If we moved to Philly, where would be right for us? (Philadelphia: lawyers, homes)

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

This essentially means the top tier get in and the rest don't. Few spots are filled by top performing kids. Here is their admission page..
\And I quote..

Grades Applicants must have major subject marks of A or B with the exception of one C on the most recent year-end report. Test Scores Both Reading & Math scores must be at or above the 88th percentile. If the PSSA is utilized, Reading and Math scores must be submitted in the numerical advanced range. Please Note: You must provide the numerical value for your PSSA score. Other accredited Standardized Test are acceptable

No average kids need not apply, that means.


Penn Alexander and Meredith are elementary schools. I'm talking high schools

In other words, they need to be at least above-average by the standards of a good suburban, open-enrollment public school...

[frankgn87]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

In other words, they need to be at least above-average by the standards of a good suburban, open-enrollment public school...

The BIG difference is that students that don't achieve 'above average' status in the city go to the worst public schools where in the burbs, ALL the kids get to go to the excellent public schools and get an excellent education no matter if they are 'smarter' or not. See the HUGE difference?

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

The BIG difference is that students that don't achieve 'above average' status in the city go to the worst public schools where in the burbs, ALL the kids get to go to the excellent public schools and get an excellent education no matter if they are 'smarter' or not. See the HUGE difference?

Which is why I told the OP that as long as he put some money aside for private high school just in case, he and his kids would be fine.

[pman]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

Charters are lottery(your admittance is up to luck) Magnet schools are for the selected few.. The public school sin Philly are the worst that can be. PERIOD

the selected few....well, since many opt for private, suburbs, or charters, that opens the possibilities up quite a bit.

[frankgn87]

Originally Posted by pman

the selected few....well, since many opt for private, suburbs, or charters, that opens the possibilities up quite a bit.

huh? We are talking about Magnet schools. Pay attention Of course you can go to a burb and select the school you want based on where you move and get in no matter what.

[pman]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

huh? We are talking about Magnet schools. Pay attention Of course you can go to a burb and select the school you want based on where you move and get in no matter what.

i know youre a little slow but since many families leave its not nearly as hard to get into as you think

[frankgn87]

Originally Posted by pman

i know youre a little slow but since many families leave its not nearly as hard to get into as you think

Let me say it again... Average kids need not apply, you guys get to go to your neighborhood school with Police roaming the halls and metal detectors as you walk in..

Grades Applicants must have major subject marks of A or B with the exception of one C on the most recent year-end report. Test Scores Both Reading & Math scores must be at or above the 88th percentile. If the PSSA is utilized, Reading and Math scores must be submitted in the numerical advanced range. Please Note: You must provide the numerical value for your PSSA score. Other accredited Standardized Test are acceptable

[rotodome]

^ What you are overlooking is that it doesn't take all that much to be significantly above average in the Philly public school system.

[rotodome]

It should also be mentioned that even the traditionally good magnet public schools in Philly are NOT immune from the turmoil in the school district right now.
And it should also be acknowledged that many well-regarded suburban districts are facing challenges of their own.
It's a rough time for public education.

[toobusytoday]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Hi all,

I have no immediate plans to move to Philadelphia, but the city has always tugged on my heartstrings. Although my family moved away from the area when I was three (I grew up mostly in Connecticut), my extended family still lives scattered around Philadelphia and the suburbs. My grandmother grew up in Port Richmond, and my Grandfather in East Falls. But mostly it's because I have a daughter now, and a son on the way. They have no first cousins, since my wife and I had brothers who did not have children (and almost certainly will not have them). I have a much younger first cousin on my father's side who is only two years older than my daughter, some of my second cousins have young children, and my first cousins may eventually as well, which is as close as my daughter (and son) will get to cousins close to their age.

So yeah, this is hypothetical. I wouldn't consider this unless something falls through with my job, but I'm still curious about the area. Some background on our needs.

1. We're city people. We live within the city of Pittsburgh in a 19th century rowhouse neighborhood. While I'm okay with living somewhere outside of a city proper provided we lived in a historic neighborhood (we both hate modern construction), my wife is even more anti-suburban than I am, and considers living in a walkable, mixed-use area a requirement.

2. As intimated, we're rowhouse people. My wife considers places with a 6-foot deep front lawn to have too much yard. That said, our current house is only 1,260 square feet, and since we're soon to be a family of four, it's getting cramped, especially with only having one bathroom. It seems like Philly rowhomes are much smaller than in Pittsburgh from what I've seen. Third stories seem rare, for example, where most in Pittsburgh either have traditional peaked or mansard roofs. Still, we'd like something like a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath. And having a house which hasn't had its fascade butchered (through poorly matched windows and the like) is essential. We don't care about garages or off-street parking at all - we only have one car, and don't care if we can't always find a space on our block.

3. We're committed to sending our kids to public school. Here in Pittsburgh we're planning on using the magnet system for our daughter when she turns five. I understand a similar system exists in Philadelphia? We're not scared to send our kids to a predominantly nonwhite school. My daughter has been going to a mostly black daycare for several years, and aside from picking up some black dialect, it's had no negative impact. I would not feel comfortable sending my kids to a monolithicly black school where they would stick out like a sore thumb, but our range of tolerance is much higher than the typical suburbanite.

Anyway, throw some stuff out.

Let's get back to the OP's post and not get bogged down in the Philadelphia school system please.