We're in San Jose. Our wonderful district just decided to close my kids' school because of "declining enrollment".
However, enrollment is declining in the northern part of the district near downtown San Jose, and it is increasing in the more suburban part of the district where my kids' school is located.
My kids school is a National Blue Ribbon School, California Distiguished School, and it has high test scores.
My daughter has a severe speech and language disorder due to brain damage. She is in the tops of her 2nd grade regular education class in math, and she is reading at grade level (Charlotte's Web). She's done this with good teachers, a good speech therapy, and a good occupational therapist. She's never needed a full-time aide or a special education class, and she no longer need occupational therapy.
My son was at a private Christian school for k-2. He didn't even know what a paragraph was at the end of 2nd grade, and he didn't know how to multiply. He switched to the public school in 3rd grade. At the end of 5th grade, he can write an essay and is probably going to be in a pre-algebra class for 6th grade.
Good public schools are hard to find, and I'm fighting to keep mine open.
"I'm fighting to keep mine open."
Wow! I can certainly see why.
I don't think all public schools do a good job and they're certainly full of teachers who are incompetent, but as you point out, there are some teachers who are indeed effective and do care.