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We will be relocating to the Bay Area, 99% likely to be in Orinda, in December, as new immigrants to the US. I'm just trying to get my head around a couple of things that hopefully we can get some info on here:
First, I understand that we need to get CA drivers licenses within 10 days of becoming residents. But what counts as "resident"? We will probably be renting a very short stay apartment or extended stay hotel at first until we find a house, so we won't have what could be called a permanent address for at least a few weeks and possibly longer. What do we need to officially show we are residents or, vice versa, when does the state consider that we have become residents? Is it true that we need CA licenses to buy and register cars in our names?
Second, it's unfortunate that we will miss the start of the school year but it's unavoidable. Our children will be coming not only from different curricula but different school years (Jan-Dec) too. Our older one (13) will have finished 7th grade in the South African curriculum and our younger one (will be 6 in October) will have finished year one in the British curriculum. What we would like to do is contact the schools to figure out how the kids will be placed, if they will need to be tested, if there is anything we need to do before or after we move etc. Do we contact some overall person at the school system or do we contact the individual schools - which would be tricky for the younger one as we don't know which one she will end up at. Is there a gifted child program in any of the elementary schools by the way? Or a private program?
Will we be able to get some kind of orientation around the schools? I am pretty worried about the kids as the entire system is so different from what they are used to. I'm sure they'll settle in well in due course but it will be a big initial adjustment and I am just looking for ways to make it as easy as possible.
Also does anyone know how long we have before we have to enrol the kids in school? (Re not having a permanent address at first and therefore potentially not being in the right school zone for a bit.)
Ok I sound a bit like paranoid panic mom there - sorry then again I guess it's part of my job description as mom
Oh and then finally just from interest, I saw a real estate ad talking about neighborhood shuttle to the Orinda BART, any links to that would be useful - I believe there is a long waiting list for parking spaces at the BART.
First, I understand that we need to get CA drivers licenses within 10 days of becoming residents. But what counts as "resident"? We will probably be renting a very short stay apartment or extended stay hotel at first until we find a house, so we won't have what could be called a permanent address for at least a few weeks and possibly longer. What do we need to officially show we are residents or, vice versa, when does the state consider that we have become residents? Is it true that we need CA licenses to buy and register cars in our names?
Not to be snarky, but a Google search answers your question:
Quote:
How to apply for a driver license if you are over 18
If you are a visitor in California over 18 and have a valid driver license from your home state or country, you may drive in this state without getting a California driver license as long as your home state license remains valid.
If you become a California resident, you must get a California driver license within 10 days. Residency is established by voting in a California election, paying resident tuition, filing for a homeowner’s property tax exemption, or any other privilege or benefit not ordinarily extended to nonresidents.
This is from the DMV website.
EDIT: I've also never heard of needing a CA license to buy/register cars. I was able to register an out of state car and get my CA license at the same time, and when I recently bought a car, they just needed form of ID and a valid license (on top of all the other info they need).
Ok thanks but... That doesn't really help as we won't be able to vote, we are not planning to buy a home yet, I understand that public schools don't charge tuition, and I'm not sure what other state benefits they might be talking about... Surely something like a rental agreement can be used to establish residency?
Don't worry about the drivers license. It really only matters if you need to do something like get in state college tuition. I have friends who have lived in CA for 10 years and still have out of state licenses. Worst case, if they "find out" you get a warning and a few weeks to get it done.
You can use your home license for as long as it's valid. Check the expiry date on it, and if it's due to expire soon, get a new one before you leave. Once you get settled into a permanent location, you can get a CA license when you have time.
The ideal situation for your kids would be if you could put them in private school the first year, as private schools are much more flexible when it comes to placement. In public school, a 6-year-old would be put in 1st grade. But yours is ready for 2nd grade. Whether the public schools would allow that is iffy. A private school would have no problem with it, nor with the late start for Fall Semester. Same with the one ready to start 8th grade.
I wouldn't worry about testing as regards placement. Bring either the kids' grade (marks) report for the end of their school year, showing they completed 1st and 7th grade, or a letter from the school saying they completed those grades in good standing, or both. Documentation is important. You may have to be a bit assertive about insisting they get placed in the proper grade (especially since they will have missed a month or more of the fall semester) if you go the public school route. They may have to make up some of the work for that month, maybe not. But the longer you postpone getting them into school, the more difficulty you'll have getting approval to put them in the grade where they belong.
Will you be paying cash for your car, or taking out a loan? You'll need a credit report if you require a loan. Otherwise, your home country driver's license should be enough.
You'll be living in Orinda? If you're sure about that, it's a small community. There may only be 2 Middle Schools, you might be able to Google them, and contact them online. See if you can find something for central administration of the elementary school system, too. Orinda has good schools. That's a relative statement, though, compared to the British system. If the kids end up getting held back, they'll be bored witless. They may even be bored witless if they get placed in their "proper" grade. A private school would look at the curriculum the kids completed, and might skip them ahead a grade. The public school system tends to be a bit more rigid, but if they start the year and find they're only doing remedial work, you can meet with the principal to see what can be done. You may end up having to put in some time and energy advocating for your kids, I'm just forewarning you. If you can get something from the kids' current school that details what material is covered in first and seventh grade, that will help you. Again, documentation is key.
