Desperate for education in philadelphia

It has become increasingly difficult to locate a good school in philadelphia. Don't get me wrong there are good schools, it's just not enough of them. I am constantly hearing about children being put on never ending waiting lists to get into schools, one parent said her child was number 275 on a list for only 40 kindergarten spots in a charter school. She asked me if I thought her child had a chance . I told her She already knew the answer to that question, and told her she should look into a few private schools, she may have a better chance with them. I think that the school situation is becoming a crisis. My sister literally called and harrassed a local charter school for an entire year, and her child was number 11 on the list. When she found out she got down to number 4 right before the school year begin she called twice a day. She finally got in a week after school has already started, only because they were tired of the phone calls. So my advise to everyone call and harrass the administration if your child has been wait list, but only if there number is low enough so they will have a fighting chance, for everyone else pray. :)