The Sun-Times has an article outlining the impact of the Chicago Public Schools system’s new policies governing admission to elite selective-enrolment public schools – and on the ways in which the policy might affect decisions on where parents choose to locate.
One impact: the new CPS policy may boost housing values in some of the city’s lowest income census tracts – some of which are found within relatively affluent neighborhoods.
Kudos to the Sun-Times for this important story, and for the useful map mashup that accompanies it.
If this policy remains I’m sure people will move to get their kids into better schools and figure out a way to “game” the system.
How about renting an apartment in a lower tier hood and then moving out after the kid gets accepted?
Depending on the real number of students in the various tiers it might be better to move into a tier 2 or 3 neighborhood simply because there might be fewer competitors for the number of slots allotted. I’m guessing from the map that the vast majority of CPS students live in green areas.
It depends on how the overall system is set up. “Consultants” may spring up to advise parents on how to manipulate the system.
Even if the system remains in place the new census will change the tiers. So if you buy a home today in a tier 1 neighborhood you may find that in 2011 or 2012 it is a tier 2 neighborhood.
I wouldn’t be confident that CPS won’t change the rules as time goes by. These rules on a citywide basis might change frequently depending on Mayoral whims and public outcry.
If you want to move into a particular elite “school district” within the City, I’m confident the boundaries wouldn’t get smaller. Those districts only apply to K-8.
Now if the city instituted a partial “district” system regarding their elite high schools that might impact property values in certain neighborhoods.
IrishPirate,
You’ve spent too much time among the landed gentry in Uptown.
Chicagoans don’t need no stinking consultants on how to game the system. It’s in their DNA.
Joe,
many of the people trying to game this system would likely not be born and bred Chicago types. They would be from decent places where things were more honest or at least less dishonest.
I could see an alderman running a consulting business on the side alongside his insurance/legal/real estate services.
It’s an interesting system they’ve developed. Take Uptown for example. If you stand on the 900 block of W. Montrose you have an example of each of the 4 tiers within 1.5 blocks.
It might be better to just use family income as a partial determinant of admissions. Of course that would be gamed too. Even if you verified it with the IRS, people would start getting divorced to give their kids a better chance.
School vouchers for everyone. That’s da ticket. Don’t hold your breath.
IrishPirate,
The IRS would be the wrong way to verify.
Use the income people state on their mortgage apps instead!
Funny story. Our daughter is about to start subsidized public schooling (Early Childhood Education starts at 4 here), and the cost varies based on income — it basically runs from free for low income families to about $600 a months for the highest income families. Here’s the deal, though: For proof of income, they want paystubs. Well, if you are a two-income family (as we are), there’s a great way to disguise a huge portion of your income — just give them one set of stubs! If we did that, it would save us about $300 a month.
(We’re not going to do that for reasons that Joe Z. will understand based on my IP address.)