Moving to Chicago… best public schools (Evanston, Skokie: neighborhoods, school district, college)

[Msdw4995]

We are currently traveling to Chicago several times a month for work and dance training. We are looking to move to Chicago from a small town in Michigan this summer. We have an academically talented high schooler and an artistically talented middle schooler. What schools would you recommend or avoid? We can not afford private school. We are open to living just about anywhere as long as it is safe and within an hour of the Ravenswood area where my daughter dances.

[glass_of_merlot]

Jefferson Park has Taft Highschool. That's a very good public school.

[citylove101]

Chicago generally has only two levels of schools— K-8 and high school. There are only a handful of middle schools. From what I know from family in Chicago there are several decent zoned K-8 schools in more affluent neighborhoods, especially between the South Loop up to Evanston. But all high schools are by application, with some also needing an exam or audition. In general, the zoned high schools don’t have the best reputations. The high school admissions process is nerve-wracking and intense for native Chicagoans, so I’d guess is that it would be ten times worse for a new arrival. Maybe a Chicagoan can add how that process works for newcomers.

To avoid that stress and the seemingly endless turmoil of the city school system, you might consider some close-in suburb like Evanston. High school is the point when some families leave the city — just as they do here in New York and many other big cities.

[CyclingChemist]

I would recommend the north suburbs like Wilmette over the city. CPS has some good schools but more mediocre and lousy schools.

[Greencheese]

If you care about schools you don't use CPS. There's a handful of selective enrollment schools that are good but the general consensus is "if my kid doesn't test into the selective enrollments then we'll move".

[guidoLaMoto]

Originally Posted by Msdw4995

We are currently traveling to Chicago several times a month for work and dance training. ....

I'm such a lousy dancer it took me three lessons to learn the Texas Two Step.

Schools are neither good nor bad..The students that go there are good or bad....If you insist that schools make the difference, then suburban &/or private is the way to go....Getting to and from a Chi PS is the real problem.

As mentioned above, Taft on the far NW side is practically a suburban setting, as is the Chi HS for Ag Sci on the far SW side---but I think for fine arts, they only teach square dancing, clogging and yodelling there.

[Kmanshouse]

Your budget will really dictate the possible answers here. Only needing to be an hour from Ravenswood means you could totally move to a place like the North Shore suburbs, or Skokie and be easily within that hour.

I live in Ravenswood and we get to Skokie in 15-20 minutes. Thus, you could go even further out if that better suits your budget.

[CyclingChemist]

Originally Posted by guidoLaMoto

I'm such a lousy dancer it took me three lessons to learn the Texas Two Step.

Schools are neither good nor bad..The students that go there are good or bad....If you insist that schools make the difference,

Yes there indeed are lousy schools with teachers who either cannot or will not maintain a conducive educational environment, are not very good at teaching but cannot be fired because of the union and tenure, are not psychologically suited to be teachers or have personality disorders that require treatment before they would succeed in any professional environment etc.

I went to a bad middle school and borderline elementary and the teachers and environment there had a very negative impact on my education to the point that I failed classes and had stress related ailments (IBS). I was fortunate that my high school district was better run and I thrived, graduated with honors, and went on to do very well in college.

[IronWright]

There are great public schools within the city despite everyone suggesting that you should move to the suburbs. You can look into Lincoln Park, Jones College Prep, Lane Tech, Whitney Young, Walter Payton CP, Northside etc.

[ChiGuy2.5]

I recommend that whatever area you're looking at, you check out the Illinois State Board of Education for school ratings.


https://www.isbe.net/Pages/IL-Report-Card.aspx