Edison RGC vs Skinner North Classical

[ChiSubDad]

Focusing on K level, if a kid can get into both Edison Regional GIfted Center and Skinner North Classical, what can they rank as #1 and #2 in their list of preferences? I searched through the forum and other sources and was drawing out a comparison across multiple factors. Can anyone chime in whose kid has been in either of these two schools or maybe who has more information. Happy to see your thoughts.

Edison RGC vs Skinner North Classical

Selectivity (2025 K Cutoffs): both extremely competitive in its own class
– Edison: 252 Rank | 237 Tier 4
– SN: 243 Rank | 230 Tier 4

High School Placements:
– Edison: No offically published percentages from Edison, however several parents/sources have noted placement into Northside, Payton, other top SEHS
– SN: Published stat = 78% Class of 2024–25 got 1st-round SEHS offers (Payton, Jones, Whitney, Lane, Northside)

Class Size:
– Edison: Small (1 class per grade level), tight-knit, pure RGC, fewer resources
– SN: Larger (2 classes per grade level), 100% Classical, engaged parent community, more diverse peer group

Acceleration:
– Edison: Approx 2 years ahead
– SN: 1 year ahead

Curriculum Focus:
– Edison: STEM/math/science/logical reasoning; strong math acceleration
– SN: More ELA focussed. English/reading/writing, literary analysis; rigorous but nurturing. Math/science often requires outside enrichment if your child is very advanced. Kids strong in ELA

Culture:
– Edison: “Gifted” focus; More academically intense; tight community; Less diverse
– SN: Rigorous + socio-emotional emphasis; nurturing reputation; Larger city-wide draw

Specials & Enrichment:
– Edison: Fewer resources (smaller budget, smaller building). Specials like art, music, and PE are solid but not as extensive as larger schools. Limited extracurricular and after-school; Limited staff
– SN: Broader range of specials and enrichment (art, music, PE, Spanish), sometimes seen as a more “well-rounded” offering; Larger staff

Commute/Location:
– Edison: Northwest side (Albany Park); Easier access for families in that area, but can be a long commute from downtown or far north/south.
– SN: Near North Side (Scott St); Convenient if you plan to live in central/north areas. Central but parking/traffic challenges

Parent Reputation:
– Edison: “Best for math/science acceleration, smaller feel”
– SN: “Best for ELA strength, transparent HS placement, central location”

Student Experience:
– Edison: ?
– SN: ?

Parent Experience:
– Edison: ?
– SN: ?

[Birdie]

@ChiSubDad It’s hard to predict which test—Classical (for SN) or RGC (Edison) kiddo will do better on, so I’d suggest ranking schools in both categories based on location and preference. I can’t speak for Edison, but I can share that Skinner North is very fast-paced and rigorous in both reading and math from the start in K.

[SD]

I have a kiddo who just got into Edison for 5th. You’re correct that there’s quite a bit of math acceleration; they are split into two math groups (one works at the 6th level while the other works at the 7th level). There’s also an additional math enrichment where they work on more logical thinking. Not sure what SN kids are doing when it comes to ELA/literary analysis, but from what I’ve seen, I would say it’s pretty rigorous at Edison – definitely in-depth and ahead, but it doesn’t get differentiated acceleration and an additional enrichment like math. My kid is writing additional analysis papers in art, though.

Honestly? I stressed out a lot over figuring out the difference between RGCs and Classical, but when it came down to it my kid did better on the RGC which made the decision for us. If you’re fortunate enough to have competitive grades on both (which is easiest in K!), then seriously consider the commute as a factor. I have one at Payton (near SN) and one at Edison and those are vastly different commutes! There are several CPS schools where your kiddo can thrive – I wouldn’t do a crazy stressful commute for the “perfect” over the “nearly perfect” academics.

[ChiSubDad]

Thank you Birdie and SD – That’s super helpful to hear! It really helps put things in perspective. I’ve also heard about the split math groups and enrichment at Edison, so it’s great to get confirmation from someone actually experiencing it.

It sounds like both schools push kids in their own ways – Edison with stronger math differentiation and Skinner North leaning more into ELA and writing depth. I completely agree that commute can make or break the experience, especially when both options are strong academically. And then it’s not just the Elementary, it’s also the Academic centers and high schools in the future. I’m Overthinking too much!

[qwerty]

I highly recommend you take the tours and get a feel for the schools yourself – you know who your kid is and what would be the best fit.
Don’t discount the location/commute.

I’ve got an early elementary kiddo at Edison and will do my best to comment on your segments below.

Edison RGC
https://www.edisongifted com (under admission tab)
This year’s prospective parent open houses will take place on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025 and Wednesday, November 5th, 2025. These sessions will be held in-person at Edison from 9:00am-10:30am.

