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I'm gonna go back down to the basics here folks...
Let me ask you ALL a question...
Whenever you see people post threads on here asking about 'good places to live' in the CSRA, what is the ONE THING they ALWAYS ask about?
Anyone?
Anyone?
SCHOOLS!!!
From actual posts on THIS forum:
"great schools are important"
"good schools for the kids"
"I have heard so much about Columbia County schools"
"best area outside of the city would be for best schools"
"We are moving to Augusta, GA in may and looking for help and guidance to find good elementary schools. Few friends suggested to find schools in Columbia county"
"I have heard so much about Columbia County schools"
People, families, care about SCHOOLS. And don't any of you come at me and bring up Davidson or Johnson, those are MAGNET schools kids have to apply and be accepted into, NOT regular old public schools 90% of the population goes to. Take a look at downtown and the areas surrounding downtown...the public schools in these areas are IN GENERAL not the best: The Governor's Office of Student Achievement
Now, you may have also noticed a reoccurring theme in the posts above...the repeated mention of Columbia County...lets look at their 'report cards' shall we? The Governor's Office of Student Achievement
Significantly higher 'achievement' rates, meeting AYP, average SAT scores 200-400 points higher than those in schools in or near downtown Augusta.
Okay, looking at this info, we can all agree on a few things:
1) People, particularly families, tend to want to locate near well performing schools.
2) When looking at AYP, avg SAT score, etc., downtown area schools (regular public schools, not magnet) do not perform spectacularly.
3) In comparison, Columbia Cty schools performed significantly better than the Augusta schools examined.
Now, lets look at one more thing...
The population of Columbia Cty grew by 38.9% from 2000 to 2010, and is estimated to have increased by 6.1% from 2010 to 2012.
The population of Richmond Cty grew by 0.4% from 2000 to 2010.
Folks, the answer on how to get more people, more families to move downtown and into downtowns surrounding neighborhoods is RIGHT IN FRONT OF US...WE NEED BETTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS!
You can build all the parks, stores, bars, ballparks, arenas, zoos, and whatever you want, but all this won't get people to move downtown. Sure, you may attract the 'young professional' to a loft downtown and they'll live there while they're in med school, but as soon as they start a family, they're going to move to the suburbs where the schools are better.
Good schools attract wealthier families, which attract private development (restaurants, stores, malls, etc), which in turn attracts more people who want to be near these assets, which in turn attracts more and more development. This increases the tax base, providing more money to the gov't, making the gov't able to build more amenities, which, in turn, attracts even more people.
Improve the schools, and you'll see Harrisburg and Laney Walker and Bethlehem and East Augusta go from depressed to prosperous. Afterall, the only real difference between a house in Laney Walker and a house in Evans is that if I lived in Laney Walker, I could walk to dinner at Mellow Mushroom whereas in Evans I have to hop in my car and drive 15 mins to get a decent slice of pizza.
This is the end of my commentary, feel free to submit to the Chronicle
Thanks,
ESD
Oh, one more thing, downtown isn't dangerous, it's all BS from the tv stations and the newspaper. Crime isn't the problem, the media is.
Last edited by 803Swimmer; 05-26-2013 at 10:08 AM..
You make a very good point about schools, but the fact of the matter is that it's not young families driving most of the growth in the downtown areas of any city these days; it's mostly single young professionals, DINKs (including gay couples), and empty-nesters. I agree that once the single professionals have children, they are more likely to move to the 'burbs where the schools are better, and this is an issue that wasn't created overnight nor will it be solved overnight. The solution to that is just to make downtown more attractive for living in general, and you'll see more and more people want to live there from the aforementioned groups.
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
7,507 posts, read 15,093,442 times
Reputation: 955
I lived in both counties, and here's my opinion on the subject. Columbia County may have the better overall system, but it's much different in terms of individual schools. The majority of growth in Columbia County the last decade came from white people leaving older parts of South Augusta, hype of being the 'new area', and white republicans moving into the county.
Westside(non magnet) had a higher SAT, ACT, etc over the last few years than every high school in Columbia County except for Greenbriar and Lakeside. Freedom Park(non magnet) is better the overwhelmingly majority of schools in Columbia County. I can think of other schools who outranked certain schools in Columbia County.. Davidson, AR Johnson, CT Walker(located in the urban core) are the three best schools in the entire CSRA, and the top among schools in the entire state.
