Need some input on these areas please (Buffalo, Lancaster: renting, buying a home)

[FedupWNY]

Originally Posted by CAugust

As far as my friends comments, the reason "most" do not show up to conferences is because they dont want to - teacher would say to a student, if your behavior does not get better, I will need to call your parents in for a conference and thier reply would be, "go ahead, I haven't seen my mother in three days" Obviously I am sure it does not apply to all the students, however I know the demographics of many areas, and what she was looking for I do not believe would be found in that particular city.

Your senerio of second-hand info in what kids say and the preconceived notion of parents not caring does not make all of Lackawanna an unsafe place to live. By that alone, it doesn't make Amherst as a better place in comparison.

[CAugust]

You are correct, I was just answering your question, not saying that b/c some parents are uninterested in their childrens lives, makes it more crime ridden, if I was not clear in that, I apologize. One has nothing to do with the other, but I do think that each city is very different in many areas.

[CAugust]

The Williamsville Central School District is number one for the fourth straight year in Business First's annual rankings of Western New York's public school systems.

Business First graded 97 districts in the 8 county region.

The rankings use four years of test data compiled by the New York State Education Department.

Each district's score reflects performance at high schools, middle schools and elementary schools. Here's the list of Honor Roll Districts:

1. Williamsville (Erie County) 2. Clarence (Erie County) 3. Amherst (Erie County) 4. Orchard Park (Erie County) 5. Bemus Point (Chautauqua County) 6. East Aurora (Erie County) 7. Iroquois (Erie County) 8. Alden (Erie County) 9. Alfred-Almond (Allegany County) 10. Grand Island (Erie County) 11. Wilson (Niagara County) 12. Sweet Home (Erie County) 13. Hamburg (Erie County) 14. Frontier (Erie County) Other districts: 15. Lancaster (Erie County) 16. Fredonia (Chautauqua County) 17. Akron (Erie County) 18. Eden (Erie County) 19. Pembroke (Genesee County) 20. Lewiston-Porter (Niagara County) 21. Barker (Niagara County) 22. Southwestern (Chautauqua County) 23. LeRoy (Genesee County) 24. Holland (Erie County) 25. Starpoint (Niagara County) 26. West Valley (Cattaraugus County) 27. West Seneca (Erie County) 28. Niagara-Wheatfield (Niagara County) 29. Elba (Genesee County) 30. Chautauqua Lake (Chautauqua County) 31. Westfield (Chautauqua County) 32. Pavilion (Genesee County) 33. Depew (Erie County) 34. Sherman (Chautauqua County) 35. Springville-Griffith Institute (Erie County) 36. Ellicottville (Cattaraugus County) 37. Allegany-Limestone (Cattaraugus County) 38. Newfane (Niagara County) 39. Kendall (Orleans County) 40. Batavia (Genesee County) 41. Silver Creek (Chautauqua County) 42. Lockport (Niagara County) 43. North Tonawanda (Niagara County) 44. Albion (Orleans County) 45. Oakfield-Alabama (Genesee County) 46. Lyndonville (Orleans County) 47. Alexander (Genesee County) 48. Attica (Wyoming County) 49. North Collins (Erie County) 50. Pine Valley (Chautauqua County) 51. Cheektowaga-Maryvale (Erie County) 52. Byron-Bergen (Genesee County) 53. Letchworth (Wyoming County) 54. Yorkshire-Pioneer (Cattaraugus County) 55. Tonawanda (Erie County) 56. Frewsburg (Chautauqua County) 57. Falconer (Chautauqua County) 58. Kenmore-Tonawanda (Erie County) 59. Portville (Cattaraugus County) 60. Royalton-Hartland (Niagara County) 61. Clymer (Chautauqua County) 62. Evans-Brant (Erie County) 63. Fillmore (Allegany County) 64. Perry (Wyoming County) 65. Cheektowaga (Erie County) 66. Medina (Orleans County) 67. Panama (Chautauqua County) 68. Cleveland Hill (Erie County) 69. Randolph (Cattaraugus County) 70. Cuba-Rushford (Allegany County) 71. Wellsville (Allegany County) 72. Cassadaga Valley (Chautauqua County) 73. Belfast (Allegany County) 74. Whitesville (Allegany County) 75. Genesee Valley (Allegany County) 76. Olean (Cattaraugus County) 77. Cheektowaga-Sloan (Erie County) 78. Andover (Allegany County) 79. Brocton (Chautauqua County) 80. Holley (Orleans County) 81. Franklinville (Cattaraugus County) 82. Scio (Allegany County) 83. Forestville (Chautauqua County) 84. Warsaw (Wyoming County) 85. Bolivar-Richburg (Allegany County) 86. Jamestown (Chautauqua County) 87. Ripley (Chautauqua County) 88. Salamanca (Cattaraugus County) 89. Hinsdale (Cattaraugus County) 90. Cattaraugus-Little Valley (Cattaraugus County) 91. Gowanda (Cattaraugus County) 92. Dunkirk (Chautauqua County) 93. Niagara Falls (Niagara County) 94. Canaseraga (Allegany County) 95. Lackawanna (Erie County) 96. Friendship (Allegany County) 97. Buffalo (Erie County)