My thoughts on your segments.
High School Placements:
I don’t know where the kids are going exactly. This is phrased as students go to their top choice high schools. This isn’t always a SEHS in Chicago. I remember the principal noting IMSA and Julliard.

Class Size:
– Edison: Small (1 class per grade level), tight-knit –
True. I can name every student and would be comfortable reaching out to every parent. I worry about this in the case of older grades, but so far so good.

pure RGC – yes, the only kids in the school are the gifted kids. There is not a neighborhood program.
Fewer resources – partially true. Edison is a very small school that shares a building with Albany Park MultiCultural Center (jr high for the neighbourhood) This allows for some sharing of staff and facilities – like the library. and shared sports teams at the higher grades.

Acceleration:
– Edison: true-ish? I believe 2 years ahead is the target.

Curriculum Focus:
– Edison: STEM/math/science/logical reasoning; strong math acceleration
Probably True: We’re only in early grades, so I can’t comment on the target acceleration.
I can share that the 1st graders work from a 2nd grade book. Kiddo was also writing short stories by the end of K. I don’t feel that one is prioritized over the other. The subjects have equal length blocks.
I do like that the math curriculum is introducing the basics of algebra, but I think this curriculum is CPS wide, not Edison specific.

Culture:
– Edison: “Gifted” focus; More academically intense; – I’m not sure what this means or how one would compare it between schools.

tight community: true. Though it depends somewhat on grade level and parent effort.
Less diverse:
Racially True: Edison is on the north side and bussing is no longer available. There are not a lot of African Americans in the school. There are a fair number of hispanic/asian/mixed race students.

Specials & Enrichment:
– Edison: Fewer resources (smaller budget, smaller building).
Specials like art, music, and PE are solid but not as extensive as larger schools.
Limited extracurricular and after-school; Limited staff

Specials are: Art, French, and PE – 2x a week each. There is not in school music.
Extra Curriculars: Chess is the most popular and is supplemented by the PTO.
Youth Guidance offers afterschool care and rotating enrichment classes. This includes, music, art, theatre, martial arts, robots, etc.. and are an extra cost.
There are also after school clubs hosted by the teachers and are typically free or have a small cost.
Availability varies by age group and leader involvement. A parent is running Mandarin Club and the Girl Scout troops. A different parent declined to do French Club this year.

Smaller Building – yes, but new. So there are no window air conditioners, exposed pipes, or basement cafeterias.

Commute/Location:
– Edison: Northwest side (Albany Park); Easier access for families in that area, but can be a long commute from downtown or far north/south.
True – and this is reflected in the school population. In our grade, the farthest is Lincoln Park/Old Town or Belmont/Hermosa. I’m not sure about other grades.

Parent Reputation:
– Edison: “Best for math/science acceleration, smaller feel”
?? I’m not sure what this means, but again, I would go see the schools and get a feel for what fits your family/location.
(For what it’s worth, I toured all the SEES that would work for our location, and they were all great in their ways. I also toured a bunch of choice schools. Some of those were also great, and every one of them was fine.)

Student Experience:
– Edison: Our kid is having a good experience. Any social challenges are age appropriate and well handled by the school.

Parent Experience:
– Edison: We’ve had a good experience. The teachers have been very communicative and responsive when I’ve emailed. The principal as well. She hosts a “coffee chat” and encourages care-giver involvement.

Those who want to participate can and are welcome. There are lots of opportunities to volunteer and bring your ideas.
For example – K-2 parents organized an “instrument petting zoo” before the symphony field trip last year. Four parents brought in their instruments and the classes came in to see/touch/try them.

The PTO is very active and working especially hard this year. There is a lot of fundraising, but it’s pretty transparent about the things that PTO supports and the aims related to the asks.

[qwerty]

@Chipubdad Here’s the link for SN’s open house. Looks like it’s Oct 9th. Hopefully you’re aware.

https://www.skinnernorth.org/apps/news/show_news.jsp?REC_ID=876613&id=0

[Tier2dad]

I hear a lot of positive things about all of these top selective enrollment schools. From what I’ve seen, the vast majority of parents fall in love with their school and believe it to be the best place for their kids and maybe start to imagine reasons why other good schools are inferior. When comparing good options, I think you should choose the school that’s most logistically convenient for your family! This is the way!

I’m skeptical the Edison math is truly as differentiated and advanced as claimed here. Skinner North has DOMINATED the city math competitions in recent years (see CJML results). I remember going to one competition where 8 of the top 10 sixth grade results were from SN. I have friends whose kids enjoyed their experiences at Edison, but based on city math competition results, I find it confusing to hear that Edison’s math program is a relative strength vs SN.

[Author]

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