Is it possible to live in one place in the LA area AND have great elementary, middle and high schools?

[missionhome]

Areas that come to mind in the LA area:
Thousand Oaks
Westlake Village
Oak Park
Moor Park
Some schools in Simi Valley
Calabasas
La Crescenta
La Canada Flintridge
South Pasadena
Arcadia
East San Gabriel
El Segundo
Manhattan Beach
Redondo Beach
West Torrance
The Palos Verde Peninsula
Diamond Bar
Rowland Heights

In Orange County there are good area too:
Closest to Los Angeles-
Los Alamitos
Cypress
Fullerton
Brea
Yorba Linda

Despite the many BAD schools in Southern California, there are pockets where the schools are very good like in these communities for K-12. If you feel good about Thousand Oaks and know the area, then go for it if you can afford it, because it has an excellent reputation for schools.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Originally Posted by missionhome

Areas that come to mind in the LA area:
Thousand Oaks
Westlake Village
Oak Park
Moor Park
Some schools in Simi Valley
Calabasas
La Crescenta
La Canada Flintridge
South Pasadena
Arcadia
East San Gabriel
El Segundo
Manhattan Beach
Redondo Beach
West Torrance
The Palos Verde Peninsula
Diamond Bar
Rowland Heights

The areas in red are actually not in Los Angeles and seem to be like a different world altogether (Westlake is on border) but they have very good schools.

Calabasas and South Pasadena are highly recommended as well.

[MovintoJax]

Ok, I can see I am going to have to spend a lot of time with that California School Performance Map!

It's hard to pick areas you want to live in based on school quality when there are so many schools so close together and you can't tell exactly what area each district encompasses.

Good to know that there is a difference between Pasadena and S. Pasadena schools, because I thought they were all good.

My gut instinct is that we would be working somewhere West of downtown and North of Orange County, but it's more of a guess at this point. As former Westsiders, my spouse keeps pushing Santa Monica or Pacific Palisades...but it looks like Santa Monica is only strong for elementary? And we'd be limited to living in a small condo or townhome in either place -- I'd rather get a whole house elsewhere and be happy with K-12, even if it means moving farther out.

Thanks for all of this input!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by MovintoJax

And we'd be limited to living in a small condo or townhome in either place -- I'd rather get a whole house elsewhere and be happy with K-12, even if it means moving farther out.

Who would be doing the driving? You, your spouse, or both of you?

[MovintoJax]

At least one of us initially, then both within the next few years...

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by DaBeez

The areas in red are actually not in Los Angeles and seem to be like a different world altogether (Westlake is on border) but they have very good schools.

Calabasas and South Pasadena are highly recommended as well.

diamond bar and rowland heights are LA county. rowland is unincorporated

[streetscenes]

South Pasadena is nearest downtown LA. San Marino is a littler further but very expensive. Arcadia has a good schools and more housing diversity. La Canada Flintridge has excelent schools. In the South Bay Torrance has good schools as well as Manhattan Beach and any of the cities on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. I think El Segundo has a good school system. The Rossmorr/Los Alamitos area has good schools.