What is the meaning of no school guarantee? (San Diego, Oceanside: 2014, rent) - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

agusia25 · 07-08-2016, 06:33 AM

I was reading up on California schools and I understand that there is no guarantee on what school my child will be assigned to within the district. How does it work in practice? Some district have decent schools and it is not that important, but some have a mix of good and really bad. If I buy a home in the district close to a good school, can my child end up in a worse school regardless? Far away from home? Do I have a priority for the closest school, or it doesn't matter? Are those things decided in Kindergarten and then it's hard to get into the school or is it fairly easy to transfer between schools? Is there a lottery? Do siblings have priority? Can I end up with my kids in different schools? When purchasing a home I always look at schools as they are most important. Is it then a gamble? Those with experience please help me out. I have 4 kids. One will be going into 7th grade, one to 5th. I also have one who is almost 5 going into early K or pre-K and then K next year. One is still a baby and I'm sure I will have things figured out by then.

eastcoastbias · 07-08-2016, 09:05 AM

Most have boundaries within their district where each address has a corresponding school. I highly doubt that they would split up a family into different schools when they could go to the same school.

What I've heard...School boundaries are known to change often especially in California. Is this a message from a school covering it's tail in case the boundaries change? That would be my guess.

Where is this message coming from- Is it directly from a school site or an outside source?

There is a resident school expert here that may be able to help you out.

moved · 07-08-2016, 09:40 AM

If the school(s) that you want are already full, your kids will be sent to another school, and yes, your kids could be going to different schools. It all depends on the enrollment.

payutenyodagimas · 07-08-2016, 09:43 AM

you should get priority to your assigned school

oddstray · 07-08-2016, 09:48 AM

If the school close to where you live is full, your child will be directed to a different school. It may be a better school, but it's likely to be a not-as-good school because parents will try to "choice" their kids into the best schools so those will fill up quickly. You don't (as far as I know) get any preference for being close. I believe siblings do get some preference but it's not always enough to overcome the enrollment limits issue.

Yes, it's quite possible that families would be split up into different schools if one happens to fill up. Or if one gets into the "choice" school and the other(s) don't.

I've not heard of school boundaries changing, except when new schools get built or old, under-used schools get closed.

It seems that the thing to do for San Diego is to find a home with a good school district so that it's not such a gamble exactly which school the kids wind up in. San Diego Unified School District schools are wildly hit-or-miss. Other school districts are smaller and therefore more consistent. And once you do know where you'll be moving to, get the kids enrolled as soon as possible (even before you move if that's possible) to have a better chance of getting them into the shcools you want them in.

I'm not the resident school expert, so stay tuned for better information . . .

agusia25 · 07-08-2016, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastcoastbias

Most have boundaries within their district where each address has a corresponding school. I highly doubt that they would split up a family into different schools when they could go to the same school.

What I've heard...School boundaries are known to change often especially in California. Is this a message from a school covering it's tail in case the boundaries change? That would be my guess.

Where is this message coming from- Is it directly from a school site or an outside source?

There is a resident school expert here that may be able to help you out.

This is only the information I read up on internet. I've noticed that let's say Oceanside will have a greatly rated school at 9 or 10 and then a few that rate at 2. My fear was that if I end up moving into a district late then my kids will end up in school that is rated 2. That's a big gamble. Other areas within districts are similar. I cannot afford to buy a home over 600,000 and I'm limited right now to where I look for houses. I will rent out something in the district to start with anyway and see if I like it enough. I just hate to move my kids between schools yet again or buy a home in a good area and end up in bad as far as schools. I have not expected it when looking for home in Cal. I guess things are much different in Midwest where we are now. I guess my priority is schooling my kids, but also have a comfortable enough home for 6 people. If there is a resident school expert here, please I need your expertise. It's very confusing to me.

moved · 07-08-2016, 12:01 PM

You can live directly across the street from your school of residence, but if the grade(s) that your students are going to that year are already full when you go to enroll, they be reassigned to the next nearest school. And you may not like it, but all you can do is keep checking with the school that you want to see if any students leave during the school year. This does happen, so you'll want to keep in touch with the office staff, and also ask if there's a waiting list.

