Best elementary school in downtown Chicago? (Lincoln, Ogden: rent, transfer, neighborhoods)

[J_Finch]

Hi All,
I am new to this forum and currently moving to Chicago. I am trying to
find out very quickly... What is the best elementary school in
downtown Chicago? We're looking into areas around the Loop - e.g.
South Loop, Near North, and Lincoln Park. Are the CPS public schools
any good? Is it worthwhile to look into private schools - are they
worth the money? (just because you can afford something, does not mean
it's a good investment) Please help! There are too many schools to
choose from and too many sites to browse. We need some information
very quickly in order to at least decide what neighborhood we'll be
moving into (we don't want to move twice). We're trying to avoid the
suburbs if at all possible. Is there a website that has all the
information in one place? Any helpful guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks

[chet everett]

I would suggest you seek out the help of the folks at "Neighborhood Parents Network" if your goal is to move into an area served by tolerable CPS schools.

Personally I have experience as a teacher in both the high schools of Chicago Public Schools and private schools and the substantial investment for private schools really reflects more of a choice about social aspects of the schools environment. There are some high performing CPS schools, however the combination of lottery and evaluation needed to gain entrance does not make it a good option for transfer / relocation. There are some acceptable schools which are open to those who own / rent in desirable neighborhoods however the stability of many of them is far from guaranteed given the well known bureaucratic red tape and mismanagement of CPS.

If you will be working in the Loop I would strongly recommend investigation of the towns well served by commuter rail. Depending on your reasons for looking into CPS you may find that combination of well developed traditional towns with walkable cores of shops and restaurants served by efficient mass transit will make for a very pleasant move.

[kindrakindra]

South Loop has a gifted program, but it's too late for this fall. Andrew Jackson is in the west Loop with great test scores, but that's a lottery to get in, I think. In terms of the best regular schools, people usually say Hawthorne, Bell, Blaine and Lincoln, Nettlehorst. There are many up and comers, like Coonley, Waters, Ravenswood, Pierce, Prescott, Agassiz. I am certainly forgetting a ton.

Also, please be advised that there are gifted, magnet and classical schools, as well as gifted programs in regular schools.

A few sites:

npnparents.org
cpsobsessed.com

Don't listen to any realtor or listing on a specific school boundary. Make sure you check the CPS locator.

[chicagojlo]

There are some great schools downtown, as kindra kindra listed. You can add Ogden to that list too. Make sure you are focusing on 'neighborhood' schools since you can't apply to either magnets or selective enrollment (gifted/classical) this late in the school year, and yes definitely check the CPS school locator to make sure the property is zoned as you want it to be. It can differ by side of the street, it's that detailed.

There's no need to move to the suburbs or even go private if you can afford to live in an area served by one of the better neighborhood schools.