A Plan for Prince George's County (Baltimore, Laurel: 2013, apartments, crime)

[justtitans]

There are a lot of changes being proposed for PG County, that may or may not help the reputation and the outlook of this county. From new economic development, crime fighting initiatives, new school programs, job development, to having a new healthcare system with a new hospital. All of these sound like great ideas, but realistically they all may not happen the way that the leaders in this county may plan. So with that said, what is the one thing that is most important to help put this county on better grounds and to attract more residents?

[bowian]

In a word, schools. Unless there is a wholesale systemic change or substantive socioeconomic gentrification in PG, the school system won't get much better. And no, I'm not saying that the poor or minority kids are dragging the school system down. I am saying that officials tend to care less about the needs of poor or minority kids and prioritize accordingly.

[adelphi_sky]

Better jobs bring more money. More money brings more taxes. More taxes builds more schools and relieves overcrowding. better student teacher ratios improves learning. Sow me the money!

But regarding schools, I think a radical change needs to take place. Where's Michelle Lee?

[boreatwork]

better jobs and better apartments for the working class/young professionals....everything else will work itself out with evolution

[HurricaneDC]

Jobs, schools and development. AFAIK there have been the same major employers in PG for decades. There need to be more. I hate to say it (having grown up there) but MoCo has enough employers... the state ought to try and get some there.

Of course, employers have employees, and employees often have kids. They aren't going to want to move somewhere with horrible schools, so those obviously have to improve.

And people don't want to live in the middle of nowhere. A more suburban/rural experience, sure, but they'd like to be near SOME amenities. I think PG's making a bit of progress on this front, particularly in Northern PG along Route 1 with the redevelopment of Hyattsville and the proposed "East Campus" for UMD. Ultimately I could see Northern PG (for argument's sake let's use the MSP definition which is North of US-50) becoming somewhat more urbanized while Southern PG remains more suburban.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by HurricaneDC

Jobs, schools and development. AFAIK there have been the same major employers in PG for decades. There need to be more. I hate to say it (having grown up there) but MoCo has enough employers... the state ought to try and get some there.

Of course, employers have employees, and employees often have kids. They aren't going to want to move somewhere with horrible schools, so those obviously have to improve.

And people don't want to live in the middle of nowhere. A more suburban/rural experience, sure, but they'd like to be near SOME amenities. I think PG's making a bit of progress on this front, particularly in Northern PG along Route 1 with the redevelopment of Hyattsville and the proposed "East Campus" for UMD. Ultimately I could see Northern PG (for argument's sake let's use the MSP definition which is North of US-50) becoming somewhat more urbanized while Southern PG remains more suburban.

Don't forget the massive Konterra project in Laurel.

[HurricaneDC]

oh yeah

silly name IMO, just call it Laurel. guess they don't want their fancy development 'tainted' by such a name or something.

[hbosch80]

Originally Posted by bowian

In a word, schools. Unless there is a wholesale systemic change or substantive socioeconomic gentrification in PG, the school system won't get much better. And no, I'm not saying that the poor or minority kids are dragging the school system down. I am saying that officials tend to care less about the needs of poor or minority kids and prioritize accordingly.

I would actually argue that poor, minority kids are dragging the school system down.

[bowian]

Originally Posted by hbosch80

I would actually argue that poor, minority kids are dragging the school system down.

What about schools that have significant amounts of free and reduced meals kids that manage to make AYP and do well? What are they doing right? I'm not saying it's easy, but I don't think it's impossible.

[hbosch80]

No I dont think its impossible but I think poor minority kids and the culture they are raised in are a much bigger part of the problem than any inherent deficiencies with the pgc school system. I would look at the kids and their parents before I started looking for any problems within the school system. If PG was mostly white you could have the same exact school system with the same teachers and administrators and it would not have the poor reputation it does. The only school districts with major issues seem to be ones with significant minority populations, PG County, Baltimore City and DC.