RosieSD · 07-08-2016, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastcoastbias

Most have boundaries within their district where each address has a corresponding school. I highly doubt that they would split up a family into different schools when they could go to the same school.

Actually, just a few months ago we had a poster who bought a home in Poway only to discover that the school down the block had a seat for his 4th grader, but not for his 1st grader. So, this can happen from time to time in more popular school districts, especially when families relocate in the middle of the school year when schools have their staffing already in place for the year. Another thing that has been known to happen is that a new development will happen in an area in a district, and people who buy in that area pay an assessment for a new school to be built. You can live right down the street from that school, but if you are not in the "assessed" area, you may not be able to get into that school. (See, for instance: Poway Unified Kids Can)

However, this is not a huge worry in most districts or at most schools. However, there are things you can do to lessen the chances of it happening. When you get close to buying a home, call the assigned neighborhood school and ask about space availability for your kids. Make sure that you comply with any "preferred registration" deadlines, and get all paperwork required for registration completed as quickly as possible. On the off chance that your children are reassigned to another school, don't panic. Often you can ask the school staff at your neighborhood school to put your child on a waiting list if you absolutely have to have your child attend that school.

Again, space issues don't happen very often. So, this isn't a huge concern. Just something to be aware of, and to ask questions about when you are shopping for places to live.

Finally, keep in mind that there are many great schools in San Diego County. They aren't just located in one or two districts. Add in the many great charter schools and private schools here, and we really have a wealth of educational options to choose from. So, do your research on schools, but don't get too fixated on a particular school as being "Best."

RosieSD · 07-08-2016, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastcoastbias

Most have boundaries within their district where each address has a corresponding school. I highly doubt that they would split up a family into different schools when they could go to the same school.

Actually, just a few months ago we had a poster who bought a home in Poway only to discover that the school down the block had a seat for his 4th grader, but not for his 1st grader. So, this can happen from time to time in more popular school districts, especially when families relocate in the middle of the school year when schools have their staffing already in place for the year. Another thing that has been known to happen is that a new development will happen in an area in a district, and people who buy in that area pay an assessment for a new school to be built. You can live close to that school, but if you are not in the "assessed" area, you may not be able to get into that school. (See, for instance: Poway Unified Kids Can)

However, this is not a huge worry in most districts or at most schools.

That said, if you are worried about it, there are things you can do to lessen the chances of it happening. When you get close to buying a home, call the assigned neighborhood school and ask about space availability for your kids. (You can find out the assigned school here: Make sure that you comply with any "preferred registration" deadlines, and get all paperwork required for registration completed as quickly as possible. On the off chance that your children are reassigned to another school, don't panic. Often you can ask the school staff at your neighborhood school to put your child on a waiting list if you absolutely have to have your child attend that school.

Again, while space issues can happen, they don't happen very often. Schools and school districts generally do a good job of planning staffing for each year. So, this isn't a huge concern. Just something to be aware of, and to ask questions about when you are shopping for places to live.

Finally, keep in mind that there are many great schools in San Diego County. They aren't just located in one or two districts. Add in the many great charter schools and private schools here, and we really have a wealth of educational options to choose from. So, do your research on schools, but don't get too fixated on a particular school or district as being "Best."

payutenyodagimas · 07-08-2016, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moved

You can live directly across the street from your school of residence, but if the grade(s) that your students are going to that year are already full when you go to enroll, they be reassigned to the next nearest school. And you may not like it, but all you can do is keep checking with the school that you want to see if any students leave during the school year. This does happen, so you'll want to keep in touch with the office staff, and also ask if there's a waiting list.

you mean those who enrolled from outside the school boundary but within the district will get priority just because they enrolled first? (am not talking about when the school term has already begun)