Public Schools????

[Kebinminn]

I know several people who live in Minneapolis who say they'd never put their kids in Minneapolis schools. In the 2008-2009 school year Minneapolis schools had 1509 open enroll into the district and had 12978 leave the district. The district had 33886 enrolled that school year, there's a hefty percentage of kids leaving and not a sign of a district people are in love with. You obviously live in a part of the city with those who are happy with the district and that's wonderful but it appears that's not the the case for everyone.

Minneapolis may very well be the best place on the planet for schools, certainly not everyone I know is unhappy but the perception does affect a lot. I don't know why each family makes those choices, it's personal, but I do think it's case of families not liking what they see, whether it's from experience or perception. The unhappier the residents are with the district you'll have more people who either move, go private or open enroll and that is something I see happening where I live.

[MN55]

When it comes to college admissions, at least, the city public schools (at least some of them) have a great reputation, so no need to fear there. Some of the public schools in the suburbs also have excellent reputations. If I were going to go for a suburban district based on perception alone I'd go with St. Louis Park; the schools are supposed to be great (and everyone I know who has had kids there or who has graduated from there has been happy), but there's less of a keeping-up-with-the-Jones thing going on than I perceive in some districts. It's a district for smart, motivated kids.

For the same reasons I would recommend Roseville, Mounds View, White Bear Lake, and Mahtomedi. I highly recommend Mounds View - look at living in Shoreview.