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Old 05-31-2010, 07:37 PM
 
2 posts, read 6,353 times
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I have a new job in Long Beach, off Long Beach Blvd., NE of the 405, near Bixby Knolls. I'm willing to commute 30-40 minutes so that my son will live in a better school district. Which areas within Long Beach would have the best public elementary schools / which neighboring cities would have the best school districts? Our housing price range is $450,000-$550,000 though I'd prefer to rent while I learn the area. Thanks in advance for suggestions.
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Old 05-31-2010, 10:24 PM
 
Location: South Bay
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some parts of long beach have good schools, palos verdes, los alamitos, just about anywhere in coastal OC, torrance, etc...
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Old 05-31-2010, 11:18 PM
 
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Your job will put you right in range of Whitney in Cerritos and Oxford Academy in Cypress. Both are two of the top high schools in the nation and are very competitive. Oxford is test-in from the elementary schools within the Anaheim School District, but I also think you're more likely to find a house within your price range there over Cerritos. If your kid(s) don't get into those specific schools through the elementary school system then the Los Alamitos school district is still pretty good. Both areas are an easy commute to Bixby Knolls, about 20-30 minutes tops (even less) depending on where you end up settling down.

I'd go south towards Orange County rather than west for the most solid options, but the closest to Bixby Knolls is actually California Academy for Math and Science in Carson. IIRC, it's in the top 20 high schools in the nation. It's also available to residents from all over, so you won't be restricted to living within a certain school district, and many Long Beach elementary schools are pretty well rated.
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Old 05-31-2010, 11:20 PM
 
Location: RSM
5,113 posts, read 19,692,573 times
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Parts of Long Beach/Lakewood, all of Los Alamitos/Seal Beach, western Garden Grove, Cypress, Cerritos.

At your price, Los Alamitos and Seal Beach are probably priced out. The better parts of Long Beach are probably priced out, and the better parts of Cypress are probably priced out. This would leave above average areas of Long Beach, Lakewood, and western Garden Grove. That's not to say there aren't deals to be had, but chances are lower.

And the easy way to check the schools/neighborhoods is using California School Performance Maps to check out the different areas. Standardized test scores maybe aren't the best measurement, but at least it's some kind of measurement. Keep in mind that the high schools in Long Beach may rate lower than they're really worth because they are urban schools. For instance, Poly High has some of the best academic programs around, but also has a very diverse student population.
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Old 06-01-2010, 01:33 PM
 
916 posts, read 3,687,158 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by agreenfield68 View Post
I have a new job in Long Beach, off Long Beach Blvd., NE of the 405, near Bixby Knolls. I'm willing to commute 30-40 minutes so that my son will live in a better school district. Which areas within Long Beach would have the best public elementary schools / which neighboring cities would have the best school districts? Our housing price range is $450,000-$550,000 though I'd prefer to rent while I learn the area. Thanks in advance for suggestions.
Long Beach Unified is consistently ranked one of the top urban school districts in the nation. It is also school of choice which means you technically can attend any school regardless of where you live in the city. However, the great schools obviously fill up fast with the neighborhood kids.

Given your job location, my advice is rent a place in Bixby Knolls and send your child to Longfellow. Bixby Knolls is a charming neighborhood.

Or if you prefer other areas of LB some of the great schools are Newcomb, Naples, Lowell, Fremont, and Gant. Really just depends if you're looking for a suburban, beach, etc type neighborhood.

My own two cents and I'm admittedly biased but Naples Elementary is the best public elementary school in southern california. Incredibly high test scores, parent involvement, etc and it's small (200 total students). Additionally, it's a very quaint school located in a beautiful place and the neighborhood is fantastic.

Last edited by NaplesRes; 06-01-2010 at 01:53 PM..
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