First, I got a new job. Finally.

Second, my new territory is basically Waco-Austin-San Antonio and, without a local office, I can live anywhere. My wife and I have decided to live in between Austin and Waco, mostly because thats where most of my stores are and is much more convenient to the rest of our family than south of Austin. I only need to be San Antonio maybe one night a week.

We want country or at the very most far distance suburbs but have two elementary school aged kiddos. We are currently looking at Belton, Georgetown, Liberty Hill, and Holland. School districts are the most import consideration. We are looking in the $200-300K range but could go more if we found the perfect place. If we go cheaper we buy more farmland elsewhere(different story). So we are pretty open.

All opinions are welcome.

Of those, Georgetown or Belton

I personally like Belton of those two, but if most of your travel will be south of there, then Georgetown may be better for you.

Also, don't rule out Salado without at least checking it out.

There is a new subdivision going up on 2484 a mile or so west of I-35

Most houses are about $250-275K range and on a 1/2 acre, tiffway 419 lot

Better get on it though if you want a lot on the west or south end of the subdivision

As for schools, I simply am not a fan of those tiny districts, and Holland would immediately be ruled out for me.

Don't know much about Liberty Hill

Georgetown is growing VERY rapidly

Salado is very affluent and they're schools are supposed to be very good

Belton schools are pretty good. Expect a new high school by the time your kids reach that age. 2020, or so.

The district is weird, and I think they thought it would remain a 4A school forever. ALL the middle schools have the same mascot and colors. But the education they offer is pretty good

BISD is already past the 10,000 student mark, which is usually the threshold for adding a new HS. They'll d/ck around with the New Tech solution for overcrowding for awhile, but at some point they will have to build a new high school. And it will be called "Belton High School" or "Other Belton High School", their colors will be Red and White, and their mascot will be the Tigers

I am kidding of course about that last part --- sort of.

I suggest perhaps going to the supe's office and simply inquiring about what they foresee in Belton High's future in the next 5-10 years. They're good folks and will talk to you

BHS is a big A&M feeder school so there is that

I've got to disagree about salado, sorry. If you want your kids to do rec sports, the drive to Belton or Georgetown can get old. Also my sister in law is a librarian at a middle school in KISD but they live in Jarrell. She refuses to let her kids attend Jarrell and Salado isd's because of their overall testing scores. They go to a private school in Walburg. If extra curricular activities are important as they get older, Belton and Georgetown have a lot more to offer. If you like fixer uppers there's a house with 12 acres for sales down the road from me for $199k. It's not in the country but outside the city limits.

Salado is not affluent imo.

Liberty hill is also a great district and a growing community. I still consider it home. Belton is good but it's huge and trying to act small. That's not going to work. Also, morale is low. Watch out

Salado costs a lot of money but isn't what I call affluent.

My current job calls for me to live anywhere between Waco and San Antonio. And we now have the salary to justify a move if we wanted.

We chose to stick with Belton/Temple. The cost of living here is so much less than other desirable spots (for me Georgetown or New Braunfels) that it really made moving not an option. Since I travel for a living I really do get to see all of our state and after covering all of 35, 10, and 20, I really do think it's a great place to live. Maybe not the most fun and hopping, but my favorite. I call it " a boring place to visit, but great place to live"

I used to work for BISD but live in TISD and choose to keep sending our kids there and pay transfer fees. That's not a knock on TISD, just that I really appreciated the principals and approach to curriculum that BISD has. either would be a good choice and I'd take them over KISD or WISD.

Belton is a small town. It's the isd that's exploded because of west temple. I'll admit I have some "snobbery" towards folks not from here. But I just don't like all the traffic congestion. My grandparents lived on the temple side of 317 after the bridge. That was out in the country. And my dad's house on dunn's canyon-BFE. Lol. I'm old.

10 elementary schools and 10k kids in a district isn't small. I hope I'm wrong but the attitude the district currently has wont accommodate what we have coming in. Not near the worst. Id still send my kids there for now. Just saying, I think things will go down soon

Morale is low in belton?

What do you mean by that? Teachers? Students?

Why is morale low?

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Morale is low in belton?

What do you mean by that? Teachers? Students?

Why is morale low?

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teachers. Not all schools, but a pretty damn large number. Not saying more but you can pm me and I'll tell you what I kniw. Lots looking at temple and killeen

Agalaska, my daughter loved Sparta elementary in Belton and since she's started south Belton middle school this year, she is thriving. All her classes are pre-ap and she took a semester of intro to theatre arts and now a half semester of intro to Spanish. The middle school offers a pre-athletics class or kids can take regular PE. I think after 6th grade PE isn't required, it's an elective but once they get in 7th grade the elective choices are great. Every interest is offered just about and you won't have that many options in a smaller isd.

UMHB has a great football team and a beautiful, intimate stadium for inexpensive Saturday entertainment in the fall when the Ags are away.
I just can't re-embrace high school football. But Belton has a good atmosphere. If you like the whorn fight song.

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Morale is low in belton?

What do you mean by that? Teachers? Students?

Why is morale low?

