And Where to Live Near Them!

Quality education and residential home values definitely have a strong correlation. Families want to give their children the best start in life, and that means the best schools. People move into areas where their children will be zoned for these high-performing schools, in turn creating higher housing demand in these zones. Tanglewood Elementary School is a prime example. As of January 2019, home values in the Tanglewood neighborhood were ranging from $385K to $2.9M with a median price of $565K.

Here we cover some of the best school options in the Fort Worth area and their closest neighborhoods. This list includes public, charter, and private institutions, non-denominational and religious, who distinguish themselves as the area’s leading education institutions.

Tanglewood Elementary

Tanglewood Elementary School is a public school in the Fort Worth Independent School District. It is the most sought-after public elementary school in the city. The district is building a new secondary Tanglewood behind Ahavath Shalom on Hulen to accommodate the demand for the school. The patriarch of my family M.J. Chicotsky was the president of Ahavath Shalom 100 years ago.

Tanglewood’s staff is fully certified in Gifted and Talent Education. Ranking website Niche.com gave Tanglewood an “A-” grade. It has a fully staffed computer lab, a hands-on science lab, after-school enrichment classes, additional computers and iPads in each classroom. Additional activities include a running club, student council, and University Interscholastic League.

The school’s PTA is instrumental in fundraising and providing support to the school’s initiatives.

Any student zoned for Tanglewood Elementary is welcome to attend. Generally, these communities include Overton Park, Tanglewood, and University West. The school is unable to accept transfers due to high enrollment.

North Hi Mount Elementary

North Hi Mount Elementary is a public school in the Fort Worth Independent School District. Its building is a recognized historical landmark with a Spanish style design. According to the PTA, “North Hi Mount ensures that our students are prepared for today's global society by providing rigorous, meaningful instruction, in a safe, supportive, and positive environment.”

Students participate in clubs, such as running, chess/math, ballet, Spanish, and University Interscholastic League. This year, the school started a “house” system. Each student was sorted into a house that includes special activities and a support system.

Independent evaluator Great Schools called North Hi Mount “above average.” The 36 reviewers gave the school five of five stars. Zoned communities include North Hi Mount, Crestline, Monticello, and some of River Crest.

Fort Worth Academy

Fort Worth Academy (FWA) is a K-8 non-denominational private school. The Academy prefers to focus on early childhood education and has a maximum of 15 students per classroom to deliver personalized learning experiences.

FWA offers three science labs offering age-appropriate science lessons and experiences. It has four “collaboratories,” or open flex spaces to engage in active learning. The athletic complex has regulation baseball/softball and football/soccer fields. There is a fully equipped gymnasium, a visual arts studio, and music facilities.

The Imagination Foundation of Los Angeles selected Fort Worth Academy in 2015 as one of its 100 Imagination Chapters. It’s been featured at the Educational Records Bureau Conference in its Best Practices Showcase. It was also the first K-8 recipient of the Spotlight School Award from the Lausanne Learning Institute. The 67 reviewers on Great Schools gave Fort Worth Academy five of five stars.

The tuition at FWA does not vary based on grade. Tuition for 2018–2019 was $19,002. Limited financial aid awards are made on a first-come, first served basis.

Fort Worth Academy is located off Dutch Branch Road near the Chisholm Trail Parkway. Nearby communities include Quail Ridge Estates, Mira Vista and Benbrook. It is in close to Trinity Valley School.

Young Women's Leadership Academy

As Fort Worth’s first single-gender school, the Young Women's Leadership Academy (YWLA) offers a college prep curriculum for grades 6-12 with an emphasis on STEM. It is a public and private partnership. The school is based on models from the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders in Austin and the Young Women’s Leadership School in East Harlem.

YWLA offers internships and job shadowing through the Fort Worth Independent School District’s business partners, Advanced Placement courses, and college credit hours through dual credit.

Students within the Fort Worth Independent School District may apply to YWLA. The program looks for girls committed to attending college with an interest in STEM and committed to tackling challenges. Available athletics include track and field, basketball, volleyball, and cheerleading. The school has a highly regarded arts program with renowned teachers. Student extracurriculars include a range of clubs like student council, Whiz Quiz, and National Honor Society.

U.S. News & World Report ranked no. 100 in Texas. In 2016, it earned National Blue Ribbon status. According to its active PTA, the YWLA has earned numerous other distinctions in Texas over the years.

The Young Women's Leadership Academy is in downtown Fort Worth off 8th Street and off I-35W.

Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts

This public charter school aims to inspire “artistically talented students a lifelong passion for learning, empowering them to achieve academic and artistic excellence.” The school has more than 100 performances in a year.

By middle school, students take a minimum of two hours in fine arts coursework every day and select one arts discipline by high school. Additionally, the school requires high school students to participate in a challenging college prep program. FWAFA offers AP courses and an honors track.

FWAFA accepts students through an audition process from accepted Independent School Districts. Admission requirements vary between elementary, middle, and high school programs. Acceptance is based on artistic talent and potential.