[ckhthankgod]

This might be better: https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/District.do?year=2007&county=ERIE&district=1402010 60000 (broken link)

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/District.do?year=2007&county=ERIE&district=1418000 10000 (broken link)

Just click on the schools you want to see.

[Coraggio]

Originally Posted by CAugust

The Williamsville Central School District is number one for the fourth straight year in Business First's annual rankings of Western New York's public school systems.

Business First graded 97 districts in the 8 county region.

The rankings use four years of test data compiled by the New York State Education Department.

Thanks for posting these, Colleen. I'm always interested to see where the schools stand.

[FedupWNY]

Originally Posted by CAugust

Business First graded 97 districts in the 8 county region.

97. Buffalo (Erie County)

Funny how Business First ranked just 97 school districts (not even a full 100), leaving Buffalo as dead last, Lackawanna not far behind

Name another school district in WNY with 36,806 students, maybe if we didn't have real estate agents talking people out of buying in the city of Bufalo for the past 20 years based on schooling percentages

Right now, the Buffalo school district has 12% drop-out rate, (page 7) https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb-rc...0600010000.pdf not quite the "horror" a real estate agent tries to sell, unless it's of a much smaller school district.

Of course the percentage would be larger in Buffalo to that of the suburban schools given that Buffalo is the 2nd largest population city in all of New York State.

Real estate agents have all the answers, except for their "hands on" experience of living neigborhoods.

Looking back, CAug said

however I know the "demographics" of many areas

Yet I wonder though, on the "demographics factors" of Buffalo (since CAugust spoke of demographics first, click here and scroll to Page 3) :

Black or African American 21206
White 9560

Perhaps she can, as per her keywords, tell us of the "demographics" (according to NYS) compared between Amherst & Lackawanna.

[Coraggio]

Originally Posted by FedupWNY

Funny how Business First ranked just 97 school districts (not even a full 100), leaving Buffalo as dead last, Lackawanna not far behind

Name another school district in WNY with 36,806 students, maybe if we didn't have real estate agents talking people out of buying in the city of Bufalo for the past 20 years based on schooling percentages

Not sure why you're jumping down CAugust's throat, and if she ignored you from now on, I wouldn't blame her.

Do you have kids? Would you want them in the Buffalo public schools? I have friends and relatives who have taught in Buffalo, and when we moved here, the first thing they all said was "For God's sake, don't live in the city and send them to public school." And we couldn't/can't afford to send them to private school, so that ruled out living in the city.

I'm sorry if that offends anyone on this board, but that was *my* experience, and I'm not ashamed to say we live in the suburbs because of it. My kids are smart, and I want them to get a good education from motivated teachers who have proper classrooms with enough books & supplies & computers. I like that their school has the money to send them on field trips and have clubs and other extra-curricular activities.

Not everyone avoids living in the city because of the schools, so you can't blame the population decline on that. And when people come on this list, saying they want to live where there are good schools, what would you have other people say??? The schools everywhere in WNY are fine? They're not.

[FedupWNY]

Plenty of smart children do get a good education within the City of Buffalo, unlike the stereotyping shown in this Buffalo forum. I've lived here all my life and my children are 4th generation born & raised, living just as good as if we chose to live in the 2nd ring suburbs of which CAugust is so quick to push for anytime anyone writes saying they have interest in Buffalo. It seems everyone wants the name recognition of "Buffalo" yet have the opt to put the city down upon every chance by trying to "sell" outside of the city limits.

A quote from a different (new) thread, signs of how this real estate agent tries for an "outside of Buffalo" line of questioning.