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teachers. Not all schools, but a pretty damn large number. Not saying more but you can pm me and I'll tell you what I kniw. Lots looking at temple and killeen

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I've got that impression myself. I actually ran into a former administrator yesterday and we both seemed pretty happy to be where we are now.

That being said, I loved my time working there in the Admin and my worst days there were a lot better than my best days at some other jobs.

There's problems everywhere. My SIL I mentioned earlier, works at a KISD middle school. Last year a mom came to have lunch with her daughter but instead attacked another girl/student in the lunch room. Now parents aren't allowed to have lunch with their kids any more. Nice.
She would prefer to work in BISD but openings for librarians are rare and likely hired within. An opening did come up in salado but it would have been a $10k/year paycut.

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Just don't live in Waco. It sucks pond water.

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Whatever,

I would say either Belton or west of 35 at Georgetown... Liberty Hill included. LHISD is a very good district and growing. The actual town is dumpy, but the areas around are very nice. You'll probably have trouble finding land that you'd like to build on because everything is exploding out there. For 300k you can find a nice house in a nice subdivision.

Georgetown is nice, but price may be a concern with what it sounds like you're looking for.

Belton is a neat town and you're still close to Georgetown/Austin. The district is respected and there are good schools. If you want to have more programs and after school activities, this is the place.

If you are looking for a smaller district I would go with Salado.

The never-ending discussion...

Most likely, you'll decide Belton is the best place if you're looking at public schools. Georgetown is good, but youre home prices are going to probably be cheaper in a Belton school district. If you do choose to buy a home in Belton, you'll want to look at areas north of 6th street. Don't want to wind up with your kids going to the southern schools.

My brother has his kids in Troy ISD and they seem to like it. Smaller school system, but they seem to be happy with it.

Troy is a great school...Chalk Bluff and Lorena are nice, but Temple has the best water...RO system is great

It's 6th Ave. Belton has avenues not streets. And you almost have to go south of 6th for land.

South schools aren't bad. Chisholm elementary is fantastic. I worked with that school for three years. The admin is fantastic there as well. SBMS has some great things going on

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It's 6th Ave. Belton has avenues not streets. And you almost have to go south of 6th for land.

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I grew up on one of the avenues in Belton, we always called it street. I knew it was avenue, but we called it street, never really understood why.

Street has fewer syllables

South Belton MS is a very good school

But if you're gonna consider MS attendance zones, better look more in depth than north or south of 6th Avenue

It doesn't work that way

And yes, there are problems everywhere. Teachers in alot of places think their administration sucks and wish they were somewhere else

Belton morale may be low, but before assuming some place is better to work at, like Temple, consider that they just lost a bunch of teachers as well, many in the IB department. Have a chat with some of them. They may even be on this forum.

And KISD is problem free?

Academy has experienced turnover as well

Here's the the way I look at it, and will continue to do so as long as I have kids in school --- I don't really care how disgruntled the teachers are. All I care about is whether my kid is learning and whether it's being done in a safe environment. If teachers are unhappy, even for good cause, go somewhere else. It's what we all do when we don't like our jobs.

Watch "raising Arizona". When the FBI asks Nathan if he has any disgruntled employees, his reply was "they're all disgruntled, I aint runnin' a damn daisy farm"

School gossip is what adults do when they are hanging out with each other and their friends. And schools are incubators for gossip and malcontentment.

Obviously, if it affects the kids, it's one thing, and is relevant. Otherwise, it's not a consideration

OP, check out the community. Talk to parents who actually have kids in the damn schools, and get their opinion on the quality of education their kids are getting. Everything else is just hearsay and guesswork

If the things going on behind the scenes in the teachers lounge are important to you, fine, but don't assume just because you hear about teacher griping in one district doesn't mean it doesn't occur in other places

Just my opinion

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South Belton MS is a very good school

But if you're gonna consider MS attendance zones, better look more in depth than north or south of 6th Avenue

It doesn't work that way

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The middle school attendance zones are drawn strange. They definitely dropped the ball on keeping the "neighborhood" schools priority.

Sorry, Georgetown is full.


In all seriousness, based on the choices you listed I would recommend Liberty Hill then Belton for what you are looking for. Your price range simply isn't going to match up with what you are looking for in Georgetown right now. You'll probably be pushing it in Liberty Hill as well.

Good luck.

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Sorry, Georgetown is full.


In all seriousness, based on the choices you listed I would recommend Liberty Hill then Belton for what you are looking for. Your price range simply isn't going to match up with what you are looking for in Georgetown right now. You'll probably be pushing it in Liberty Hill as well.

Good luck.

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Liberty Hill has the Better Football team than Belton.....

Now if you REALLY want a good Football team ...Cameron! Halfway between Austin and Waco and not on I-35.

Move to West

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It's 6th Ave. Belton has avenues not streets. And you almost have to go south of 6th for land.

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I grew up on one of the avenues in Belton, we always called it street. I knew it was avenue, but we called it street, never really understood why.

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I was born and raised in Belton, and I always called it 6th St too!

I still call it "6th Street"

Well, to those who know what I'm referring to

If I'm giving directions to an out of towner, I'll call it "Avenue" so I don't get em lost