Columbia County did grow much faster between 2000-2010, but Richmond County has significantly closed the gap since 2010-2012(6% vs 1%). West Augusta/Summerville/Forest Hills, etc will continue to grow. The major difference this decade are new places like Southwest Augusta/Midtown, South Augusta becoming stable/growing, and the growth in the Central Business District.
Expect to notice even more significant changes due to GRU developments, Artspace, Laney Walker/Bethlehem, 25 acre development near Kroger, urban core revitalization/gentrification, etc... The city of Augusta has demolished several housing projects, and still has plans for Cherry Tree/Sunset, etc..
Young families, LGBT community, empty nesters, etc are moving into the urban core. Richmond County is increasingly becoming more like Fulton County. Majority black in South Augusta/South Fulton, majority white in North Fulton/West Augusta, urban core attracting white families, and majority white historic neighborhoods, demolish the housing projects, and gentrifying majority black areas.
The white population of Richmond County is almost growing twice as fast compared to Columbia County. The black population of Richmond County is also stagnant, and the black pouplation is the fastest growing in Columbia County. The white population of Richmond County grew 1.1% and the Mills/Cultural campuses, GGHF site, Artspace, etc haven't even started. Augusta is also just really starting on building up the urban core versus Charleston/Savannah or even Greenville.
White population 2010-2011
Richmond 1.1%
Columbia .6%
Black population
Richmond .2%
Columbia .8%
The sheriff also released the crime stats for the CBD last year, and they were extremely low.. This year the chronicle story said the crime rates in the CBD are low, and comparable to West Augusta. The only time anybody can bring up crime 'downtown' is related to East Augusta, Harrisburg, 15th street near Josey, etc(not the CBD)..
Last edited by nortonguy; 05-26-2013 at 12:02 PM..
"Westside(non magnet) had a higher SAT, ACT, etc over the last few years than every high school in Columbia County except for Greenbriar and Lakeside. Freedom Park(non magnet) is better the overwhelmingly majority of schools in Columbia County. I can think of other schools who outranked certain schools in Columbia County.. Davidson, AR Johnson, CT Walker(located in the urban core) are the three best schools in the entire CSRA, and the top among schools in the entire state."
Again nort, we are talking about comparing the downtown area non-magnet schools with the Columbia County ones, and the fact is that they aren't very good performance wise. I don't care about Westside or Freedom Park because they are in West Augusta or Ft Gordon, NOT downtown, which is the point of discussion. The fact of the matter is that in it's current educational state, downtown will not attract many families. Sure, you'll get singles, 'young professionals' (never understood what exactly that meant), and gay folks, but when the singles (including LGBTs) settle down and have kids, they're going to go where the good schools are...having a nice restaurant down the block isn't as attractive to them as having a good school for their kids to go to. The neighborhoods surrounding downtown will have the same problem, plenty of traditional families will overlook them because the schools aren't great.
"Davidson, AR Johnson, CT Walker(located in the urban core) are the three best schools in the entire CSRA"
Again, you missed my point. WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE MAGNET SCHOOLS IN THIS CONVERSATION because we are talking about regular old public schools. OF COURSE THESE SCHOOLS ARE THE BEST, ONLY THE 'BEST' APPLY, AND ONLY THE 'BEST OF THE BEST' GET ACCEPTED. Of course they're going to have great test scores. If I open a school in Aiken and take only the top performing 5% of the students from each school to go to my new school, my new school is going to perform great because I've got nothing but the best, smartest, most eager to learn and succeed making up my student body.
"The white population of Richmond County is almost growing twice as fast compared to Columbia County. The black population of Richmond County is also stagnant, and the black pouplation is the fastest growing in Columbia County.
White population 2010-2011 Richmond 1.1% Columbia .6%
Black population Richmond .2% Columbia .8%
The white population of Richmond County grew 1.1% and the Mills/Cultural campuses, GGHF site, Artspace, etc haven't even started. Augusta is also just really starting on building up the urban core versus Charleston/Savannah or even Greenville."
And this has to do with what? Black/White population is irrelevant. From the sound of it, you seem to believe that a growing white population is the only way for a city to prosper...and that an increase in black population is going to negatively affect Columbia County...that's kind of racist bro.
