It is now the first day of summer vacation for my girls, who have just finished second grade. For new readers, I have twins, so I ain't skeered of nuthin' no more. ;) The oldest of the two was very upset that she will most likely never see her second grade teacher again, as her teacher was laid off due to the state-wide budget cuts here in California. I wish that it weren't so, but it is. I grew up in Southern California and my extended family is all here (except my in-laws in Texas) but if it weren't for that, my wife and I would give serious thought to moving somewhere else with better funded and less crowded schools, where the job situation was not as bleak (ha!) and where buying a house for less than $400K would not be an unreasonable idea.
Okay, I'm done rambling and complaining. See you all Friday!
~Rob
Texas has good schools decent jobs and housing under $400k. Same with Pennsylvania. As for your daughters, there is a My Little Pony fan convention in Austin comming up in September. Perhaps they won’t find out about it.
I can Sympathise with your daughters. Back in my primary achool (erm… American… 3rd grade? Something like that, I was 8 – 9 at the time) we got a substitute teacher for 3 months. He was the best teacher I ever had, and it still saddens me to this day I dont know what happened to him, or where he is now.
Also, The Sledge reminds me of oyr partys Knights blade, Klen. Except Klens good at scaring shopkeepers witless and making light, rather than eavesdropping. But they both have been in a cave for a few years, and on display too.
Alabama is pretty good in the housing department, a house that would cost around 400-600k in Cali is only around 120-160k here, give or take a few thousand maybe even less. Don’t know what the job market is like though.
Gotta agree on the Texas comments – you’ve even got in-laws there (that would be your WIFE’S FAMILY, so she could be near her family for a while, eh?).
Seriously, it’s doing better than all the other states in the union combined. Jobs are far more common here than anywhere else in the US, and the housing market is more reasonable, as well.
Oh, and the schools are above average (on average – we’ve still got some stinkers, just like everywhere).
I’d say give New Mexico a try, but we’re even more of a burn state than California is, especially right now with two major forest fires going with very good chances of some idiot starting a third. As for schools, I wouldn’t know, I grew up in Kansas.
Unless you invest in private schools or a magnet school, Texas actually does NOT have a good school system…and yes, I live here. It does have a low cost of living, but comparatively high wages, though…and a much more stable economy than most other states. Plus…fooooooood!
being a product of the texas school system. well, till 11th grade anyway, i have to agree with Andor. the only thing they do, for the most part, is teach you to past standardized tests and churn out jocks. my school actually made it impossible to get a scholorship for anything but sports or cheerleading. and they give preferential treatment to jocks and teachers kids (i spent 4 years trying to take a shop class, i took 4 years of typing).
If you want good schools with resonable cost of living, try Des Moines, IA. My kids went to grade school in Adel, IA and it was excellent.
Economy, don’t know, move to LA (Louisiana, not the Greater Inland Empire) for work myself…..
Lord Damian – sorry you experienced that, and it sucks, but on the whole, Texas public schools are in the highest group in the nation… yes, that’s a VERY sad commentary on the rest of them, but it doesn’t make it any less true.
Texas state teaching certification is among the most rigorous (Texas doesn’t accept many other state’s certs, but a great many other states accept Texas certs) – again, this is a sad commentary on all the rest, as Texas has plenty of its own problems.
If you’re not going to invest in private school, Texas is the best place to “roll the dice” on your local school. Sure, there are some that are rotten, but most are only half-rotten (which is far above average today in America), and some are actually decent.
If you want to home-school, Texas is hands-down best for that.