Comparing neighborhood schools when one has a gifted program

[Dorothy]

Hi, I am fortunate to have a pretty good neighborhood option: Beaubien. But, I'm wondering how the neighborhood side of the school really compares to other neighborhood or magnet schools because it has a regional (non-neighborhood) gifted program in it. It seems that if you look at the scores of Beaubien and then compare it to say Farnsworth it seems to be better on paper but since the gifted kids are grouped in there too it seems like comparing apples to oranges since the neighborhood track and gifted track don't mix in the classroom. Any thoughts? Do the gifted programs really lift the neighborhood portion as well - like it seems for Bell or Coonley?

Thanks,

Dorothy 2013 K Mom

[CPSObsessed]

I would say that you need to check it out and see how it seems. Beaubien has a new principal so really now matter what it was like in the past could change with the new admin.
Previous reports were that the neighborhood side were not stellar, but with new admin, that could change a lot.
I don't know for sure that having the gifted program at Coonley/Bell/South Loop makes the other classes better per se. It depends on the administration. I know Coonley and Bell have had strong principals. I don't know enough about South Loop to comment.
But the programs tend to attract education-minded parents to live in the neighborhood which probably helps test scores. In addition, you have siblings of gifted kids in the neighborhood program (so kids who are smart but didn't test in to the gifted side) so I imagine that helps neighborhood test scores too.

I'd tour and ask questions to see if the neighborhood side impresses you. And please report back!

[Dorothy]

Thanks for your note. We did tour but--despite calling and asking if their open house was for prospective parents (and being told yes), there wasn't anyone to show us around or answer questions. We did talk to some nice teachers and got a feel for the space. We're going to try our luck with the testing/lottery and then revisit neighborhood. Love the blog!!

[Todd Pytel]

I agree with CPSO - whether gifted/magnet/selective programs within a neighborhood school lift up the whole building depends completely on the administration. I've seen that go both ways, and dramatically so. But I have no specific knowledge of Beaubien.