U.S. News & World Report ranked FWAFA as a Silver Medal school. In 2017, the same agency ranked the school no. 85 in its Best Charter Schools in America report and no. 51 for its Best High Schools in Texas.

Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts is off Hulen Street north of I-20. Its nearest neighborhoods are Overton Woods, Tanglewood, and Westcliff.

Fort Worth Country Day School

This is where I went to school and where I want my kids to go to school. Voted the Star-Telegram’s Best Private School in 2017 (and runner-up in 2018), Fort Worth Country Day School (FWCD) is a rigorous nondenominational K-12 program on a 100-acre campus with around 1,100 students and 220 faculty and staff. Founded in 1962, it is independent and coeducational. Its motto is to be “Engaging, Connecting, and Challenging,” with special emphasis on the humanities, arts, sciences, and athletics. Accreditation is by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, (ISAS). Student-to-Faculty Ratio varies from 7:1 for Kindergarten to 17:1 for Lower school (JK-4) and 10:1 for Upper School (9-12).

 

Its community values diversity, as evidenced in its Center for International Studies. Global perspectives are woven into the curriculum. Students participate in exchange opportunities, overseas summer expeditions, and cultural programs. In 2018, students visited France and Spain. There are language immersion opportunities in Italy, France, and Spain. Other past trips visited the Florida Everglades, Pine Ridge Reservation, Detroit, and Scotland.

Students access an advanced curriculum. FWCD offers 22 Advanced Placement Courses. In 2018, 194 students took 544 exams.

FWCD offers 23 varsity sports, including, but not limited to: baseball, golf, lacrosse, swimming, track and field, and wrestling. Fine arts opportunities begin early and continue through the upper school. Ballet starts in fourth grade. There is a strings program for K-4 and theatre classes starting in grade 5. Band, orchestra, and choral programs are offered to middle and upper school students.

While delivering a top-notch education, the school does offer financial need-based aid. About 23 percent of the students receive need-based aid. Transportation services leave from various locations around Fort Worth.

Fort Worth INC magazine named FWCD as one of its best companies to work for in 2018. FWCD attract leading educator talent with competitive salaries, recognition programs, and other benefits like tuition reimbursement for a graduate degree.

School ranking website Niche rated FWCD as A+ and the best private school in Tarrant County, and no. 13 in Texas. It received four of five stars from 48 reviews on Great Schools. Private School Review places FWCD in the top 20% of Texas private schools based on its student body size, AP courses, and available extracurriculars.

Fort Worth Country Day School campus is near the convergence of I-20, Texas 183, and the Chisholm Trail Parkway. Nearby neighborhoods include Overton Woods and Ridglea Hills.

Trinity Valley School

Trinity Valley School offers K-12 co-ed independent college prep. The school is non-sectarian and believes in fostering respect for our society’s laws and the participation of any religion. As the school says, “TVS believes that neither fine scholarship nor intelligent citizenship will bear good fruit unless they are sustained by a belief in spiritual and moral values.”

Trinity Valley was founded in 1959 as a liberal arts school called the Texas Boys Choir School. Today it resides on a 75-acre campus. Its mission is to foster intelligent citizenships, development of wide constructive interests, spiritual moral development to promote lasting values, and fine scholarship with its fulfillment at college. Faculty and staff encourage intellectual curiosity and are devoted to building a lifetime love of learning.

Student enrollment is around 975. Students access a range of clubs starting in lower school. Varsity sports are available the upper school. These include soccer, wrestling, swimming, tennis, golf, and more. Students travel with the Trojan Global Initiatives program or the Trojan Outdoor Experience.

The school seeks, “seeks students of above-average to superior ability who will contribute to the diversity of the student body and enrich the environment of the school community.” Admissions is based on the student’s academic and personal qualities, and TVS has need-based financial aid program.

TVS is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, (ISAS). It was given four of five stars in 29 reviews on Great Schools. The Star-Telegram’s “Fort Worthy” contest rated TVS the Best Private School in 2018. Niche.com ranked TVS second in Tarrant County Private Schools, with an average 4.25 stars of five from 61 reviews. Nationally, it was no. 172 of Best Private K-12 Schools in America and no 14 in Texas.

Trinity Valley School is near Quail Ridge Estates and the exclusive Mira Vista community. Its campus is off of Bryant Irvin Rd and close to the Chisholm Trail Parkway.

All Saints Episcopal School

While grounded in the Episcopal School tradition, All Saints’ Episcopal School (ASES) is a college preparatory day school accepting all faiths. The school was founded in 1951, “with an emphasis on servant leadership, academic rigor, artistic exposure, and athletic competition.”

The 147-acre campus includes a Chapel, educational buildings, athletic facilities, and RANGE, a 16-acre natural area that serves as an outdoor classroom.

ASES education starts an early childhood program for 3-year-olds and Pre-K, and continues with Kindergarten, Lower, Middle, and Upper schools. Upper School students attend daily prayer services three times a week, have Advisory groups, class meetings, and guest lecturers. Extra-curricular activities include numerous clubs, fine arts, and competitive athletics like golf, volleyball, track, and basketball.

