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Old 06-12-2015, 12:26 PM
 
Location: 42°22'55.2"N 71°24'46.8"W
4,848 posts, read 11,753,596 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Whatsnext75 View Post
is it really the fault of bps? Or is it that the students there simply aren't good students thanks to their parents?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dm84 View Post
A combination of both.
Yup, both. You can't stick a METCO kid from Boston into Sudbury schools and expect him to perform at the same academic level as his peers from Sudbury. However, he will likely perform at a higher level than if he were stuck in BPS. Here's an excerpt from a study performed at Lincoln-Sudbury HS a few years ago:

Quote:
Despite many of our METCO students attending school in Lincoln or Sudbury since early grade school, a significant achievement gap exists between METCO students and their resident peers. METCO students are largely not enrolled in our highest levels of Math or Science and are significantly underrepresented in our highest levels of English, History, and Language classes. The median grade realized by METCO students in these highest-level courses is significantly lower than that of their suburban resident classmates, generally B- vs. B+. This difference in median course grade ultimately impacts the Grade Point Average (GPA) of our Boston students. METCO seniors of the Class of 2012 had a median GPA of 2.17 compared to an average GPA of approximately 3.18 for students residing in Lincoln and Sudbury. Despite the achievement gap while at Lincoln-Sudbury, our METCO students are well prepared for college. Based on 2011 data from the state, 63% of Lincoln-Sudbury METCO students attended 4-year colleges compared to 42% of students from Boston Public Schools and the 58% Massachusetts state average.
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Old 06-12-2015, 01:48 PM
 
Location: North of Boston
559 posts, read 745,844 times
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one of the biggest reasons for the gap is the summer. kids from wealthier towns have an opportunity continue to learn each summer via trips to measure, summer school, etc. Kids from lower economic brackets tend to not have these opportunities and regress somewhat during the summer. so kids that are at the same point after 1st grade are not equal beginning grade 2. and as time goes on, it compounds.
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Old 06-12-2015, 02:17 PM
 
Location: 42°22'55.2"N 71°24'46.8"W
4,848 posts, read 11,753,596 times
Reputation: 2961
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shizim View Post
one of the biggest reasons for the gap is the summer. kids from wealthier towns have an opportunity continue to learn each summer via trips to measure, summer school, etc. Kids from lower economic brackets tend to not have these opportunities and regress somewhat during the summer. so kids that are at the same point after 1st grade are not equal beginning grade 2. and as time goes on, it compounds.
Thank you for this insight. I am doing this without even realizing it. I hope it makes a difference as you say. I sat at home watching TV and playing video games all summer when I was a kid. Now I'm doing the opposite with my kids, enrolling them full time in various discovery camps all over MA and continuing Kumon and music lessons throughout the summer.
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Old 06-12-2015, 02:49 PM
 
298 posts, read 338,024 times
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If you define Sprawl and more development and building in outer suburbs (> 25 miles from city center) then I would say yes. Out here in Hopkinton, it seems they are building all over the place. Not like 1000 homes are going in, but open land and empty lots are being built. When the economy is strong and there is job growth, there will be populations growth. As people, especially families, are prices out o f the areas closer to t he city, they will move farther away and commute.

I visited Grafton also, and that is even farther and you see new construction left and right. And the houses are selling. Also, as companies grow, they may move out of Cambridge and Lexington, into areas like Westborough, Milford and Hopkinton. It is already happening. Why? Because the biotech companies find it very difficult to hire people, when people interview and see what houses cost.

I interviewed for a job at Shire in Lexington. When I saw what I could buy in Lexington, for the ~400k that my house in NJ sold for, I would be moving from a nice newer 4 bedroom colonial with a 2 car garage into a shack. Or a condo. Seriously, I don't think you could find a traditional 2400 sf colonial home in Lexington, on a 1 acre lot with 2 garages. More like a 100 year old house with no garage.

