Naperville vs Chicago(Lincoln park, lakeview) (neighborhood, magnet school, live)

[wjj]

Originally Posted by Clark&Addison

I hate to beat a dead horse, but I have too call out misleading blanket statements like this regarding CPS (or in this case simply "Chicago") schools whenever I see them.


CPS schools range from hell holes to some of the best in the nation. Lakeview is served by some of the best elementary schools the City has to offer (Nettlehorst, Blaine), as are Edgebrook and much of Lincoln Square. For the most part, any good family-friendly neighborhood that gets mentioned on these forums is served by high-quality K-8 schools.

High schools range from the exceptional selective enrollments, quality neighborhood schools with IB programs (Taft, LP), good magnets like Von Steuben, neighborhood schools that are improving but leave something to be desired (LV, Amundsen), and schools that no parent would ever want there kids to attend. There are also dozens of private, parochial, and charter schools ranging from hugely expensive to relatively cheap to free in the case of charter schools.

Trying to characterize the second largest school system in the country with a statement like "Schools in Chicago are not good" does not help people like the OP who are seeking useful information.

I'm sorry but I went to Taft way back when it was a decent school. Now, it could not even get ranked by US News. I look at schools in the north and northwest burbs that are always looked down upon like Wheeling - but Wheeling blows away Taft in pretty much every metric. And again, Wheeling is not viewed as a desirable high school (though it does excel in some areas and its reputation is affected by the powerhouse schools in its district and surrounding area). When one of the suburb's least desirable schools blows away one of the best neighborhood schools in the city, that should tell you something about the city schools. The selective enrollment magnet schools are incredible, but if you do not get in, the chasm between the magnet and the next public school option is pretty deep.

One of my kids lived for 4 years in Lakeview and moved out last year. Still under 30 (barely). Basically, moved because of the drunk suburban kids running all over the place on weekends and game days plus a significant uptick in serious crime in the area. I would not want to raise a kid there when there are so many great suburban options.

[Clark&Addison]

Originally Posted by wjj

I'm sorry but I went to Taft way back when it was a decent school. Now, it could not even get ranked by US News. I look at schools in the north and northwest burbs that are always looked down upon like Wheeling - but Wheeling blows away Taft in pretty much every metric. And again, Wheeling is not viewed as a desirable high school (though it does excel in some areas and its reputation is affected by the powerhouse schools in its district and surrounding area). When one of the suburb's least desirable schools blows away one of the best neighborhood schools in the city, that should tell you something about the city schools. The selective enrollment magnet schools are incredible, but if you do not get in, the chasm between the magnet and the next public school option is pretty deep.

One of my kids lived for 4 years in Lakeview and moved out last year. Still under 30 (barely). Basically, moved because of the drunk suburban kids running all over the place on weekends and game days plus a significant uptick in serious crime in the area. I would not want to raise a kid there when there are so many great suburban options.

No need to be sorry for attending taft. Taft is a safe school, with the upside of the IB program and the intangible benefits that some people place in attending a city school. I am not super well versed in whatever statistics are used by US news, but I'm sure Taft does not stack up on paper to the far more homogenous student bodies of the suburban schools you mentioned. It also is around half low-income, which can have a profound effect on the average performance of the student body. Anecdotally, I knew dozens of Taft kids growing up and (almost) all turned out just fine (I'm about your son's age). A student from a good family going to Taft is not a bad choice, especially if the family needs or wants to live in the city.

As far as Lakeview, I am not recommending it to the OP nor am I suggesting LV, especially east LV, is a good place to raise a family. That said, my point stands that the elementary schools in Lakeview are very good, with the exception of Greely.

[wjj]

Originally Posted by Clark&Addison

No need to be sorry for attending taft. Taft is a safe school, with the upside of the IB program and the intangible benefits that some people place in attending a city school. I am not super well versed in whatever statistics are used by US news, but I'm sure Taft does not stack up on paper to the far more homogenous student bodies of the suburban schools you mentioned. It also is around half low-income, which can have a profound effect on the average performance of the student body. Anecdotally, I knew dozens of Taft kids growing up and (almost) all turned out just fine (I'm about your son's age). A student from a good family going to Taft is not a bad choice, especially if the family needs or wants to live in the city.

