You're sort of missing how the school got to be a great school. Low-density neighborhoods, high relative property taxes, parents with time for PTA involvement.

You're sort of missing how the school got to be a great school. Low-density neighborhoods, high relative property taxes, parents with time for PTA involvement... without fail, the "good" schools in America tend to be the ones in neighborhoods without apartments. You can't change up the population density, the property tax each family pays, and expect nothing to change about the school. Once I buy a house, I don't want that school to change... so yes, people do whatever they can to keep the population density of their school district from changing. Can't really blame them, can we?