How do Philadelphia people feel about sending their kids to public school within the city limits? (Montgomery: credit, neighborhoods)

[rotodome]

Originally Posted by mancat100

I wouldn't go quite that far. Just do your research about which elementary school catchments are good. Make sure your kids excel. Then, when they get to secondary school age, they can get into a magnet school. If you follow this course, your kids will get a fine education. Better than most suburban public schools. Plus their schoolmates will likely be more interesting than your average kid from a cul de sac. The thing is you need to be vigilant and work for it.

This is the "classic" advice. It's advice that applied when I was going to school. But right now, given the situation over the last few years, I'm not so sure the same old advice applies.
Past results (and in this case I count students graduating HS now, who would have entered the system 12 years ago as "past results") do not necessarily predict the future. Right now the schools are in the midst of a legitimate budget crisis, with no clear indication of, or time frame for a way out of it. Libraries are stuggling to stay open in schools like Central and Masterman. Staff is being cut to the bone and beyond at schools in "good catchments" (which have moveable boundaries, and don't necessarily guarantee one a spot in a school anyway), and private school enrollment is ballooning. Add to that the effect of the increasing charter-ization of the district, and the picture gets very fuzzy. I'm a big proponent of public schools, believe me, but I'm also a parent. And no offense (really), but I think that you might have a different opinion about this if you had a kid.

[rotodome]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

That's the consistent message I hear, is that it's possible, you just have to work for it.

Sometimes sounds like a full-time job, just to try to keep on the kids, and making sure they would remain the best of the best to navigate public schools in the cities.

Does this also imply that if you have an average kid who isn't necessary a 'go-getter', and it does happen frequently, despite a parent's desires/attention. Would that imply that it might not work out?

To possibly temper my other statements in this thread... I will say that I think it's important to keep in mind that it might not work out even if a kid has the best of the best of everything and parents who try their hardest. And also, kids who get every tough break can also do great in life.

It's just that as a parent I have this nagging feeling of obligation to try to give my kid the best chance that I can, as long as I have the opportunity to; and also, particularly as a generally exhausted working parent, I admit that I am a bit less risk-tolerant than I might otherwise be, and don't have as much time/energy as I'd like to deal with BS.

I honestly don't know, if I was currently still living in Philly, if I would straight up leave the city right now solely because of the schools (while I do know some folks who have), BUT it's a really tough sell to get me to voluntarily move my family into that situation.

[mancat100]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

That's the consistent message I hear, is that it's possible, you just have to work for it.

Sometimes sounds like a full-time job, just to try to keep on the kids, and making sure they would remain the best of the best to navigate public schools in the cities.

Does this also imply that if you have an average kid who isn't necessary a 'go-getter', and it does happen frequently, despite a parent's desires/attention. Would that imply that it might not work out?

If you have an "average" non go-getter kid, I'd probably not risk Philly public schools.

[mancat100]

Originally Posted by rotodome

And no offense (really), but I think that you might have a different opinion about this if you had a kid.

No offense taken. You're probably right.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Is there still tension between Asian and black students in South Philly High?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/10/22...cks/index.html

[BORD]

Originally Posted by mancat100

I wouldn't go quite that far. Just do your research about which elementary school catchments are good. Make sure your kids excel. Then, when they get to secondary school age, they can get into a magnet school. If you follow this course, your kids will get a fine education. Better than most suburban public schools. Plus their schoolmates will likely be more interesting than your average kid from a cul de sac. The thing is you need to be vigilant and work for it.

TERRIBLE advice. Why roll the dice on your kid's future? If you can't afford private schools, you owe it to your kid to live in a good suburban school district.

[Leon2014]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

Is there still tension between Asian and black students in South Philly High?

Racial violence spurred Asian students to take a stand - CNN.com

Last I heard they are all dancing on green lawns holding hands. Then after dancing they go and solve differential equation in their head.

[Fern Rock]

Even the magnet schools are "underfunded" and nowhere near their true potential. Maybe the high-ranking school district employees should draw more modest salaries.

[pman]

Originally Posted by mancat100

Best Schools in Pennsylvania - PA School Rankings

Notice that 4 of the 10 listings on page 1 of the top schools in PA are Philadelphia public magnet schools. There are 2 more on page 2. I didn't go further than that but I'm sure there are more.

wow, what incompetence

Students were not allowed to use inhalers or take medicine without a nurse present

what a lot of people do is private school (unless they get into a good charter first) until the masterman shuffle in fifth grade. masterman might be underfunded but it's still the top ranked school in the state

[Padugan]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

That's the consistent message I hear, is that it's possible, you just have to work for it.

Sometimes sounds like a full-time job, just to try to keep on the kids, and making sure they would remain the best of the best to navigate public schools in the cities.

Does this also imply that if you have an average kid who isn't necessary a 'go-getter', and it does happen frequently, despite a parent's desires/attention. Would that imply that it might not work out?

people have to camp out overnight to get a spot in line at a good catchment school. Personally, I didn't want my children's education to come down to a black friday sale at wallmart.

you always have to have a back up plan in Philly when it comes to schools. Not everyone gets into the better schools for various reasons. Some of which are completely out of control of the parents.

one thing to understand about magnet and charter schools is that they only take the best students. They are essentially all-stars. Every kid is there because they want to be and are for the most part, intelligent. What people need to keep in mind, and this is always over looked, is that suburb schools are taking everyone, they aren't turning kids away.

Comparing charter / magnet schools to average suburban schools is like comparing a baseball game between the American League All-stars and the Phillies. The allstar team should not only win, but they should crush the regular Phillies team. Except when it comes to schools, the all-star schools are not crushing the competition, they are merely on par with the average suburban school. That's not good enough IMO.