I don't agree with the methodology of ranking nor do I even feel it is productive to try to rank high schools. Why must everything be ranked? District 219 is flawed, no doubt, but the schools/facilities are fantastic and most of the teachers are tremendous. How can a public school in a diverse community compete with highly selective schools that can pick and choose top students, if your comparison is standardized test scores. not a level playing field. Who's to say kids at Niles North get inferior education to kid at Payton? not me.

I love this district for its diverse population. There are immigrants, struggling families. I've met some families who were going hungry. This high school serves all the kids that live in the district, even those who are barely getting to school. I am glad that the high school meets the needs of all the kids, from those who are bound for Harvard or University of Chicago, down to those who are the first in their families to go to high school.

Bottom Line - The World Is Competitive! These Kids are NOT prepared well @ D219 high schools, fancy equipment or not. Look up the test scores and compare other surrounding schools over several years. Really it stems at the k-8 level - that's what preps them for high school, high school then preps for college. Also parents need to do a better job at helping their kids and not just depending on the "school" to teach. There are tons of programs to offer additional support and tutoring. There are immigrant families in the other communities as well. It's not just a "Skokie" , "Niles" or "Lincolnwood" thing. The top 4 schools are Chicago based "in the heart of the city" where it's even more diverse!! Also the other schools listed after #5 which is Stevenson are not selective enrollment schools (those were your top 4) and they are your top 4 for a reason. There is nothing wrong with ranking, it paints a picture of where the students are academically. All Schools have a percentage of struggling families some communities more than others (if you mean low income) it's everywhere not just a D219 thing. And as you can see D219 is and has been struggling academically for some time. Here is a great link - take some time and educate yourself and get your facts
http://iirc.niu.edu/

Yes the rankings are fair. Don't assume someone doesn’t know or have the facts or is not "educated" as you say. The data is available out there for everyone to "educate" themselves. First let's take a look at what is defined as Low Income. Low-income students are pupils age 3 to 17, inclusive, from families receiving public aid, living in institutions for neglected or delinquent children, being supported in foster homes with public funds, or eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches. You’ve mentioned Niles West/North has high low income 30.1% West and 31.0% North (48% White, 6% Black, 13% Hispanic, 29% Asian; 11.4% with disabilities) However North side College Prep which was number 1 has 34.8% Low Income (40% White. 23% Hispanic, 5% Black & 27% Asian) Jones Commercial which was number 3 has 53.2% Low Income and a pretty diverse student demographics. Stevenson which was number 5 has 4.2% Low Income and 72% White & 18% Asian. Take a look at Evanston High School which was ranked 17 - has 28.4% Low Income 42% White and 33% Black. They also have a 16.2% population with students with disabilities Niles West/North has not always had a high percentage of low income in fact in 1999 9.5% and 2003 4.1%, 2007 and up the numbers have increased about 5% year over year% . If you take a look at overall scores back then even when low income was lower - the overall test scores and overall college readiness are low. In fact 28.1% College Ready.

So I really don’t think this has anything to do with having a "high" low income vs. a diverse population of students. Other schools have higher low-income and even more diverse and are doing quite well in educating the students and preparing them for college. The Students at D219 are not prepared well academically yet the teachers are the second highest paid?! Something doesn’t seem right here. What are your thoughts?

Whether or not it is politically correct , or even nice the fact of the matter is that low income children consisieny fall through the cracks. They come from families where the parents must work two to three jobs just to provide for their children. Therefore their children are either being baby sat, baby sitting, or left alone, resting in a lack of cultural and life experiences that prepare them for the rigor in the classroom. Our teachers are not just planting the seeds of knowledge, they are having to till the land and prepare the soil, even before they teach. Our district teachers do a fine job. Parents need to step up their game. It takes a parent., not a village.

As a parent of a student in the Class of 2012, I just wanted to say that D219 has done an OUTSTANDING JOB educating my son! 219 provides students with the opportunity to take rigorous AP and Honors courses and also provides the additional support for all students. While D219 schools did not make the U.S. News Ranking, I'm here to say that our students are among some of the brightest in the country. D219 students attend top colleges including Cornell, University of Chicago, Northwestern to name a few. Educating children though begins at home. Parents must take an active role in their childrens education right from day one and stay involved until they graduate. We must encourage and support our children and recognize that every child is unique. We must find the right balance for all students in order for them to achieve success. This is true regardless of socio-economic status. All parents have the ability to talk to their children to ask how they are doing in school and open the lines of communication. Life passes by very quickly and we only have one chance as parents to make a difference in our childrens lives. They grow up fast and before you know it their leaving the nest. There are no second chances here so parents please open the dialogue with your students about school. Get involved as your time permits but do get involved. Our children are our future so invest in them now while we can!