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burrito__supreme t1_iuisva2 wrote

Reply to comment by mikevago in To those that have lived in Jersey City or Hoboken AND Queens or Brooklyn, which do you prefer and why? by seeyam14

could you say more about schools? as a recently new resident (2 years) here i was under the impression that jc public schools are all abysmal but would be happy to be proven wrong since schools are the one thing that’s going to force us out when we have a kid.

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mikevago t1_iuiu8w7 wrote

A lot of that abysmal reputation comes from two things: A) people haven't revised their opinion since 20 years ago, when JC was the poorest city in America. B) people like to complain.

This isn't exactly scientific, but Niche gives the JC school district a B-. Like anywhere, the richer neighborhoods have better schools, so it's generally As downtown, Bs in the Heights, Cs in Greenville, with a few exceptions. And besides the elite high schools, we have a few elite middle schools — Infinity and Academy One. Conti, McAuliffe, and Zampella are all pretty highly rated.

And, of course, there's a lot of school choice. We have some very good community-run charters — LCCS, TECCS, Golden Door, and Explore Middle are all good (and those are just the ones I know well); small class sizes, specialized curriculum that doesn't just teach to the test. And there are a few good private options if you want to go that route. Primary Prep is well-regarded and relatively affordable. (Don't get suckered in by an overpriced school like Stevens!)

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burrito__supreme t1_iuiws7g wrote

i appreciate this, thank you! i live by LCCS and it seems awesome but the fact that it’s lottery based admission makes it a hopeful option rather than a guarantee. thanks again.

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