Although we live in a district with a school that people are applying to get into, instead of just registering, we also applied to the maximum amount of magnet schools that we could for Jack.

For Chicago Public Schools, that number is 20 schools. Our neighborhood school is good, but it’s not the best as far as rankings go. Why not try to get into a school with as high a ranking as possible?

Today, after much anticipation, our letters arrived today.

As I mentioned in my previous post about Chicago School Magnet Applications, the latest ruling on magnet schools states that if you have a sibling in that school you are guaranteed to get in. Of the remaining seats after siblings, 40% will be admitted based on proximity – within 1.5 miles of the school. The final seats are chosen also by lottery but broken into 4 different socio-economic groups. The tiers are complicated, based on a number of things including family education and income.

We were able to apply to 3 magnet schools with high ratings that were within proximity. We were very happy to see Jack was accepted to one of them and wait listed at a fairly low number for another. This paves the way for our other kids, who will be guaranteed a spot at the same school.

So, the verdict is out. We are not moving to the suburbs. We are raising city kids.

Wow. Major life decision solved today.