Chicago Public Schools (real estate, city hall, condo)

[IloveLoganSquare]

I have been thinking about Chicago Public Schools as the numbers are not looking good for us as compared with other cities:

Chicago's Public Schools Lag Behind other Big Cities on New Test Results. | Article from Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) (via Knight-Ridder/TribuneBusiness News) | HighBeam Research

Why don't we add more selective public colleg prep high schools that require an entrance exam to identify talent so that we can motivate students to perform by giving them a career path of sorts in free public education; allowing them to have a hand in their own destiny? This would also force our not stellar private schools to compete more handily for their student bodies with the public school system.

Thoughts please!

[chet everett]

The talent is too thin as it is. There needs to be a much more varied response to the challenges of high schools than simply "more selective admissions". The CPS would rather keep gym classes full than explore any innovative paths of encouraging students to careers that don't require a college degree. The "vocational" options are a joke, the lack of useful skills that the average CPS high schooler has when they recieve their diploma is appalling.

More bad news: the same out of touch disaster is going to be the order of the day NATIONALLY with Arne as Obama's head of Dept. ot Ed.

Ugh!!

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by chet everett

The talent is too thin as it is. There needs to be a much more varied response to the challenges of high schools than simply "more selective admissions". The CPS would rather keep gym classes full than explore any innovative paths of encouraging students to careers that don't require a college degree. The "vocational" options are a joke, the lack of useful skills that the average CPS high schooler has when they recieve their diploma is appalling.

More bad news: the same out of touch disaster is going to be the order of the day NATIONALLY with Arne as Obama's head of Dept. ot Ed.

Ugh!!

Staying away from the political aspect of your post...

Quick question, are you saying that vocational programs in high schools are a joke in general, or are you just referring to CPS school. I came from a school downstate that had (from what I could tell) a pretty impressive vocational program. That said, I am not familiar with what CPS has to offer.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

Staying away from the political aspect of your post...

Quick question, are you saying that vocational programs in high schools are a joke in general, or are you just referring to CPS school. I came from a school downstate that had (from what I could tell) a pretty impressive vocational program. That said, I am not familiar with what CPS has to offer.

I think he is saying in the CPS in general.I would have to agree.

For the most part many (but not all) CPS schools are a joke.

[lincolnparker]

yeah, if you want ur kids to have a decent education in the city, you really have to fork over big $ to send em to private schools

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by lincolnparker

yeah, if you want ur kids to have a decent education in the city, you really have to fork over big $ to send em to private schools

Not necessarily, although there is obviously a reason most parents that have the means do their best to avoid CPS schools.

I know quite a few people that graduated from average to below average CPS schools and are doing quite well, having already graduated from college. This is obviously the exception to the rule for CPS.

[SarahMom]

I had heard that Chicago had implemented a 'community model' (neighborhood schools) in your school system, with great results. Not true?

[Lookout Kid]

Certain neighborhood elementary schools (K-8) have had great parental invovlement and have really turned around (Nettlehorst and Blaine in Lakeview come to mind, as well as Bell in North Center). But of course, this came along with a major upswing in neighborhood real estate (i.e. lots of well-to-do white people moving in). It's great if you can afford to live in one of the few neighborhoods that have managed to turn their schools around, but lousy if you don't.

On a side note, if you even think for a second that you may have kids in the near future, do research on CPS attendance boundaries before buying real estate. It may not mean much to you when you find that perfect condo as a DINK, but it's always good to keep your options open should a little one happen to come your way.

[ajolotl]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

But of course, this came along with a major upswing in neighborhood real estate (i.e. lots of well-to-do white people moving in).

Or, in the case of Ray Elementary in Hyde Park, because the CPS CEO chose to send his own kids there.

I'm curious where they would have gone next -- certainly not the local Kenwood middle school (Cantor)!

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Certain neighborhood elementary schools (K-8) have had great parental invovlement and have really turned around (Nettlehorst and Blaine in Lakeview come to mind, as well as Bell in North Center). But of course, this came along with a major upswing in neighborhood real estate (i.e. lots of well-to-do white people moving in). It's great if you can afford to live in one of the few neighborhoods that have managed to turn their schools around, but lousy if you don't.

On a side note, if you even think for a second that you may have kids in the near future, do research on CPS attendance boundaries before buying real estate. It may not mean much to you when you find that perfect condo as a DINK, but it's always good to keep your options open should a little one happen to come your way.

Show me a neighborhood with well educated parents with good incomes and I'll show you nearby good schools. If the people are astute and moved in response to the school, it'll be public. If they moved primarily for other reasons, but got 'stuck' in a real estate down draft the schools that are good will be "user fee supported" aka 'private'.

The flipside is show me area with crummy real estate values, relative to an areas nearby and I show you area with crummy schools.

CPS has had Options for Knowledge for decades. It started as a response to court ordered desegregation. Various CPS and City Hall initiatives have built on the basic tenants of "selective enrollment" to keep / attract families in the City. Not really effective at helping the most "out of the game" people on the lower socio-economic rungs of societies ladder, but that is what is done.

In the neighborhoods where people have sunk a ton of money on nicer homes and decided they like their short commute to downtown jobs in finance, law or other "high dollar white collar" occupations where education pays off there has been some success making the neighborhood schools more than acceptable. Of course that makes the job of getting your kid into an acceptable high schools even tougher -- you sort of have to be ready to put your cleats into the skull of the kids that were classmates of your offspring. Ah Darwinism!

If you don't wanna play that game you are selling the charming place with the Juliet balconies, roof top deck, short stroll to sushi, sundried tomato pasta, CTA and Wrigley for a place where you have a great local elementary school, terrific high school, police to prevent your car from getting stolen and Metra monthly pass to get you to the Loop...