How to get my kid in a good school in LAUSD? - charter, etc. ? (Los Angeles: middle schools, live in)

[Texamichiforniasota]

Looks like you got some helpful posts from people that actually know what they're talking about in your area besides the usual ignorant rantings of people that live out exurbs claiming that 'parents that care about their children move out of LAUSD.'

[ryanms3030]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

Looks like you got some helpful posts from people that actually know what they're talking about in your area besides the usual ignorant rantings of people that live out exurbs claiming that 'parents that care about their children move out of LAUSD.'

Do you have kids? Too many variables if you are living in one of the worst school districts in the country. Maybe you get lucky but probably you don't

[Texamichiforniasota]

Originally Posted by ryanms3030

Do you have kids? Too many variables if you are living in one of the worst school districts in the country. Maybe you get lucky but probably you don't

I have two kids, oldest starting school in about a year and a half. I live in LAUSD, but am fortunate that the zoned to schools for elementary, middle, and HS all are rated 8 or above. My cousin went the magnet route with his two kids in LAUSD and has been very happy, 1 in middle school and the other now in HS. It is lazy and unhelpful to just advise someone to move when there may be some good options near them. Thankfully other posters gave useful advice.

[ryanms3030]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

I have two kids, oldest starting school in about a year and a half. I live in LAUSD, but am fortunate that the zoned to schools for elementary, middle, and HS all are rated 8 or above. My cousin went the magnet route with his two kids in LAUSD and has been very happy, 1 in middle school and the other now in HS. It is lazy and unhelpful to just advise someone to move when there may be some good options near them. Thankfully other posters gave useful advice.

You know what they say about opinions? I've done a lot of reason the subject and stand by mine. You go LAUSD/charter/magnet route and you might get lucky for 13 years and you might not. I'd rather stack the deck

[Tuscan80]

LAUSD has schools rated 9s and 10s too. It's just harder to find them... There are some good charter schools in the valley you could always try. A 6 rated school is not horridly terrrible..... It's about average and considering its 90% Hispanic with English-Learners, 6 might actually be on the high side. 1-3 is terrible and I wouldn't entertain those ratings.

In either case, your child would probably be okay for Kindergarten or 1st grade. If the school is THAT terrible, I'm sure you could teach your child their alphabet and numbers and basic addition and subtraction at home. That is about all you learn in the first two years of schooling anyway. Don't commute further --- I think having a parent around the home is more valuable than a parent who is commuting from two hours away and not present.

If I were you i would sit tight and see if the area improves in the next 5-7 years. That is a LONG time. You can apply to charter schools. Let's say your child doesn't get in for Kindergarten, try again next year for 1st grade.

At the older age I'm not sure what to do. I think at this point many parents DO opt for private schools. Early education is basic enough, but when you get more advanced it might be worth to shell out some money for the better education so your child can be on the college-track.

[Cloudwalker]

I'd have to disagree and say that the first couple of years in school are incredibly important, because they set the tone for the school experience and have a huge influence on how your child views school. It's possible to recover from a bad start, but why start out on the wrong foot if you don't have to?

It's also very disruptive and unsettling to have kids moving schools, especially after just a year or so. They have to learn to negotiate a whole new set of adults, kids, and rules. That's not easy for a little person. It happens, but it's not ideal, best to avoid that if at all possible.

I do agree that a lot can change in 5 years. The biggest factor in turning a school around seems to be parent involvement, and there are a number of LAUSD schools that have really lifted their game over the last 5 years as a direct result of the efforts of a group of engaged parents in their community. Next time you are at the local park/playground with your kid, see if you can strike up a conversation with a parent who has a school age child and get their perspective on the local options.

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by Cloudwalker

I'd have to disagree and say that the first couple of years in school are incredibly important, because they set the tone for the school experience and have a huge influence on how your child views school. It's possible to recover from a bad start, but why start out on the wrong foot if you don't have to?

It's also very disruptive and unsettling to have kids moving schools, especially after just a year or so. They have to learn to negotiate a whole new set of adults, kids, and rules. That's not easy for a little person. It happens, but it's not ideal, best to avoid that if at all possible.

I do agree that a lot can change in 5 years. The biggest factor in turning a school around seems to be parent involvement, and there are a number of LAUSD schools that have really lifted their game over the last 5 years as a direct result of the efforts of a group of engaged parents in their community. Next time you are at the local park/playground with your kid, see if you can strike up a conversation with a parent who has a school age child and get their perspective on the local options.

This is very true. The three magnet/charter schools our kids attend(ed) succeeded in large part because of healthy parental involvement. This is an oversimplification but I'd rather send my kid to a '7' school with a healthy parent/teacher involvement environment than to a '9' warehouse.

Another thing to consider when considering private schools, and I've heard his from more than a couple of parents who send their kids to privates (most notably the ones up n Mulholland...you know the ones): there's a semi-explicit expectation that you will donate (in cash or tangible in-kind) an annual amount equal to tuition! So if you're in for $30k tuition it's really 60.

[ryanms3030]

Originally Posted by Tuscan80

LAUSD has schools rated 9s and 10s too. It's just harder to find them... There are some good charter schools in the valley you could always try. A 6 rated school is not horridly terrrible..... It's about average and considering its 90% Hispanic with English-Learners, 6 might actually be on the high side. 1-3 is terrible and I wouldn't entertain those ratings.

In either case, your child would probably be okay for Kindergarten or 1st grade. If the school is THAT terrible, I'm sure you could teach your child their alphabet and numbers and basic addition and subtraction at home. That is about all you learn in the first two years of schooling anyway. Don't commute further --- I think having a parent around the home is more valuable than a parent who is commuting from two hours away and not present.

If I were you i would sit tight and see if the area improves in the next 5-7 years. That is a LONG time. You can apply to charter schools. Let's say your child doesn't get in for Kindergarten, try again next year for 1st grade.

At the older age I'm not sure what to do. I think at this point many parents DO opt for private schools. Early education is basic enough, but when you get more advanced it might be worth to shell out some money for the better education so your child can be on the college-track.

Most importantly OP can build enough equity in the current home in 5-7 years to sell it and move to another state and buy a better house in a good school district and have money left over

[jamesblazen]

Dude, don't be such a racist. There are some very good dual language immersion programs such as Aldama in LA. Your kid will be much better off bi-lingual and bi-cultural.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota

Looks like you got some helpful posts from people that actually know what they're talking about in your area besides the usual ignorant rantings of people that live out exurbs claiming that 'parents that care about their children move out of LAUSD.'

Mar Vista's an exurb?

Ive personally witnessed the Westside lose its children because of crappy schools.
Why pay Brentwood or Venice housing prices for horrific schools when there are better schools available elsewhere?. Why pay Toluca Lake or Studio City housing prices, or Los Feliz and Silver Lake housing prices, when there are also better public schools available nearby, in comparable neighborhoods?

LAUSD's board is very anti-charter, as they are controlled by the union. They would love to shut down charters for that reason, regardless of school quality. So, let's say you have your kid in a charter, then the Board of Ed decides to shut it down and plop your kid in a school which is preparation for San Quentin, Chino, Soledad, or Tracy, but not for a UC, CSU, etc. That is one of the problems with living in an LAUSD hood. Even a nice LAUSD hood like those on the westside or the nice parts of the Valley, Central LA, and NE LA.