good schools-are they worth it? (Poway, San Fernando: home, school districts, college)
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I'm trying to find an area to settle down in and start my family, so I've been looking at the areas with top-ranking schools. But then when I read the parent and student reviews of these schools, it makes me wonder if it really is beneficial to go to these schools. many people complain that everything is about the test scores and 1/2 of the kids have to get tutors, and it's very stressful. that kids are burnt out afterward and don't even want to go to college. that only the gifted children benefit, or in other schools, they are trying so hard to get the less gifted to get high test scores that they are the only one focused on. that the parents have to spend tons of money on tutors and their kids are just bogged down with homework and RRR.
I'm trying to find an area to settle down in and start my family, so I've been looking at the areas with top-ranking schools. But then when I read the parent and student reviews of these schools, it makes me wonder if it really is beneficial to go to these schools. many people complain that everything is about the test scores and 1/2 of the kids have to get tutors, and it's very stressful. that kids are burnt out afterward and don't even want to go to college. that only the gifted children benefit, or in other schools, they are trying so hard to get the less gifted to get high test scores that they are the only one focused on. that the parents have to spend tons of money on tutors and their kids are just bogged down with homework and RRR.
what's everyone's opinion on this?
I grew up in an area with some of the best public schools in the country (North Shore, Long Island NY) and I can say that at least based on what I've seen, there is a very different focus in CA with regard to education and schooling.
Whereas in NY there is a very classical approach - with rich arts, music, and athletics alongside academics, the better CA schools seem to be very focused on standardized testing, test scores, and academics above all else. Contrast this with the fact that most major CA school districts have very poor academics and no art, music, or even phys ed, even in middle class areas.
The fact that CA's middle class cannot support their local school systems says a lot to me about the importance of education here. Many people seem at least to be aloof about it. For those that do care, the schools represent more of a defacto socioeconomic segregation than anything, in that areas with good schools in CA seem to be almost uniformly wealthy, again in big contrast to the east coast where you have middle, upper, and lower middle class all in the same top-performing school.
So - is it worth it? Answer seems to be "it depends". For us, we are mostly leaning towards the private route, or possibly my wife working (as a teacher) in a good district but us not necessarily living in that district. I want my child to have a good education but I don't want to sequester him away in an exurban or ultra-wealthy school district either. I also have big concerns about the social culture in both good and bad public schools in CA, especially with regard to dress, attitude, etc.
that's what I thought. It's sucks. I don't think I want to send my kids to private schools, even If I could afford it, because I'm afraid that they'll then be caught up in the wealthy people's materialistic attitudes. that's why I was looking for good public school areas. But those schools push test scores and I feel they might result in better ratings but give the kids a poor education nevertheless. I'm tempted to just leave cali but there are too many things that I love here. I thought maybe going to the schools rated 8 out of ten, so they might focus less of tests but still be good, yet it sounds like those are no better. what to do??? who knows.
that's what I thought. It's sucks. I don't think I want to send my kids to private schools, even If I could afford it, because I'm afraid that they'll then be caught up in the wealthy people's materialistic attitudes. that's why I was looking for good public school areas.
I'll be honest, I think that materialistic attitude is going to exist anywhere you have homogenous wealth, be it public or private school.
The best thing you can do is find a true-middle class area that still has a good school district. It's not hard to find elementary schools, but the high schools is where it gets tricky. For example Rolando Elementary gets a 9 rating on GreatSchools and has high API scores, and a very diverse student body. It is not in a wealthy area. The parents fought hard for that school. But the middle and high schools... tough to say. They are huge schools and there are good and bad elements. I am not thrilled about sending my kids to a school where it is OK to dress like a gangster (and yes, there are kids in Poway that do dress like gangsters).
The situation seems to be better in Northern California overall, for what that's worth. Also, I really like the K-8, magnet, and language immersion options as opposed to the traditional schools.
that's what I thought. It's sucks. I don't think I want to send my kids to private schools, even If I could afford it, because I'm afraid that they'll then be caught up in the wealthy people's materialistic attitudes. that's why I was looking for good public school areas. But those schools push test scores and I feel they might result in better ratings but give the kids a poor education nevertheless. I'm tempted to just leave cali but there are too many things that I love here. I thought maybe going to the schools rated 8 out of ten, so they might focus less of tests but still be good, yet it sounds like those are no better. what to do??? who knows.
