Best School Districts for Marching Band

[LostChoirGuy]

Which school districts do you think seem to produce the best shows overall year after year? This could be school districts with a couple of hard-hitting bands, or just school districts with lots of mid-tier talent. Also which school districts seem to be on the rise?

[LostChoirGuy]

To get the discussion started, here are my top five based on producing quality programs recently or that are still on the rise along with the main bands from those districts in case you dont know them:

 

1. Lewisville ISD (Flower Mound, Marcus, Hebron)

2. Leander ISD (Leander, Vandegrift, Cedar Park, Vista Ridge, Rouse)

3. North East ISD (Claudia Taylor Johnson, Reagan, Churchill)

4. Round Rock ISD (Round Rock, Cedar Ridge)

5. Keller ISD (Keller, Keller Central, Timber Creek)

[TWHSParent]

I think Conroe ISD can compete with Keller ISD (and maybe Round Rock ISD) with The Woodlands, Oak Ridge, and College Park.

[LostChoirGuy]

I would agree. I was choosing between Keller and Conroe. I forgot that Oak Ridge was in that district. Something interesting that I've noticed is that all of these school districts are on the north side (suburbs) of the metropolitan area of the cities they reside near.

[TWHSParent]

I would agree. I was choosing between Keller and Conroe. I forgot that Oak Ridge was in that district. Something interesting that I've noticed is that all of these school districts are on the north side (suburbs) of the metropolitan area of the cities they reside near.

 

Interesting regarding being on the north side. Hadn't noticed that before. Have no idea what, if anything, it means!

[Guest]

Lesser known programs exist in these districts

Fort Bend ISD: SFA, Clements, William B. Travis.

Austin ISD: Bowie, Akins, Anderson

Spring ISD: Spring, Dekaney, Westfield

Birdville ISD: Richland, Haltom, Birdville

[Guest]

There are also alot of good programs in Frisco ISD. Wakeland is very very good, along with Liberty and Reedy on the rise.

[CTJBandPops]

To get the discussion started, here are my top five based on producing quality programs recently or that are still on the rise along with the main bands from those districts in case you dont know them:

 

1. Lewisville ISD (Flower Mound, Marcus, Hebron)

2. Leander ISD (Leander, Vandegrift, Cedar Park, Vista Ridge, Rouse)

3. North East ISD (Claudia Taylor Johnson, Reagan, Churchill)

4. Round Rock ISD (Round Rock, Cedar Ridge)

5. Keller ISD (Keller, Keller Central, Timber Creek)

I would agree - all strong districts with great programs

[principalagent]

Interesting regarding being on the north side. Hadn't noticed that before. Have no idea what, if anything, it means!

It may actually mean something! Look at this paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258189192_Spatial_Metaphor_and_Real_Estate_North-South_Location_Biases_Housing_Preference

[SamuelCulper]

Lesser known programs exist in these districts

Fort Bend ISD: SFA, Clements, William B. Travis.

Austin ISD: Bowie, Akins, Anderson

Spring ISD: Spring, Dekaney, Westfield

Birdville ISD: Richland, Haltom, Birdville

I think the second best band in Austin ISD after Bowie is probably McCallum.

[TWHSParent]

It may actually mean something! Look at this paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258189192_Spatial_Metaphor_and_Real_Estate_North-South_Location_Biases_Housing_Preference

 

That was an interesting study. Shows a definite bias toward north=good, south=bad, but with enough overlap in the SD to account for the situations where this isn't true. It also had some sampling concerns, but in all a pretty good read and good information that informs some of our innate biases.

[acnltourney]

There are also alot of good programs in Frisco ISD. Wakeland is very very good, along with Liberty and Reedy on the rise.

I’d assume that includes Frisco Centennial, too, who is about equal to Wakeland.

[Dog885]

I think the second best band in Austin ISD after Bowie is probably McCallum.

I don't know....Anderson placed above them at BOA Austin this year and years prior as well.

[Guest]

 

I don't know....Anderson placed above them at BOA Austin this year and years prior as well.

Yeah and Anderson has a much richer history.

[JackAttack]

Forney ISD is producing 2 great bands this year

[technerd19]

Forney ISD is producing 2 great bands this year

Forney ISD is definitely having a great year. I’m in the North Forney band and we’re having a breakout year this year, including winning Grand Champions at a contest for the first time in the school’s history. We had an almost complete staff change last year and it’s definitely helped us grow as a program. Forney’s show this year is rather impressively designed and with the uniqueness of it I wouldn’t be surprised to see them competing at BOA within the next few years. Not to mention they have that really great soprano sax solo.

[MadisonBandMan1]

I feel like NEISD just keeps on improving over all.

[Guest]

Cy fair ISD: Cy Falls, Cy Fair, Langham Creek

[Kiddo2.0]

Pflugerville ISD:

Hendrickson HS

Pflugerville HS

Connally HS

Weiss HS

[Guest]

How has Connally been recently?

[landofwake]

Hard to say about a whole ISD since most ISDs have schools that fall in various points along the marching band spectrum. Just for fun, lets try to put some numbers to this. 

Lewisville ISD has the big 3 (out of their 5 high schools, so 3/5=60% of their schools are good for marching band 

Leander ISD  has 5 high schools (of which 2,maybe 3 are consistently in the top and others are growing, so 40-60% of their district does well in marching band

Frisco ISD has 9 high schools of which 2 seem to stand out. That's 22%.

Coppell ISD has only one high school and they are consistent 6A state finalists- does that mean 100% of their district is good for marching band?

Keller ISD has 4 high schools, of which 2 (and now maybe 3) are doing well. Does that 75% put them higher than Lewisville ISD as a district?

NE ISD has some 7 or 8 schools I think, of which 3 do well.

 

I could go on....

So can you really compare ISD vs ISD? Its like apples and oranges. All you can probably say is some ISDs are more conducive to promoting a marching band culture. 

 

Remember this was just for fun, so don't tear me apart with my "analysis"

[principalagent]

Leander ISD has 5 high schools (of which 2,maybe 3 are consistently in the top and others are growing, so 40-60% of their district does well in marching band

 

For what it’s worth, there are 6 schools in LISD and three are among the best in the nation, let alone state. And then the fourth is no slouch. So it’s a definite 2/3, with one potentially becoming a state finalist in a couple of weeks and another growing. Your overall point is well taken, however.

[LeanderMomma]

Oh my word, it's only 11 am and I've already reached my "quota of positive votes for the day."  

[landofwake]

For what it’s worth, there are 6 schools in LISD and three are among the best in the nation, let alone state. And then the fourth is no slouch. So it’s a definite 2/3, with one potentially becoming a state finalist in a couple of weeks and another growing. Your overall point is well taken, however.

Oops Sorry my bad. But yes overall point remains same

[LostChoirGuy]

Your point is very valid. I think my reasoning when I made this thread was more to discuss which school districts in general seem to put emphasis on marching band and the arts in general. For instance, in many cases, large trips such as to GNats or other super regionals are paid for by the school district. There are some that consistently pay for this to be done, which leads the schools to strive to perform better and be competitive, while others would rather put focus and funding towards other things. (Ex: southlake and sports)