My SFGate post might seem to be a bit of a puff piece for SFUSD, but I decided to focus on the good aspects of public schools because so many people in our city are still living in the 80s and don't realize that parents are considering public schools. They're still stuck on all the negatives. While we're immersed in education issues in this city and know that most families considering schools these days are looking at public (in addition to other opttions), most people in this city don't have kids and aren't tuned into the school situation.
Also those of you who have been with the blog all along know that I tend to have a positive perspective on things.
Please comment on the SFGate story and not here--it's important for a larger community to be tuned into what's going on and to hear the arguments for and against public schools, as I know some won't agree with everything in my blog post. Thanks! Kate
After nearly 40 years of declining enrollment, the San Francisco Unified School District saw a boost in kindergarten applications the past two years. For the 2008-09 school year, applications were up by 308; for the 2009-10, they were up by an additional (and whopping) 500 from the past year. Believe it or not: Parents are sending kids to public schools in this city.In fact, so many new kids are pouring into public schools that the district re-opened a formerly shuttered school: De Avila on Haight Street.
What's going on here? Aren't people with kids in this city moving to greener pastures in Marin?
Actually, parents in this city are increasingly interested in sending their kids to public schools--and they're touring and applying to schools that were previously considered unpopular.