As far as Lakeview, I am not recommending it to the OP nor am I suggesting LV, especially east LV, is a good place to raise a family. That said, my point stands that the elementary schools in Lakeview are very good, with the exception of Greely.

I agree that Taft is probably about as good as it gets if you are stuck being in a regular Chicago neighborhood high school. Many people who live in the Norwood Park area (a lot of workers who are required to live in the city like police and firefighters) where Taft is located send their kids to private schools and avoid Taft. Wheeling is not a homogeneous school at all and has a larger minority student body than Taft - 58% Hispanic and 2% black at Wheeling vs 39% Hispanic and 2% black at Taft. There are 43% low income students at Wheeling and 58% art Taft. They are not all that dissimilar, but I think the education one would get at each is quite different.

As for raising kids, Norwood Park, Edison Park, Oriole Park, etc have really bounced back after hitting the skids a bit in the late 1980s and early 1990s and would be a good place to raise a family if one has to live in the city. Same for areas like Edgebrook and Forest Glen that also feed into Taft. When I drive around the old neighborhood, I am impressed at how well it has held up. But it still does not compare very well with even a middle-of-the-road suburb for raising a family.

[damba]

Getting back to the OP's comments regarding daycare costs, he will be hard pressed to go below the 'floor' of hourly babysitting rates- depending on what he can negotiate. Not ideal IMNSHO, but sometimes it's the only way to avoid effectively adding another mortgage payment each month

My other friends claimed it was actually a good incentive to save like crazy again. On day one, once the kids are finally done with childcare.

[freeflowing]

I'd agree with the suggestion to look to other places outside of the city. We're also dual income with a rising 1st grader and a 2nd child on the way. And no family nearby to help regularly with childcare. We currently rent in Andersonville (a wonderful -- and pricey -- neighborhood). And it's time for us to head to the burbs. This is primarily due to affordability and schools. We simply cannot afford to buy a house in this area. Plus, childcare costs are quite high.

Regarding public school options -- we're not willing to send our kids to a mediocre public school, or try our luck with an out-of-district lottery and then have to transport from home to school. We want our kids to have the neighborhood school experience. Yes, there are some high quality public schools in Chicago... and the housing prices are also much higher in those districts. Plus, in looking into some high quality public schools they are often dealing with over-crowding and reductions to a variety of programs that we value (like fine art).

Don't forget that many suburbs are serviced by express Metra trains. Depending on the location of your childcare and work, we're finding that the door-to-door commute times from some burbs are surprisingly acceptable.

[chicagodesi]

This is the exact reason why we are moving to Naperville. Currently my daughter goes to Oriole Park Elementary and we are moving to Naperville 203 schools.

[CamThomas]

TTT. I love the quaintness of Naperville but the activity in LP is alluring. I have an elementary age daughter. Both my SO and I can work from home.

[GWoodle]

Originally Posted by tiyakhambadkone

Thanks for your response.
Which are the safe neighborhoods (at a commutable distance to Chicago downtown) with good schools where daycare cost is not super-high and rent is also affordable?

You could look at other communities in the west suburb from Lisle to Downers Grove or La Grange. Assuming the BNSF Metra line takes you closest to work.

Second alternative may be from Elmhurst commuting to downtown via the UP Metra West line.

You will have to look at Metra zone pricing for how far out you can be for a price. Then you have to figure time from home to station & time from station to work,

[Kmanshouse]

Most of the upper middle class types I know that raised kids in the city had kids that tested into Lane, or were able to attend a magnet school like Jones. Or they went Catholic/private and spent a fortune.

We lived in Lincoln Square for several years (after our kids were done with high school) and Amundsen is right there. I'm thinking, nice looking school, pretty well off neighborhood, but it's the poorer 1/2 that send their kids there, and I've heard bad things about it.

This made me grateful we sent our kids to school in Naperville....despite the other issues that come with it.

If you want a safe, high quality education in the city, you'll need to either make huge $$$ or have extremely intelligent children and are willing to have them go a decent distance to school. Or both. Moving to the city after our youngest was 19 and observing everything reinforced in my brain that having kids in Chicago during that 6-18 age stretch isn't something I would do. But that's just me.

[Nodpete]

You all realize that the OP's post was in 2017 don't you ?