Unless you are shelling out a college tuition for a top-level private school for the connections that it gives, there's effectively no real difference in your public school options - absent completely abysmal warzone type places.

In any case, one will need to put in the effort to get one's children properly educated. A smaller school district probably gives more opportunities to experience a wider spectrum of activities anyway - I certainly wouldn't have been able to be a three sport athlete, take every shop class available, participate in math and geography competitions, and a whole host of other extra curricular activities in a bigger pool.