So, to clarify, it's not unusual for kids who are transferring in from British system schools to skip a grade ahead from where you'd expect them to be.
Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 08-01-2014 at 11:39 AM..
Ruth, that's very helpful thanks.
Yes cars would be cash purchases. Would insurance not be a problem with foreign licenses?
Our younger kid has already been pushed up a year at school and at this age I'd be wary of the social implications of pushing her another year ahead - part of the reason I was asking about gifted programs (she has been "officially" assessed as gifted).
Our kids are in private schools here and I was kind of hoping to get away from that to be honest. But if there is a gifted program would do it for the younger one.
I am a bit concerned for the older one about the curriculum - I'm not sure how well the SA one dovetails with the US, but the idea of documenting exactly what she's learnt is a great one, thanks.
You can inquire about a gifted program. Probably in her first year in the US, it would be enough for her to handle, just getting caught up after starting late, and adjusting to a new system, new country, new spelling (!), etc. See how she adjusts, then decide.
My thought re: private school was simply to use the loophole a private school entry would provide (re: grade placement and late entry) to get them started. Then after the first year, you could put them in public school.
A girl my age I went to school with was skipped ahead a year. After she spent some time in school in England, when she came back, she was placed ahead yet another year. She adjusted fine (by then she was in Highschool), no social problems. But it all depends on the individual child.
No, insurance shouldn't be a problem. Your money will be as green as anyone else's.
Just a quick correction on school years--your younger child would normally go into kindergarten, not first grade, per California's school cutoff dates (children must turn six by September 1st for first grade). Many districts have policies where they will not waive the age cutoff for kindergarten or first grade, in which case you would need to do a year of private first grade this year and then second grade in public school next year. After that, they will let you start with proof of completion of the previous grade in private school. Orinda may be more flexible on this than the bigger districts, though. (I would not try to get your child placed in second grade no matter what, because she'll be two years younger than her classmates, even if she's ready academically for the work. But I would definitely push for first grade, especially since she's only a month behind the cutoff.) If you're living in Orinda, school assignments shouldn't be a huge deal--everyone gets a place and the schools are all quite strong. You'll be assigned based on your address once you arrive, so there's not too much you can do before then, beyond talking to the main district office to let them know you're coming. You do need an address to register, even if it's a temporary one.
If there's a possibility your rental might not be in Orinda while you're househunting, I'd probably do a year of private school this year, assuming that's feasible financially--that gives the kids some consistency while you figure out where you'll be living. Also, if your older child is placed in the eighth grade, that means she'll have a partial year of middle school and then will begin high school--so could be smoothest for her if you do private for that year and then she starts high school next year. Many private schools are K-8 so it's normal for students to transition to high school as new students at that point. You may also find a private school is better able to help your children move into the U.S. curriculum (able to foster skills they have that are ahead of U.S. curriculum, and also identify and catch them up in areas where they are behind--there will likely be both, just because the curricula are quite different). Then they'd be prepared to enter public school in 2015. Good luck with the move and the decisions, and welcome to the East Bay!
You can inquire about a gifted program. Probably in her first year in the US, it would be enough for her to handle, just getting caught up after starting late, and adjusting to a new system, new country, new spelling (!), etc. See how she adjusts, then decide.
My thought re: private school was simply to use the loophole a private school entry would provide (re: grade placement and late entry) to get them started. Then after the first year, you could put them in public school.
A girl my age I went to school with was skipped ahead a year. After she spent some time in school in England, when she came back, she was placed ahead yet another year. She adjusted fine (by then she was in Highschool), no social problems. But it all depends on the individual child.
No, insurance shouldn't be a problem. Your money will be as green as anyone else's.
Ok great re insurance
I think high school would be different, but a difference of 2 years at 6 yo is big socially... And while she is ahead academically, she is age appropriate in terms of physical dexterity and so on, so the age gap does show there. And from what I understand gifted programs are particularly good at managing this balance of being advanced academically but not physically (or emotionally/behaviorally). But I'll try get in touch with someone in the school system to discuss ahead of time.
The private school idea is a good one for the transition...but our older daughter already hates us for taking her away from all her friends and I'm worried that two new schools in less than a year after we move will just be too disruptive for her. I guess another advantage though is that it doesn't matter if we move after enrolling her. Lots to chew on!
Yes, lots. Of course, it would have been best to move in July/August, so you could find a permanent residence before the school year started. Being in a temporary residence will complicate the matter. I doubt anyone here can help you with that. Best to ask the Orinda school district authorities.
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then again I guess it's part of my job description as mom 
