Relocating to Vancouver area for the second time (Salmon Creek, Camas: rentals, school district)

[ladymend]

Hello everyone, we are relocating to Vancouver area for the second time. We previously (2008-2012) lived in Camas when our boys were 5yr and 1yr old. We are now coming back and looking to find a good high school and nice neihgborhood. I know that Camas has an outstanding high school, but the rent prices are a bit steep so we want to see what other options we have. Would appreciate your input. TIA

[texasdiver]

Vancouver is no different from anywhere else in the country in that school quality rankings largely measure wealth. Every school ranking anywhere in the country that is based on test scores is essentially measuring the bottom 20% of the school, not the top 20%, and wealthy areas just have a higher performing bottom 20% because they don't have the dysfunction that comes from poverty.

That said, if you are looking for the most academic high schools in Vancouver they will be Union and Mountain View in east Vancouver (Evergreen School District) and Columbia River and Skyview in west Vancouver (Vancouver School district).

Mountain View and Union draw from the more affluent parts of East Vancouver including Fishers Landing and Cascade Park as well as the affluent rural areas bordering Camas. Union is pretty much a carbon copy of Camas in many ways. Columbia River and Skyview draw from the Felida and Salmon Creek parts of west Vancouver which are similar.

I know it is the case in Evergreen that they have open enrollment and you can attend any high school if you live in the the district. But you will not necessarily have bus transportation if you attend a school outside your attendance zone so you'll be driving them back and forth to school until they are old enough to drive, assuming you are going to give them a car. I assume the schools in west Vancouver are the same but I honestly don't know for sure.

If you get out a map and draw out the attendance zones for those four schools (Union, Mountain View, Columbia River, and Skyview) along with Camas that should give you a pretty large area for which to search for rentals.

[texasdiver]

Head's up. Don't move to Ridgefield if schools are your concern. The district is popping at the seams in terms of enrollment and bond measures to build new schools keep going down to defeat. They aren't done counting votes, but both Ridgefield school bond measures are going down to defeat. If they fail, it will be the 6th straight bond failure in a row for Ridgefield.

If you move there now, your kids will likely be jammed like sardines into a sea of portable classrooms for the foreseeable future. Because they are at least a decade away from even catching up with enrollment, probably more.

https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/...cial-election/

[StealthRabbit]

Fortunately... In Washington State you don't have to waste your time going to high school. Just pass the college entrance exam and attend college FT (for free, student pays for books, school district covers tuition).

There are many educational choices. Our kid's first day in 'school' was college.

They had been volunteer tutors 3days/ week in PS, when we were occasionally in the USA, so they knew what sitting around a classroom with a herd of clones entailed.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by ladymend

Hello everyone, we are relocating to Vancouver area for the second time. We previously (2008-2012) lived in Camas ...I know that Camas has an outstanding high school, but the rent prices are a bit steep so we want to see what other options we have. Would appreciate your input. TIA

1) local rents are far less expensive than the current price premium for buying a residence.

2) increased rental fees are FAR cheaper than private school for multiple kids.

3) if you MUST use a public school, chose a suitable one, and live within walking distance if possible.

4) there are very few 'bad' areas for living / renting in SWWA. Easy to identify, easy to avoid.

5) if any of your students apt to attend Vocational Skills center, or Clark College, there are nice areas near each (Evergreen area is better than Orchards, North Main, or east Evergreen (between Fort Vancouver and Harney) is better than Grand. Personally, I would rent within / from Fort Vancouver historical trust (get on their wait-list).

Cascade Vocational Skills center is a decent and even a preferred educational option for those seeking the many offerings there. Students can enroll in more than one skill, and also stay beyond HS age. Combining with evening classes at Clark, your kid could end up with a high paying demand skill PLUS an AA degree by HS graduation. That high paying skill could bring early earnings, easily covering college and living expenses. When they graduate from 4 yr University, they will have valid experience and $200k earned income - placing them far ahead of graduating peers with ZERO experience+ college debt.

My SWWA employer reimbursed me 100% for (5) college degrees. Plus I had served a skilled apprenticeship (age 18 - 23), that paid far more than new hire BS degrees. It wasa good gig.

Where's employment?

Walking distance to work and school is a double plus.

[texasdiver]

And the difference between the property taxes charged in a mediocre school district compared to a top school district is minimal compared to the cost of private school tuition if you take your kids out of the public schools.

Here are the tax rates (per $1,000 of assessed value) for all the districts in Clark County



According to Zillow the current median home price in Vancouver is $503,000 so just to keep things simple, let's calculate the tax difference between Camas and Battle Ground for a median $500,000 home:

Camas: $500,000 x $3.57/$1,000 = $1,750
Battle Ground: $500,000 x $2.14/$1,000 = $1,070
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Difference: $680 per year or $56.60 per month in school taxes to live in Camas versus Battle Ground.

Now I promise you that there are no private school options anywhere in the county that will provide your child with a top quality education for $680 per year ($340 per year if you have two children).

For example, Seaton Catholic HS in Vancouver charges Total: $17,250 per year in tuition and fees. Got two kids there? You will be out $34,500 per year. That is 50-times MORE than the difference in property tax between Camas and Battle Ground. https://www.setonhigh.org/apps/pages...REC_ID=1219305