Good Schools in the City of Milwaukee (Highland, Woodland: house, neighborhood)

[Milwaukee Ronnie]

It seems like whenever there's a discussion about the advantages/disadvantages of different places throughout the Milwaukee metro area, schools are usually cited as a major drawback of the city. People say things like "the schools are bad in the city." This is a blanket statement that makes as much sense as saying "people in Florida are old."

There are over 400 schools in the city of Milwaukee. About 300 of these are public, non-tuition schools. Most of these schools are terrible. But about 1/3 of them are not. That leaves about 100 free schools in the city to choose from that are good schools. I would argue that's a pretty good number to choose from. And of these 100 or so good schools you have some truly exceptional ones.

My wife and I live on the west side of the city and are expecting our first child soon. Within a short distance of our house there are literally a dozen schools that I would gladly send our child to. Schools with strong test scores, small class sizes, a committed staff, proven results. Public schools.

Like the Milwaukee French Immersion school on 50th/North. Hi-Mount elementary, Neskara Elementary, Milwaukee School of Languages, Woodlands School, Highland Community School, Hawley Environmental.

These are schools located in the city of Milwaukee that perform well. Some of them are better than what you would find in most suburbs. And they don't charge tuition.

Anyone who is considering a school for their child should check out [url=http://www.GreatSchools.net[/url] ... that's where I have gone to find out the quality of different schools, and I find it very informative and helpful.

[EnjoyEP]

Good information in this post, and oh so true Ronnie.

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee Ronnie

It seems like whenever there's a discussion about the advantages/disadvantages of different places throughout the Milwaukee metro area, schools are usually cited as a major drawback of the city.

Milwaukee is not alone. Check out Phoenix and the surrounding areas. IIRC, Phoenix metro only got two schools on the top high schools in the country list. Milwaukee area got a bunch... and Phoenix's population is around 4 million people. Not too good for Phoenix. People miss that fact when they move down here (I live in Scottsdale). There are good schools, but not that many. I think that there are more options and a larger commitment to education in Milwaukee, even in the city. Plus, schooling in the city gets kids away from what I call the "Utah Effect", which is, in my mind, the removal of the normally occuring influences of society and community.

You mentioned the French Immersion school. Although I am not familiar with that school, I have toured the German Immersion School three times and was favorably impressed on each tour. Furthermore I am well acquainted with the parent of a student there, and this highly-educated professional is impressed by the quality of education afforded by that public school. There are other specialty schools in the city as well. I'm glad you brought this up because it is not as simple as saying that the schols suck. Yes, there are the hopeless type schools where nobody seems to care, but that was not the impression I got from the specialty schools that I have seen. I have a residence in the Riverside University HS neighborhood (near Lake Park) and I have to say that not ALL Milwaukee schools are bad, and there are a lot of options.

[Milwaukee Ronnie]

In my line of work I'm in contact with a huge variety of schools throughout the metro area. I've been in about 60 schools in the city of Milwaukee over the last few years. I have seen things so bad they've caused me to lose sleep at night. Classrooms with little to no control, rampant discipline problems, teachers and counselors who are overwhelmed and who have given up. I have walked out of schools literally trembling with anger over what I've seen.

But guess what: I have seen great things, too. I have been in city schools that are not just as "good as" but BETTER than any other place in the state. Places where kids learn real critical thinking skills, how to really think and express themselves. These are schools where minority students comprise the majority. These are tough schools. Not tough as in "ghetto tough." But "tough," as in, "tough to graduate from."

We need more schools like this, surely. But to say that "schools in the city are bad" is simply an ignorant statement.