"Columbia County may have the better overall system, but it's much different in terms of individual schools. The majority of growth in Columbia County the last decade came from white people leaving older parts of South Augusta, hype of being the 'new area', and white republicans moving into the county."
Soooo, the reason Columbia County schools are better is because they're made up of mostly white Republican kids? So, by inference based on this reasoning, that would mean you believe that the reason Augusta's lower performing schools in traditionally black neighborhoods are performing poorly because they are made up mostly by black kids and that the only way for these schools and neighborhoods to improve is to bring in rich white people? That's effed up bro.
"The sheriff also released the crime stats for the CBD last year, and they were extremely low.. This year the chronicle story said the crime rates in the CBD are low, and comparable to West Augusta. The only time anybody can bring up crime 'downtown' is related to East Augusta, Harrisburg, 15th street near Josey, etc(not the CBD).."
And again, did you even read my post? I SAID that anyone who says downtown is dangerous or full of crime is full of it, its all just BS that gets overinflated by the media.
Last edited by 803Swimmer; 05-26-2013 at 12:24 PM..
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
7,507 posts, read 15,093,442 times
Reputation: 955
The white/black ratio was meant to show Augusta is following the trends of larger cities. White people moving back into the urban core, and minorities flocking to the suburbs.
Columbia County school's do better overall, because they have a lower poverty rate, social issues, etc....
"Westside(non magnet) had a higher SAT, ACT, etc over the last few years than every high school in Columbia County except for Greenbriar and Lakeside. Freedom Park(non magnet) is better the overwhelmingly majority of schools in Columbia County. I can think of other schools who outranked certain schools in Columbia County.. Davidson, AR Johnson, CT Walker(located in the urban core) are the three best schools in the entire CSRA, and the top among schools in the entire state."
Again nort, we are talking about comparing the downtown area non-magnet schools with the Columbia County ones, and the fact is that they aren't very good performance wise. I don't care about Westside or Freedom Park because they are in West Augusta or Ft Gordon, NOT downtown, which is the point of discussion. The fact of the matter is that in it's current educational state, downtown will not attract many families. Sure, you'll get singles, 'young professionals' (never understood what exactly that meant), and gay folks, but when the singles (including LGBTs) settle down and have kids, they're going to go where the good schools are...having a nice restaurant down the block isn't as attractive to them as having a good school for their kids to go to. The neighborhoods surrounding downtown will have the same problem, plenty of traditional families will overlook them because the schools aren't great.
"Davidson, AR Johnson, CT Walker(located in the urban core) are the three best schools in the entire CSRA"
Again, you missed my point. WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE MAGNET SCHOOLS IN THIS CONVERSATION because we are talking about regular old public schools. OF COURSE THESE SCHOOLS ARE THE BEST, ONLY THE 'BEST' APPLY, AND ONLY THE 'BEST OF THE BEST' GET ACCEPTED. Of course they're going to have great test scores. If I open a school in Aiken and take only the top performing 5% of the students from each school to go to my new school, my new school is going to perform great because I've got nothing but the best, smartest, most eager to learn and succeed making up my student body.
"The white population of Richmond County is almost growing twice as fast compared to Columbia County. The black population of Richmond County is also stagnant, and the black pouplation is the fastest growing in Columbia County.
White population 2010-2011 Richmond 1.1% Columbia .6%
Black population Richmond .2% Columbia .8%
The white population of Richmond County grew 1.1% and the Mills/Cultural campuses, GGHF site, Artspace, etc haven't even started. Augusta is also just really starting on building up the urban core versus Charleston/Savannah or even Greenville."
And this has to do with what? Black/White population is irrelevant. From the sound of it, you seem to believe that a growing white population is the only way for a city to prosper...and that an increase in black population is going to negatively affect Columbia County...that's kind of racist bro.
"Columbia County may have the better overall system, but it's much different in terms of individual schools. The majority of growth in Columbia County the last decade came from white people leaving older parts of South Augusta, hype of being the 'new area', and white republicans moving into the county."
Soooo, the reason Columbia County schools are better is because they're made up of mostly white Republican kids? So, by inference based on this reasoning, that would mean you believe that the reason Augusta's lower performing schools in traditionally black neighborhoods are performing poorly because they are made up mostly by black kids and that the only way for these schools and neighborhoods to improve is to bring in rich white people? That's effed up bro.
