Moving to LA with kids and looking for good public schools and advices on preK and K (Los Angeles: 2013)

[LenaZ]

Please help,

We will be moving to LA next Feb from NYC.

I have two questions:

- Where are good public schools and will my kids be guaranteed a spot? Older one will be entering kindergarten in 2013.
I've done some research and found that Pacific Palisades, North of Montana, Wilshire Montana, Brentwood, Westwood and Manhattan beach have good public schools, as well as San Marino and S Pasadena. We love Pacific Palisades but I'm concerned if we'll find an affordable apartment there. Also, our income will increase over time so I'd prefer to land in the neighborhood where we'd like to potentially stay. It would be a hassle to uproot the kids again with another big change.

- and any suggestions on public schools, enrollment, etc.
I realize that my older daughter wont be attending school once we move to LA in the spring b/c she will be starting public preK in NYC (and that doesn't exist in Cali). Also the little one will be lacking a great deal out of the same reason. (she will be attending a home based preK coop).
I'd love to keep them busy and ideally to find a school that would take them in in the middle of the spring semester. Our budget is not huge, we can't afford private schools yet. Are there ANY public preK options?

Many thanks!

[JohnG72]

Far more important is where you will be working.

BTW, those^^^^^^ are mostly not the best schools in So Cal. I could be slightly incorrect, but I think that San Marino school district is the only one thats close and perhaps Manhatten Beach.

Just by scores, Irvine and Cerritos outperform all of the above, and I believe Palos Verdes and La Canada are sky high as well. And these are all through high school. Places like Santa Monica(NOM) have merely above average high schools as far as tests scores go. The city of Los Angeles locations(Westwood, Palisades, Brentwood, etc) have horrible high schools unless you are in a magnet.

Another FWIW, theres very very good schools in affordable areas such as Temple City, San Gabriel, Burbank, Huntington Beach, Glendora, and many other areas. Also much more affordable in outlying areas with good schools(if commute isn't an issue) such as Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, etc.

[LenaZ]

Thank you John!

We will be working from home so we are not concerned about the daily commute. It seems like San Marino is an excellent choice, although it is more difficult to find a house/apartment for rent in that area.

[BRinSM]

san marino is a city made up exclusively of single family homes (very large ones at that), probably not an option for you since you mentioned apartments. do you have a housing budget? is there any part of LA that you'd prefer to stay close to? the more info you can provide, the more helpful we can be.

[JohnG72]

If $2500-3000/mo rent is in your ballpark, SFR in most of the areas I stated is going to be available to you.

But I agree that if you have budget concerns, San Marino will not be affordable to you and neither will La Canada, MB, or Palos Verdes.

[LenaZ]

Thanks!
What about public preK in LA? Are there any options?

As for the apartment hunt, it will be an interesting feat. Moderator cut: link removed