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

by Deborah Apsel, Catherine Man, Clara Hemphill

For nearly a decade, parents have looked to Clara Hemphill to help them find a great public school for their child. For this third edition, Clara and her staff visited nearly 500 of New York City's... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807746134
• ISBN13: 9780807746134
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: Teacher College Press
• Length: 306 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

this book has helped me to make up my mind to move back to NY

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.

A good place to start

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.

Superb Resource

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...