The new Center City Schools District opens up center city schools to SP residents to Washington Ave on the west, and to Federal a bit more to the east.

Here is the latest on an initiative that even affects those without kids -- it cements baseline home values and holds a base of educated citizens and voters in place:

Posted on Tue, Dec. 27, 2005

"Center City schools get special attention" from www.phillynews.com

"The growth in Center City has not gone unnoticed by the Philadelphia School District.

The district this year created a new "Center City Academic Region" of 20 schools that are getting special attention in a quest to make them more attractive to the middle class.

The 10,000-student region, which is bound roughly by Poplar Street, Washington Avenue, and the two rivers, includes schools in the tony neighborhoods of Society Hill and Rittenhouse Square, as well as parts of South Philadelphia, Northern Liberties and Fairmount.

Some changes at the schools are cosmetic: The 13 elementary schools now have catchy Web sites, and there are plans to improve lighting and landscaping. But new educational programs and community partnerships are also in the making, and three new specialized high schools are scheduled to open next fall.

The schools are reaching out to businesses and cultural institutions to help them develop special niches. And principals and parents are getting involved in marketing schools.

The move, in part, is being fueled by the Center City District, an economic-development agency. The Center City District is touting the benefits of both the area's public schools and its wide array of charter, parochial and private schools.

In October, the group drew more than 1,200 residents to its first Center City schools fair designed to better acquaint the community, especially prospective parents, with the schools.

Officials hope the effort will help to stem student flight from Center City, which has seen a 26 percent drop in children when they reach school age.

The school district also plans to modify its admission policy for most of the schools in the new region, giving preference to students who live within the new region's boundaries. Masterman and the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts - two of the district's high-powered magnet schools - would be excluded and continue to give students citywide equal consideration.

The policy is still under consideration by the School Reform Commission. If approved, the new admissions standards likely would apply to all regions, but would be piloted in Center City, said school district spokesman Fernando Gallard.

Paul Levy, executive director of the Center City District, credited the school district for its work in the effort.

"They have recognized that there is a whole new opportunity here," he said.

For more information on the Center City District's school initiative, go to

www.centercityschools.com

Susan Snyder

We are between 6th and 7th and between Federal and Washington, it would suck in 4 years when our daughter is ready for school if we were excluded from the schools close to us, like Merideth or Columbus.

We may send her to Catholic school, but would still like to have some options open, and not be shut out because we are a half of a block outside of the "zone."

How do they draw up these maps anyway? They almost look like political districts ....

People that live in Center City are clueless and don't give a crap about the rest of the city. They never heard of Federal Street let alone whatever side street you might live on. If you want to send your kids to public school, CC is apparently the only place to live in the entire city. Ironically the CC district probably has the least number of school-age children because CC is filled with 20-30 something singles and empty nesters.

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"When you operate in an overbuilt metropolis, you have to hack your way with a meat ax."

I'm sure the Center city public schools want to be exclusive thus keeping certain people out. I don't think this is a race thing, but more of a class thing. I want to have the same demos are exclusive private schools but without paying the high tutition

I highly doubt this is a class thing - the CCDistrict wants to promote the area - if they wanted to keep it exclusive to class, they never would have extended the boundaries in the first place.

Also, any one in the "upper" class will almost never send their kid to a public school, even if it was an excellent one - those in that class already have enough scratch to send their kid to the philadelphia school or friends select or where ever else they please.

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Again, special treatment for Center City and a "eff" you attitude to the rest of the city.

If the Northeast has to let all the trash from the rest of the city screw up thier schools the same should go for Center City.

You know...that's what really killed the city. You move to a good neighborhood and the schools don't represent the population of your neighborhood. It's a class issue. You don't want your kids dealing with trash and you should get the school that corresponds with how much you paid for your house not the "everybody deserves the same" BS...that's why everyone fled to the 'burbs....

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I doubt there are that many truly upper-class (ie: rich, not just upper-middle class) people, even in Center City. Do they still have forced integration in Philly public schools?

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"When you operate in an overbuilt metropolis, you have to hack your way with a meat ax."

It still doesn't explain why the boundaries spread out to areas that have some of the worst schools in the city. It's not like the CCD's boundaries automatically put you in these good schools no matter what - if you live in GH and want to send your kid to Meredith - you still need to fill out the transfer for to get there - even then you are in a lottery competing against other people.

Also, there are enough people in the upper-middle class (not the super rich) that can spare 10-15k a year for their kid to go to a private school - these are the same people who pay for a private nanny or opt for a higher-priced daycare - the price is the same.

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I don't think it is "forced", anymore. Students have a right to get bussed to any school in the district, outside their own neighborhood. Many parents in poor, high crime neighborhoods will opt to send their children to schools in safer areas, because they perceive the schools to be better. However, when this bussing occurs, many of the local residents in the neighborhood respond by sending their kids to Catholic or private schools, because they perceive the public high school to be getting worse.

This is true. Most people I know that leave the city or won't live here, this is the reason.
Also, it's no longer possible to "integrate" the public schools. Whites have almost completely abandoned the schools. They are less than 15% of the enrollment citywide.