It may come as a surprise that the public schools in NYC are good enough that people who could afford privates often choose the publics.
There are like 600 high schools. Just imagine that for a second. 600 choices just for high school.
Several of them have produced several Nobel prize winners; your favorite designer or actor–I mean the talent is amazing. And then there are the “ordinary” schools with opportunities, such as the high school where you can go to grade 14 and graduate with an associates degree and an internship under your belt at a major corporation. Or the one where you learn airplane mechanics on airplanes and helicopters actually at your school, like inside the huge building that fills an entire block. There are schools for people who want to learn the various mechanics of the subway system–can you imagine that? What a way to learn engineering . . . .schools for computer programming, schools for culinary arts, schools for music where you’re taught daily by members of the NY symphony and on and on and on.
Of course you’re limited by how far you want your kids to go each day, but you’d be surprised at the number of “two-fare” kids determined to attend the high school of their choice. That means they pay 2 fares each way. With each swipe of a metro card you get a ride plus a transfer. This means they are transferring at least twice. Some do that plus a ferry ride just to attend one of the historically amazing schools.
And families will drive from outer Queens to reach some unzoned school they fell in love with. It’s kind of crazy, but also kind of cool.