I can't agree with you. I have a daughter in a local Montessori school, which goes through the eighth grade, and it's wonderful. The school is free of all the BS FCAT testing that is killing Florida state schools. Florida is like California in that everything "classic" about state education has been sacrificed to the great god standardized testing. She is 10 and in the fourth grade. She was sitting at home looking puzzled recently, and when I asked her what was wrong, she said, "I'm thinking about the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells." I guarantee that sentence wouldn't have come out of her mouth, had she been attending the local state elementary, and we are in an "A" rated district. We aren't rich and make endless sacrifices to keep her there. I know what you mean about rich parents and materialistic values, which do exist at her school, as well. But not all the parents there are rich by any means; many are in the same boat we are. And Sassberto is right, those attitudes exist everywhere, anyway.
As he says, would you consider a magnet school for your children, if there is one reasonably near? My son is in high school and is bused to a "computer" magnet high school. It is a 100% magnet school, which means it has no catchment area and no one has the "right" to be there, just because of where they live. There are only 400 students in the student body, which whittles down to something like 36 seniors, because the school is ruthless about throwing out the troublemakers and those who can't or won't make it, academically, and some kids quit. The district spent 14 million on it. It is totally revamped, wireless throughout, each student is issued a laptop for school and home use, smart boards used in every class of no more than 20 students - and it's free!
Most magnet schools are not "pure" magnet; they have a magnet program within the school. But, generally, the standards are higher, the classes are smaller, problem kids tend to be dealt with, and it won't cost you anything. Your kids would probably have to be bused, but that will be a school bus. Call your public school district office and ask if they have something like a Choices program, for magnet schools; get some info. It might be a option.
The schools are not catering to the gifted, that is a misconception. The gifted kids are out of the state standard range so they often get written off as "just fine" while the teachers focus on everyone not up to "par".
No Child Left Behind is ruining our schools because it does put way too much emphasis on test scores. Art and music is sacrificed and the kids suffer.
Also, not all private schools are snobbish, I used to think that too. Some of them just have a different (better) approach.
Heres my take on Schools and education, children can go to any school and get a good education, the biggest factor is the parents, if the parents get envolved in their childrens education the children will benifit, if the parents think it's the schools job to educate their children then their setting up for failure. Many schools get a bad rating but the truth is it's the parents fault.
Though I agree with the importance of parental role in education there are other factors which can impede a quality education. Parental participation cannot overcome all of the issues faced in education these days. Curriculum, staff, demographics, and budgetary issues can stunt the education of even the brightest child.
Living in an area with good schools, in my opinion, is critical to educational success.
For my family, we chose (and were fortunate to do so) to live in an area which has some of the highest rated public schools in the state and the nation. We live in the Palos Verdes Peninsula School District. Check out greatschools.net and see the parental input.
I know many families that formerly lived in other areas and had their children in private schools and have since moved to the peninsula and now have their children in public schools.
To the question of is it worth it? For me, absolutely. Wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm trying to find an area to settle down in and start my family, so I've been looking at the areas with top-ranking schools. But then when I read the parent and student reviews of these schools, it makes me wonder if it really is beneficial to go to these schools. many people complain that everything is about the test scores and 1/2 of the kids have to get tutors, and it's very stressful. that kids are burnt out afterward and don't even want to go to college. that only the gifted children benefit, or in other schools, they are trying so hard to get the less gifted to get high test scores that they are the only one focused on. that the parents have to spend tons of money on tutors and their kids are just bogged down with homework and RRR.
what's everyone's opinion on this?
Back to the original post: Yes, it is worth it. You can compensate for being not as rich but you can't compensate for valueless peers. What's wrong with tutors anyway? It might help jack the SAT and ACT scores up and help the kid get better grades. Kind of like a baseball player having his own batting coach. Sure it is stressful, better to get them used to it in high school because college is twice as tough, maybe three times as tough.
1) Good schools are almost always the number one criteria for families when looking for a home.
2) Good schools retain property values (important even if you don't have kids)
3) Good schools may have peers more to your liking, not necessarily test scores but peers who have a high rate of attending college (if that is important to you...if you can throw a baseball 100 mph, then who needs college?)
4) Good schools usually have well attended extracurricular activities which bind the community.
5) Many good schools are good because the parents are involved in PTA or whatever, parents interact, keep an eye an the school board and faculty, attend school board meetings, seek recalls if the wrong people are in there, initiate petitions as necessary - all characteristic of proactive parents.
I'd rather have my kids going to school with wealthy well to do kids whose parents are looking towards the future and looking for ways to get doors open, rather than parents who don't care. In fact I did. I went to a "rich kids" private school in the San Fernando Valley (because the alternative was Canoga Park High). I was the "white trash" of the class. I still had friends. I graduated in the lower middle academically but that was OK. There were a lot of smart kids there who whipped past me in the science labs and Latin class but it was good that we all took those classes.
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