Financial assistance is need-based and depends on fund availability. Allocations are not offered until after the Admission Process is complete. Once students have been accepted, they are referred to the Tuition Assistance Committee who determines awards. Transportation service is available from a variety of pick-up locations around Fort Worth with an additional fee.

All Saints’ is dual-accredited by nationally recognized accreditation agencies – Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) and Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools (SAES).

Niche give ASES an A+ and ranked it fourth in Tarrant County with 4.5 stars of 5 and 56 reviews. It was no. 15 for Best Christian Schools in Texas and no. 111 in the Best Christian High Schools in America.

ASES is in the far west of Fort Worth, close to the I-820 and I-30 junction. The nearest communities are Westland, Chapel Creek, and Western Hills.

Southwest Christian Academy

Southwest Christian Academy (SCA) is a college preparatory PK-12 interdenominational Christian school. Curriculum and faculty model Christian life and values, and the coursework is biblically integrated. Total enrollment is around 800, with roughly 300 in elementary, 120 in middle, and 300 in high school.

The high school offers over a dozen Advanced Placement and Dual Credit course opportunities. Athletic opportunities are wide and varied. Students choose from cross-country, dance, soccer, softball or volleyball. Fine arts instruction is available starting with elementary school. The lower school has extra-curricular theater art, choir, and beginning band. The upper campus offers art, theatre, and dance.

SCA is a globally minded private school and accepts international students. It offers mission trips to Africa and Central America plus cultural and language immersion to China and Spain. Additional learning programs focus nationally and abroad.

Admissions requires a family tour, application, passing an entrance exam, previous school records, recommendation, and an interview with the Principal. Financial aid is awarded based on needs per student, not family.

SCA is accredited by AdvancedED and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools on Accreditation and School Improvement. It is a member of multiple associations like the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

Ranking website Niche.com listed Southwest Christian as no. 11 of the Best Private High Schools in Tarrant County with an overall grade of “A.” The 46 reviewers rated it four of five stars.

SCA’s Early Childhood and up to grade 6 programs are located along Dan Danciger Road at the Chisholm Trail campus. The nearest community is Hulen Bend Estates and Wedgwood. The middle and high school program is not far away, on Altamesa Boulevard at the Benbrook Lake campus, close to Mira Vista and Quail Ridge Estates.

Texas Academy of Biomedical

The Texas Academy of Biomedical is public “early college” 9-12 high school in the Fort Worth Independent School District with around 375 students.

The goal is for students to graduate with up to 60 hours of transferable college credits. By the end of their experience, some students could graduate with an Associate’s degree from Tarrant County College. Coursework is advanced and centered around career pathways like Pharmacy or Patient Care. There are numerous AP courses and Dual-Credit Courses.

U.S. News & World Report ranked no. 157 in Texas. Niche.com rated TAB as an “A” school. The Texas Education Agency awarded TAB all seven distinctions in 2015 and 2016.

The Texas Academy of Biomedical is on the Tarrant County College Trinity College Campus in the downtown area north of Sundance Square and the Upper West Side. It’s located north of Belknap Street.

Paschal High School

Paschal High School is  9-12 public school operated by the Fort Worth Independent School District is in the “Paschal Triangle,” or in the same zoned district as the above Tanglewood Elementary. It has around 2,500 students, offers rigorous Advanced Placement, Dual Credit and honors courses.

Like other public high schools, Paschal offers a range of student sports, extracurriculars, and clubs.

Texas’ DOE awarded Paschal High distinctions in ELA/Reading, Science, Postsecondary Readiness and two other areas. Niche.com rated Paschal no. 11 on its Standout High Schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, no 88 in its Best College Prep Public High Schools in Texas.

Communities in Paschal’s zone include Overton, Tanglewood, Bluebonnet, and University West.

Fossil Ridge High School

Fossil Ridge High School  (FRHS) is a public 9-12 high school in the Keller Independent School District. Fossil Ridge is in far north Fort Worth. U.S. News & World Report rated FRHS as a “Silver Medal” school and included it in its national rankings. Niche.com ranked the school no. 149 on its Best Public High Schools in Texas and its 446 reviewers ranked it four of five stars.

Students have access to Advanced Placement and dual credit coursework. Similar to other public high schools, students have access to athletics, fine arts, and student clubs. A sampling of these includes Academic Decathlon, Cultural Dance, German Club, and a Video Game club.

Nearby communities in the Forest Ridge zone are part of the Alliance Texas development, such as Trace Ridge and Arcadia Park Estates.

Living near Fort Worth’s best schools

Even if you’re seeking non-public education for your children, living near any of Fort Worth’s excellent private schools will give you advantages. Many lie close to major transportation corridors and the city’s best neighborhoods in terms of amenities and housing. A Fort Worth real estate expert like the Chicotsky Real Estate Group can help you pinpoint the best places to live near the best schools.