Originally Posted by CAugust

Depends on what type of enviornment you are looking for? What is important to you, to be close to where he is working, or schools for your children? Do you want a large yard for the kids and a neighborhood or do you like city living? Let us know and I am sure many will chime in

The person came to this site seeking advice on living in the city of Buffalo, and her's is first to question do you want "better" schools and spacious lands? What else is to conclude but a push for the suburbs, and people wonder why Buffalo (the city) has had such a loss of population.

Buffalo is the 2nd largest city in all of New York State with the least amount of respect because of agents who will suggest buying in other areas, no matter the cost of talking people (who had a genuine interest of moving to the city) out of buying/living in the city of Buffalo.

If CAugust is allowed to have her opinions (that being of possible profits) why am I not permitted made out of my love for the city I was born into? There's so much more than schools to which makes Buffalo a great city, that as many from the suburbs never see or even know enough to care about, yet will subscribe to the idea of uptopia from those suburbs.

Am I really all that wrong for having my own opinions to that of the "selling points" CAugust (a real estate agent) shares in this forum?

I have friends and relatives who have taught in Buffalo, and when we moved here, the first thing they all said was "For God's sake, don't live in the city and send them to public school."

If you really have friends and relatives that were/are "educators" in Buffalo telling you to not send you children to Buffalo schools, that's a bad reflection more so on their part, wouldn't you say? Seems just as bad as CAugust telling the tales of second hand information (claims) of a student saying they haven't seen their parents in 3 days, thus a reason to never send your child(ren) to a city school, being Buffalo or Lackawanna.

By chance since you said hear-say was *your* experience to buy outside of the city, you didn't try out Buffalo to know for yourself, did you? No, it doesn't sound like you did, yet have time to trash the city with no regard whatsoever of those who live Buffalo everyday.

Nice to know having the title of real estate agent under one's user name buys loyalty to everything outside of Buffalo. Anyone has their choice to ignor me, but even the same as you.... my opinions & knowledge should deem worthy just the same as someone else who's only selling property in Erie County.

Don't like it, don't read it! But at the least of all honor the respect of people who know Buffalo more than yourself.

[worthk34]

I would avoid the Peace Bridge area- it has maybe 2 streets of lovely homes but for the most part it is terrible. Lackawanna- has a great High School but that is it- it is not pleasant (I dont like even driving through it). The Bennet area is decent, close to Main street and Hertel ave but a few blocks east and it begins to fall apart. University Heights is nice, family orientated but recently there have been a few random acts of violence- however, mostly college related. Buffalo State- hit or miss on that one. I would suggest North Buffalo (parkside area or Hertel area- Commonwealth, Wellington, Sterling Streets to name a few) or Elmwood Village area- streets like Lancaster, Hodge, Cleveland. Both North Buffalo and Elmwood have nice school districts (I believe Nth Buffalo's PS 81 is one of the best) and places to shop, eat and entertainment. The snow isn't a huge deal- dont let our proximity to Canada or silly news stories fool you. Yes, it snows and yes it gets cold and frigid- but a nice blanket of snow really enhances the holiday season and will provide an opportunity for you children to learn winter sports or go sledding. Besides- you really learn to appreciate the spring and summer after a chily winter. Overall, Buffalo is a wonderful place to raise a family and it is very friendly- it is really a city of good neighbors. Good luck and I hope this was helpful!

[Coraggio]

Originally Posted by FedupWNY

If you really have friends and relatives that were/are "educators" in Buffalo telling you to not send you children to Buffalo schools, that's a bad reflection more so on their part, wouldn't you say?

No. They were fed up with lack of funding, out-of-touch administrators, disinterested parents, schools that lacked basic supplies, kids who weren't being taught to respect authority, students who came in not knowing the most basic stuff (numbers and ABCs) and in the midst of all this, they were expected to achieve certain test results. That's just a sampling of what they've told me.

And I used to teach, too. I was in a rural community in VA, and yet I had it a lot better than many of my colleagues in the BPS.

By chance since you said hear-say was *your* experience to buy outside of the city, you didn't try out Buffalo to know for yourself, did you? No, it doesn't sound like you did, yet have time to trash the city with no regard whatsoever of those who live Buffalo everyday.

I lived in the city of Buffalo for 10+ years, got an education degree from Buff State, did all of my practicums and most of my student teaching in Buffalo. Wasn't impressed then, but when I came back several years later, having been a teacher myself in two other states and school districts, but now thinking as a parent, I took the advice of people I trusted, including people I'd graduated with. So not exactly hearsay.

Don't like it, don't read it! But at the least of all honor the respect of people who know Buffalo more than yourself.

See above. I know Buffalo pretty darn well.