Customer Reviews

New York City's Best Public Elementary Schools: A Parents' Guide

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a NYC K-12 educational consultant, I frequently listen to parents' worries about entrusting their children to the New York City public schools. This is unfortunate, because some local public schools are excellent.

Hemphill's book is extremely valuable because she identifies top schools and demystifies the admissions process for zoned and out-of-zone students. She also explains admissions to gifted and other special programs...

I agree with both previous reviewers. I am so glad this book exists because there are many wonderful public elementary schools in NYC. (My son's at one!) But this book does not always contain the very latest information, such as a change in principals. (Principals are very important.) Use this book as a starting point and then talk with as many parents, teachers as you can for the latest developments in the schools you're considering.

This book has helped me to make up my mind to move back to NY--helped me understand the byzantine system, and highlights specific schools that I would never have heard or read about otherwise.

Hemphill is an argument for how one must look at specific schools under particular leadership in a finite time period, instead of generalizing. And instead of unproductive nostalgizing, "schools were better in earlier days..." Really, some schools can go downhill, but others have gone uphil, and there is a need to constantly reassess.

My only gripe is that the author didn't (couldn't?) review all schools, or more schools. If a school isn't mentioned, then is it totally hopeless? Or were there page number constraints?

There is no other book like this. Every city should have a Hemphill book.

There is no question that Clara Hemphill loves NYC public schools. Indeed, after reading this, I would not be surprised if she on the payroll of the NYC DOE. The book reviews just about every public school in Manhattan, which makes me wonder which ones are really the best if all of them rate a review. The reviews of the schools are all mostly positive, and the criticisms are really backhanded complements, e.g. "PS183 is so wonderful, but I'm disappointed that due to its popularity they will have to discontinue to the PreK program next year"! There is no real criticism of the curriculum offered at these schools, no mention of the many problems that plague NYC public schools (like the on-time graduation rate: 38.2% in 2006), unbelievable statements such as "there is no cookie cutter approach to PS 87 - - the teachers each paint their classrooms different colors before the year begins". It's hard to believe that public school teachers would do that without demanding more pay or complaining that it's not in their contract. Further, the curriculum at NYC public is just that: cookie cutter. Identical math curriculums at every public school, for instance. The color of the classroom is superficial, and that's what Hemphil's book is: superficial. Reading the reviews in this book is is something like reading a positive review of a book printed its back cover - - of course, the author would not allow a negative review on their book to be shown. It's the same with "Best Public Schools" - - no real criticism that would make one think that maybe these schools aren't so great is allowed. What's shameful is that people like the reviewer above say they're moving back into NYC because of what they read in this book. They're in for a surprise. I give it one star, for its lack of any meaningful criticism, and but do acknowledge that it does contains enough information not to render it worthless.

Smart City Kids NYC Educational Advisory service has served the New York City area exclusively longer than any other Advisory Company in NYC. We are The company that schools, non-profit organizations, corporations, and agencies that serve children and families go to in order to get in depth advice on Nursery -12th Grade admissions. Our educational advisors are former Admissions Directors, Nursery School Directors, Placement Directors and Clara Hemphill has served on a few workshops with our company for several years. Her guide is the first and currently the only available book resource that gives insights, opinions and ratings on New York City Public Schools. We highly recommend this very useful tool as a first step to understanding the very complicated world of Public School Admissions.

Not as in depth as I wanted, but I had high expectations. Good as a starting point only, tends to repeat "common knowledge."