Family friendly neighborhoods in Minneapolis

[10,000Lakes]

Been looking at Tangletown. You get more house for your money. Neighborhoods look clean and kept up real nice. The Ramsey Fine Arts school get a bad rating. Washburn as well. How can Washburn be so much lower than Southwest High School when they are SO close to eachother? I am really trying to take school rating with a grain of salt ( and the comments that are put there from paretns on greatschools.com) but I can't lie to say I'm not concerned. My kids have changed schools so many times already in thier young lives that I want them to feel happy and safe at our final destination of moving.

[DaPerpKazoo]

I don't think that there's actually anything wrong with Washburn, it's just that it has a reputation of being not so good, while Southwest has a reputation of being fabulous (plus the IB program) that most of the brighter kids in the area choose Southwest, which of course only feeds the contrasting reputations and test scores which makes the problem worse.

[uptown_urbanist]

I went to Southwest and had many SW friends who lived in Tangletown. Your kids can go to Southwest if they're in the IB program, which is the reason SW is considered so much better. I think there's been some improvement at Washburn in recent years, but when I was in school (the 90s) the college-bound kids in South/SW Minneapolis went to either South or Southwest, not Washburn. I didn't grow up all that far away from Washburn (a couple of miles, maybe) but didn't know anyone who chose to go there. I'm assuming most of the kids in Tangletown either go to Southwest or to private schools, even though there's a high school in their own backyard.

[DaPerpKazoo]

Of the three friends I had who went to Washburn, one is currently at Saint John's U, one is going to UMD next year, and the third is going to the U of M next year.

The vast majority of my friends went to Southwest, DeLaSalle, and South (in that order). Very few went to Washburn or any of the other private schools.

[Duk123]

Changing School Options (http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us/Changing_School_Options.html - broken link)

This is something to keep in mind with Minneapolis schools for the 2010-2011 school year and beyond. It will be interesting to see how this effects the test scores, school ratings and demographics of many of the schools.

[10,000Lakes]

Thanks for the link Duk123, something to keep in mind.

I found this on wikipedia about Washburn High School. Interesting to see how it all plays out.

Fresh Start

In March 2008, the Minneapolis Board of Education announced that Washburn would be one of two high schools participating in the Minneapolis Public Schools Fresh Start program. Along with Edison High School, Washburn hired new teachers and staff and examined their curriculum.[22][23] These changes were part of a nine-point-plan by the Minneapolis school board to alleviate budget problems and prepare 4 out of 5 graduates to be ready for college.[22][23] Principal Carol Markham-Cousins returned to lead the school with the rest of the teaching staff required to apply for rehire or as new to the building.
On May 14, 2008 Markham-Cousins sent letters to students and family members explaining the reasons for the Fresh Start. She cited graduation rates and college preparation as two reasons why the program had to go forward.[24] The same day, students staged a walk-out in protest of the program.[25] Student drew with chalk on the sidewalk in front of the school in support of the teachers.[25]
Additional changes that camieto Washburn during 2008-2009 included an increase in the number of art classes and the introduction of the International Baccalaureate program.[22][23] Minneapolis Public Schools has said that Washburn will be one of four high schools moving to a college-ready curriculum, but exact implementation of this plan remains to be seen.[26]

[10,000Lakes]

I also found this on Washburn High School. I hope it can be helpful for someone who may want to live in South Minneapolis but is concerned about school quality.
Washburn High School, Minneapolis, MN | News & Events | Washburn High School Connections