A lot of companies are now in Waltham, Needham and other outlying areas, and you will see more moving to Westborough and Worcester county in the future. People want to live where its affordable, not where you spend 70% of your income on a house.
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Old 06-12-2015, 06:16 PM
 
7,912 posts, read 7,744,400 times
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Uh...Boston has had significant gentification. More then probably any other place in the country. Where there was the combat zone is now dorms for northeastern. We were 10 years before NYC when they cleaned up times square.

Newbury St is still high end but the Bohemians left. It's national luxury now and not local boutiques.

Of course things left boston. There's reasons why Rt 128 was made and then Rt 495 and of course the commuter rails and bus lines and to a point boat services.

If everyone that worked in boston lived in boston it would probably have millions of people. Boston dipped by more then 12% due to people leaving to other areas. This was also due to the interstate highway system, telecommutting and lower tax rates somewhere else.

I've heard of places that would just rent in boston for a week or a few days and imply that's where they operate but the reality is they can't afford it but it impresses the clients so they believe it.
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Old 06-12-2015, 09:52 PM
 
Location: Lynn, MA
325 posts, read 484,228 times
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Boston has sprawl and it's Boston's own damn fault. Menino didn't want "Manhattanization" hence we get all this mostly low rise mediocre developments. I understand that there are some towers being built but too little too late IMO.

I lived in Allston for 7 years, finally moved to the 'Burbs in 2011. Sick of the cramped conditions, college kids, triple decker fire traps etc. Couldn't be happier.

Although I did look at some condos in the city and did consider them.
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Old 06-15-2015, 05:08 AM
 
374 posts, read 651,367 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Parsec View Post
Yup, both. You can't stick a METCO kid from Boston into Sudbury schools and expect him to perform at the same academic level as his peers from Sudbury. However, he will likely perform at a higher level than if he were stuck in BPS. Here's an excerpt from a study performed at Lincoln-Sudbury HS a few years ago:
Is it some sort of magic? The same student is able to exceed his expectations by transplanting? The parents remain the same.

Many argue that the positive academic efforts of the new co-students provide a positive environment. If you remove the best students from BPS, then they do not provide peer support for their fellow students. They also encourage the stigma of "being trapped in the BPS."

No excuses should be provided to the BPS. The average teacher salary is in considerable excess of the average salary of the general teacher in Massachusetts.

Schooling is the significant driving factor that moved most of the OFD into Quincy. This started the southern sprawl.

If you look at pictures of Canton in 1957, then you would not find hardly a house near the viaduct. Look today!

Bill
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Old 06-15-2015, 07:22 AM
nei nei won $500 in our forum's Most Engaging Poster Contest - Thirteenth Edition (Jan-Feb 2015). 

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Location: Western Massachusetts
46,009 posts, read 53,177,863 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lrfox View Post
Boston's "sprawl" is hidden by a bit of veneer. Most of our "lower-density" suburbs are kept lower density through regulation and zoning to "preserve the historic character of the community." Larger minimum lot sizes prevent the higher density suburban development that you see in suburbs a similar distance from the city center in places like Boston, LA, Phoenix, etc.
The historic character of most New England towns was rather dense with small lots, go to near the center of almost any older town in Massachusetts. If the lot size regulations were weakened and more multi-family allowed, housing supply would be higher and not as unaffordable in eastern Massachusetts. Particularly if the zoning changes are done near the centers of existing towns and will some green space is preserved, seems like a win / win.
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Old 06-15-2015, 08:26 AM
 
Location: Norman, OK
3,478 posts, read 7,228,688 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mdovell View Post
Uh...Boston has had significant gentification. More then probably any other place in the country.
I think Atlanta has Boston beat easily on that front.
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Old 06-15-2015, 08:44 AM
 
Location: North of Boston
559 posts, read 745,844 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by n1ey View Post
................The average teacher salary is in considerable excess of the average salary of the general teacher in Massachusetts.

Bill
look around the state. there is a correlation. the worse the school system, the better the pay. otherwise why would you go work there......

Lynn, Lawrence, Chicopee, Fall River, Chelsea, etc. they all pay above average. If you are a teacher and are going to get paid $xx,xxx regardless of if you work in Lawrence or Winchester, why would you pick the former?

Altruism?
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