision of inclusion through this.
4. We wanted to have a sense of ownership in the school. To be honest, I really wanted to have a vested interest in where my tax dollars were going. I have been involved in our public school tax and bond changes since we first bought our home. I am all for getting the most money we can to better our schools, but I also want to be confident that I know what I am voting for each time. I have loved feeling like I am well-informed and have more than a monetary vested interest in my schools.

I can’t wait until we actually get to use the schools we have chosen. My oldest starts next year. Until then, I am going to enjoy the community of people we have built around us, which I am confident happened because of the beacon of light our local school has been for generations.

Our contributors are sharing why they chose their school or approach to education, to help you find the best school for your family!  Make sure to check out our Guide to Childcare & Schools in and around Dallas!