Carlsbad/San Diego -public school class sizes, budget cuts, etc. (Vista: home, to buy)

[Greenfield24]

What is really going on with the budget cuts and class sizes for public schools in SD? What are the average class sizes for elementary and junior high? Do teachers have assistants or do parents come in to help? How do parents really feel about the class sizes? Are families switching to private school?

Any info on what is going on in the schools is appreciated. We are thinking of returning to CA and specifically Carlsbad area. Living in Georgia and our class sizes are 20 - 22 per class. We greatly miss CA - the weather, the food, outdoor activities.

[earlyretirement]

I don't know about Carlsbad but here in the Poway School District the class sizes seem to be about 22-25 kids or so for elementary school. Our daughter is in pre-school and she had 22 kids in her class. The teacher has a teacher's assistant and then a few months ago they got a 2nd teacher's aid. Maybe this is a special situation since it's pre-school.

Also, many parents come in some days to help with the class. There are several parent volunteers. My wife and I filled out the paperwork and the Tb skin test to volunteer with the class but honestly there has never been a need because there are always already parents there.

For class trips, my wife has gone to help but there were so many parents on the trip already. The parents in the Poway school district are quite involved.

I know there are budget shortfalls with all schools in California but I think some school districts cope with them better than others. For example, at ours, many parents volunteer supplies and also money. There is a "room parent" that organizes things and at least with our daughter's class, she provides a list of supplies the class needs but that they don't have money for.

So all the parents buy them. Several times we've bought kleenex, antibacterial wipes, paper, school supplies, etc for the class. And I know the other parents do as well. Many times even if we don't get an email from the room parent, my wife will ask the teacher what they may be low of and we just go out and buy it.

Other times she will give a suggested $ donation that each parent should give and to my knowledge they have never had any problems getting donations from other parents. As well, parents have pooled together to get Christmas gifts for the teachers and our class "adopted" a less fortunate family for Christmas and all the parents pooled together funds to buy that family everything they had on their list.

Also, the schools have fund drives and many parents contribute to that. Our school had a silent auction and many parents donated items. We donated several items to auction off that all sold and raised money for the school.

The tough thing is that in some areas, you have to get on a waiting list to get your kid into the school. Even if you live 1 block away there could be a totally full school and you have to get on a waiting list or they have to have a lottery system to see who can go. That is a MAJOR disappointment, especially if you are paid big money to buy a home in the area specifically for your kids to go to that school. Plus, having to pay Mello Roos taxes to live in certain areas.

Our daughter couldn't go to the pre-school that she wanted (Willow Grove) as they had a waiting list 25 students long) so we have to drive to go to another school. I just hope by the time she hits Kindergarten that she is able to go to Willow Grove. I'm told we will have a priority since we own a home close by and are paying Mello Roos taxes but I haven't researched in detail about this as we still have a year + to wait before she is in Kindergarten.

So you have to factor in that factor as well. I know that same frustration goes on in other school districts including San Dieguito.

So far I've been impressed with the Poway School District. It was the primary reason we decided to buy a home in the area and I don't regret it at all. Everything we heard before about the school district has panned out and we're impressed with the level of involvement from the parents and teachers and the principal at the school. Really I think if you're living in a good school district there is no need to send your kids to private schools.

[janineg]

Even in poorer districts the class sizes aren't too bad. In Vista Unified the size is up to 25 in grades k-3, then 4th and 5th seem to have around 32-33. No paid assistants to the teachers, just volunteers.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by earlyretirement

I don't know about Carlsbad but here in the Poway School District the class sizes seem to be about 22-25 kids or so for elementary school. Our daughter is in pre-school and she had 22 kids in her class. The teacher has a teacher's assistant and then a few months ago they got a 2nd teacher's aid. Maybe this is a special situation since it's pre-school.

Also, many parents come in some days to help with the class. There are several parent volunteers. My wife and I filled out the paperwork and the Tb skin test to volunteer with the class but honestly there has never been a need because there are always already parents there.

For class trips, my wife has gone to help but there were so many parents on the trip already. The parents in the Poway school district are quite involved.

I know there are budget shortfalls with all schools in California but I think some school districts cope with them better than others. For example, at ours, many parents volunteer supplies and also money. There is a "room parent" that organizes things and at least with our daughter's class, she provides a list of supplies the class needs but that they don't have money for.

So all the parents buy them. Several times we've bought kleenex, antibacterial wipes, paper, school supplies, etc for the class. And I know the other parents do as well. Many times even if we don't get an email from the room parent, my wife will ask the teacher what they may be low of and we just go out and buy it.

Other times she will give a suggested $ donation that each parent should give and to my knowledge they have never had any problems getting donations from other parents. As well, parents have pooled together to get Christmas gifts for the teachers and our class "adopted" a less fortunate family for Christmas and all the parents pooled together funds to buy that family everything they had on their list.

Also, the schools have fund drives and many parents contribute to that. Our school had a silent auction and many parents donated items. We donated several items to auction off that all sold and raised money for the school.

The tough thing is that in some areas, you have to get on a waiting list to get your kid into the school. Even if you live 1 block away there could be a totally full school and you have to get on a waiting list or they have to have a lottery system to see who can go. That is a MAJOR disappointment, especially if you are paid big money to buy a home in the area specifically for your kids to go to that school. Plus, having to pay Mello Roos taxes to live in certain areas.

Our daughter couldn't go to the pre-school that she wanted (Willow Grove) as they had a waiting list 25 students long) so we have to drive to go to another school. I just hope by the time she hits Kindergarten that she is able to go to Willow Grove. I'm told we will have a priority since we own a home close by and are paying Mello Roos taxes but I haven't researched in detail about this as we still have a year + to wait before she is in Kindergarten.

So you have to factor in that factor as well. I know that same frustration goes on in other school districts including San Dieguito.

So far I've been impressed with the Poway School District. It was the primary reason we decided to buy a home in the area and I don't regret it at all. Everything we heard before about the school district has panned out and we're impressed with the level of involvement from the parents and teachers and the principal at the school. Really I think if you're living in a good school district there is no need to send your kids to private schools.

They stopped out of district busing so you have that going for you. A lot of the kids that were bused in won't be attending now so you should see a lot of openings for this year/next.

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

They stopped out of district busing so you have that going for you. A lot of the kids that were bused in won't be attending now so you should see a lot of openings for this year/next.

But did they have out of district busing in for the Poway School District? I didn't hear about that before? I assumed that there were so many kids just from people living in the area. I don't think it was from busing in (at least in the Poway district). Was it?

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by earlyretirement

But did they have out of district busing in for the Poway School District? I didn't hear about that before? I assumed that there were so many kids just from people living in the area. I don't think it was from busing in (at least in the Poway district). Was it?

Not part of SD unified are they.