"The sheriff also released the crime stats for the CBD last year, and they were extremely low.. This year the chronicle story said the crime rates in the CBD are low, and comparable to West Augusta. The only time anybody can bring up crime 'downtown' is related to East Augusta, Harrisburg, 15th street near Josey, etc(not the CBD).."
And again, did you even read my post? I SAID that anyone who says downtown is dangerous or full of crime is full of it, its all just BS that gets overinflated by the media.
Well said. I guess you leave up to nort he will ship all the blacks surrounding downtown to south Augusta. then make way for rich whites and upper middle class whites. Every time someone bring up columbia County school systems vs Richmond County nort have to find away to put black/white in it or politics. Have ever seen a person who think they have all the answer that if you right and wrong he will put your right down so his wrong answer be right.
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
7,507 posts, read 15,093,442 times
Reputation: 955
Are you joking?? Why are you still mad because I simply asked can you read the forums, because you kept posting the exact same link a few minutes after me..
Please show me on the forum were I mentioned race in the discussion of schools?? The poster before was bringing up growth rates in terms of the counties. I only showed the black/white ratio, because alot of the growth in Columbia County between 2000-2010 was from white people leaving older parts of South Augusta... That's not happening anymore if you look at recent demographics changes, and now white people are moving in the urban core..
Eastsidedave lives in Aiken County has bash South Augusta plenty of times, and it's always usually me taking up for the area.. Read the older posts, and you will notice all of the areas he bashes are majority black... I won't he mentioned some of his comments about majority black neighborhoods like Laney Walker in the urban core who I routinely take up for. I think his comments are hilarious, because we can tell from the comments who hangs around more black people.
The same few people(including you) no matter the subject bring up certain commissioners for instance, and I hardly ever discuss politics on here.
I made no relation in terms of race making a city grow or any correlation between race and education...
Last edited by nortonguy; 05-26-2013 at 04:19 PM..
As a man who has lived in and around downtown I can tell you first hand the biggest problems affecting downtown are safety, education, and a lack of infrastructure.
Infrastructure: As I have stated in a previous post the one reason folks don't come downtown is they really have no reason to go, even the freeway system in Augusta is designed in a way to avoid downtown. I-20 runs east to west and only a few miles are in Richmond County. I-520 runs around the city, so unless you want to go downtown you won't end up there.
Education: We have A.R. Johnson and Davidson. In terms of public schools Laney is being remodeled and hopefully the school gets turned around, Josey is a whole different beast however with the 15th street project and the destruction of Sunset Homes the school should see a huge change. On the middle and elementary school level, the biggest problem rest within the parents. Most of them seem uninterested in their child's education and it rolls right into high school.
Safety: Downtown is pretty safe when you compare it to similar size cities, however the media has a way of inflating crime in the city.
Well said. I guess you leave up to nort he will ship all the blacks surrounding downtown to south Augusta. then make way for rich whites and upper middle class whites. Every time someone bring up columbia County school systems vs Richmond County nort have to find away to put black/white in it or politics. Have ever seen a person who think they have all the answer that if you right and wrong he will put your right down so his wrong answer be right.
That is what I'm most afraid, not blacks being shipped to South Augusta but Section 8 Housing relocation, of and that appears to be the game plan. AC has thrown South Augusta under the bus by coming out and saying downtown is safer than the Southside. It's true but it didn't need to do a piece on it. As a resident of south Augusta, things are getting worse. And where is Corey Johnson, Alvin Mason, Joe Jackson, and others that represent South Augusta? I remember when Johnson said he wanted Peach Orchard to be like Washington Rd. Peach Orchard couldn't be farther from it. There were talks of South Augusta drawing a Target and other stores and still nothing has happened. All but two stores remain in the strip where Blockbuster used to be. As I drove by Ihop, the only cars there belonged to the employees. Yet, that Dollar Tree is going strong. If a national retailer wanted to open a business on Peach Orchard, there is plenty of space as store fronts are becoming vacant overnight and if you throw in Southgate/Deans Bridge/Gordon HWY, outside of some hotels that were built, the whole area is bombed out and depressed.
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