Hello, Philadelphians, wake up: You gained like 9,000 more residents as of 7/1/12. (apartment, renters)

[Charlestondata]

What if I got a teaching certificate from American Board to go along with my English B.A. and taught in Philly schools? This route to getting a certificate is accepted by Pennsylvania public schools. For that matter does anyone know how easy or difficult it is to get substitute teaching gigs in Philly? That income plus my state retirement pension would work.

[BR Valentine]

To answer Frankgn87's question ... The 2010 census data show that the under 18 population in Philly declined significantly between 2000 - 2010. I don't recall the exact number, IIRC it was about 50k. Philly's child popuation declined at a faster rate (roughly 2x) than the decline nationally and faster than rate of decline in the state of PA as a whole. The decline was entirely in the 5 - 17 age range. The 0 - 4 population was virtually unchanged during that time. Philly is becoming more like cities like Boston and Seattle where children are underrepresented as a portion of the city's total population as compared to their portion of the national population.

Schools are obviously a major factor in people's decsions to leave the city, but the per sq ft price of real estate in desireable neighborhoods is a big factor as well. The two income couple making a combined 80k can easily afford 800 - 1000 sq ft in Center City and other desireable nearby neighborhoods. They can't afford 1800 - 2000 sq ft, let alone anything more spacious. Most people aren't currently willing to live in thighter quaters with school age children and they are very unlikely to be urban pioneers at that point in their lives.

Before someone takes the time to write the "but there are other desireable neighbohoods than those in the core ...." response, I know. I grew up in E Mt. Airy in the 60 and 70's when living in the city, especially in a neighborhood rapidly transitioning from white to black, was far from a fashionable thing to do. I had urban pioneer parents. One of my siblings and one of my cousins still live in EMA. It's a great neighborhood and if ever able to arrange to move back to Philly my wife and I would prefer to live somewhere in the Northwest part of the city. However, I understand completely why many people move to the burbs with school age children. Anyway, schools, though an important factor in that decision, aren't the only important one.

[tintin19119]

Immigrant surge: Why area grew - Philly.com

Guess who`s moving out , as they move in?

[Cnote11]

Originally Posted by tintin19119

Immigrant surge: Why area grew - Philly.com

Guess who`s moving out , as they move in?

Good

[Charlestondata]

Originally Posted by tintin19119

Immigrant surge: Why area grew - Philly.com

Guess who`s moving out , as they move in?

Hmm. Maybe I should get a certificate to teach English as a second language to go along with my English B.A.

[tintin19119]

Originally Posted by Cnote11

I honestly think families, and therefore children, have to be the most overrated topic ever. The core of Philadelphia certainly does not need more families, especially if there is a high turnover rate of "young professionals" and empty nest elderly, etc. I see a lot of families around here as it is. The vacancy rate in the core has been reducing every year, and if those aren't families and if that percentage sustains itself, then I would say no, families aren't needed. They can easily live in the Northwest/Northeast, etc and not necessarily in the core. FYI, I'm planning on staying here for the long term, but having children is a low, low priority, if I even begin to entertain the thought.

As important as you are. The city makes a lot more money off of a family of four, then a single person renting. Take a look at Detroit. The downtown is full of hipsters that rent, But the city is dead because all of the families are gone. Why do you think most Burbs are doing well? It's because of working families.

[drive carephilly]

Originally Posted by Padugan

Well before we left last year, I looked into the schools in our part of south Philly, North of Tasker and was not impressed at all. Are they better than 5-10 years ago?, slightly, but considering how bad they were, they have about 10 years to go. The better schools are in the better neighborhoods, everyone in the city knows this.

This is exactly what I'm talking about. IMO, what "everyone knows" has nothing to do with how good the teachers are and what your (not you specifically) kid might learn and everything to do with who your kid might be sitting next to and how well that kid is doing on his standardized test. We're talking about suburban parents from a certain SES who, in 6 years, will be looking down their noses at any high school ranked below #15 by Philly Mag.

The differences between Jackson & Meredith at K-4 (the change at jackson will continue as those kids in the younger grades move up) comes down to the much higher percentage of ESL students (~50%) at Jackson and manifests itself in the reading/writing scores. With two college-educated parents who speak english as their first language (and could read before school) my kids are at no such disadvantage.

I don't know what catchment you lived in but having volunteered on several occasions at Jackson, Childs, Stanton and Nebinger (because you can apply at any under-enrolled school) the latter is the only one where I said "no way". If you have young kids there is nothing wrong with Jackson or Stanton. 7th or 8th grade? Maybe that's different but my kids are years away from that . . . and so are the schools.

[Cnote11]

Originally Posted by tintin19119

As important as you are. The city makes a lot more money off of a family of four, then a single person renting. Take a look at Detroit. The downtown is full of hipsters that rent, But the city is dead because all of the families are gone. Why do you think most Burbs are doing well? It's because of working families.

The Detroit burbs are not doing well... the poverty is increasing outwards. I'm sorry, but Detroit is not full of hipsters that are renting... that's quite the overstatement. Sure, there has been some movement towards that, but Detroit is no Fishtown/Northern Liberties. The majority of Detroit is still very West/North Philadelphia-esque. I'm not saying families aren't important, as I did say there is a place for them in Philadelphia and I of course wouldn't want them to not be here. I think it makes for a great city to have such diversity and choice. I just said that they don't necessarily have to live in the core.

[tintin19119]

Originally Posted by Cnote11

The Detroit burbs are not doing well... the poverty is increasing outwards. I'm sorry, but Detroit is not full of hipsters that are renting... that's quite the overstatement. Sure, there has been some movement towards that, but Detroit is no Fishtown/Northern Liberties. The majority of Detroit is still very West/North Philadelphia-esque. I'm not saying families aren't important, as I did say there is a place for them in Philadelphia and I of course wouldn't want them to not be here. I think it makes for a great city to have such diversity and choice. I just said that they don't necessarily have to live in the core.

The point I was making Detroit Midtown is very nice(I have been, have you?)but venture out of the area and it`s a hell hole. Center City can`t maintain a whole city. If families keep leaving this city when their kids become school age,this city will find that out the hard way. LOL! You don`t have a clue the amount of money the average working family spends just on food alone a month.Clothes, school supplies , car and house up keep. With this doomsday budget, you might get your wish sooner then I thought.
Phila. SRC approves doomsday school budget

[Cnote11]

Originally Posted by tintin19119

The point I was making Detroit Midtown is very nice(I have been, have you?)but venture out of the area and it`s a hell hole. Center City can`t maintain a whole city. If families keep leaving this city when their kids become school age,this city will find that out the hard way. LOL! You don`t have a clue the amount of money the average working family spends just on food alone a month.Clothes, school supplies , car and house up keep. With this doomsday budget, you might get your wish sooner then I thought.
Phila. SRC approves doomsday school budget

Yes, if you read my posts you can see I've obviously been to midtown, much more than you have surely, seeing as I was born there. Let me also say that you're complete WRONG to say that the rest of Detroit is a hell hole outside of midtown. I'm from that area, I was just there two months ago, and trust me it is neither all hipsters or a complete hell hole everywhere you go. Next, I never said anything about not having families. I merely said that we don't have to focus on families living right in center city. Instead we could develop areas for them such as in Fairmount and the rest of Near North Philadelphia, West/Nearwest Philadelphia, Northwest, and Northeast, as well as Southwest, etc. etc.There is NO need to have it family oriented in Center City.