Best area for rather odd family with teenagers! (Los Angeles, Glendale: safe neighborhood, top school)

[majoun]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

LAUSD has a huge range; the district as a whole has a bad reputation, but there are schools within the district that are good.

There are also gangs that don't present any real threat and are harmless, but that doesn't mean gangs are good and desirable.

The good schools in LAUSD are the magnets and charters. (In fact one LAUSD magnet, LACES, is amongst the best schools in the state). Everything else is crap.

The trick is to look at the individual schools relevant to whatever neighborhood you're considering.

Non-magnets and non-charters are usually terrible. Some admittedly are worse than others.

BTW, "Unified" in LAUSD refers to its origins in the early 1960s as a merger of the L.A. city district and L.A. county district. (Similarly, other "Unified" school districts in California are the projects of mergers) When Pat Brown was governor he made eliminating small school districts official state policy and encouraged the formation of "Unified" school districts which were/are state agencies. Some cities had earlier broken away from the old L.A. City School District that preceded LAUSD (for example, Beverly Hills, Culver City, and Torrance had set up their own school districts in the 1940s and 1950s, and those districts still exist), but after the merger that came to an end. Now, in the early 1960s (deep into the '70s, actually, and in some areas into the early '80s) the overwhelming majority of schools in California were at the very least decent unless they were in the worst of the worst neighborhoods and most were quite good. But things have changed a great deal for the worse.

As far as terminology, sometimes it can be confusing because areas that have their own very distinct identity are actually part of the city of Los Angeles. Eagle Rock, for example, is a neighborhood within LA limits (and LASUD limits), while nearby South Pasadena is its own separate city and has its own school district. To complicate things further, school districts don't necessarily fall neatly along municipal boundaries, so some cities (West Hollywood, for one) and a lot of unincorporated county areas are also part of LAUSD even though they are not part of Los Angeles (the city).

West Hollywood was not a city at the time that LAUSD was set up. Although if Villaraigosa had been successful in having LAUSD put under mayoral control (which I supported), West Hollywood would have broken away from LAUSD and joined the Beverly Hills school district as LAUSD would have been under the direct control of the city of L.A. rather than being a state agency.

[West of Encino]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

LAUSD has a huge range; the district as a whole has a bad reputation, but there are schools within the district that are good. The trick is to look at the individual schools relevant to whatever neighborhood you're considering.

As far as terminology, sometimes it can be confusing because areas that have their own very distinct identity are actually part of the city of Los Angeles. Eagle Rock, for example, is a neighborhood within LA limits (and LASUD limits), while nearby South Pasadena is its own separate city and has its own school district. To complicate things further, school districts don't necessarily fall neatly along municipal boundaries, so some cities (West Hollywood, for one) and a lot of unincorporated county areas are also part of LAUSD even though they are not part of Los Angeles (the city).

They're building an LAUSD school close my my old neighborhood. I sense it's going to be future grounds for trouble, such as gangs and rowdy teenagers.

[US-Traveller]

The home size issue is going to push you to look into Ventura, Orange, or the Inland Empire. $900k is not a good budget for La Canada. I don't know your politics, but given that you said you were odd, I am guessing you are more "progressive." If that is the case be prepared that most of the suburban areas, the ones I mentioned in particular are going to be on the more conservative side. The pluses of Ventura and Orange are going to be good access to the beach, more affordable housing, good schools, and much more open space. Ladera Ranch is a very good investment in South Orange County. Ladera has seen a lot of foreclosures and home values have been halved from their peak in some cases.

Is there are particular reason you are focusing on Greater Los Angeles? Have you considered other areas of the United States?

There many places that you might find more comfortable, more affordable, and perhaps more artsy.

[pacific2]

Don’t let your artsy side keep you away from Orange County, because the newer communities of Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita and Ladera Ranch seem to be more diverse when it comes to ethnicity and politics than the older South Orange County areas of Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, etc.

My totally unscientific impression of the matter, is that some people who would have previously gravitated towards “artsy” Laguna Beach, but are priced-out, are now moving into neighboring and more affordable Aliso Viejo.

In fact, despite what some popular TV shows might suggest, Orange County has changed overall, and continues to undergo a transformation:
Orange County Is No Longer Nixon Country
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/30/us.../30orange.html

[SacalaitWhisperer]

The left coast is the land of fruits and nuts. Pick a spot. You'll be fine.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Silver Willow

Thanks again, will definitely check out Eagle Rock when we are over, looks like it could tick a lot of boxes.
Can anyone fill me in on LAUSD? I have heard a lot of not so good comments, how is it that some areas are not served by LAUSD, seems quite complicated.

The Eagle Rock area might work pretty well: as for the LAUSD, remember, like all huge school districts there will be good and bad schools. As low as the school are rated in Los Angeles, there are still very good high schools and kids are amazing. When they have the right family enviornment it is suprising how they will achieve. This is the same in Pasadena, which is another posibility. Yes, overall the schools do not have good ratings, but that doesn't mean there are not lots of bright kids and lots of advanced classes for those who do achieve.

Nita

[1200RT]

Originally Posted by SacalaitWhisperer

The left coast is the land of fruits and nuts. Pick a spot. You'll be fine.

[BennyPhoenix]

Try La Crescenta. Great little area, somewhat of a secret. It's safe, has decent schools. You could find a large house for well under $900k.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by BennyPhoenix

Try La Crescenta. Great little area, somewhat of a secret. It's safe, has decent schools. You could find a large house for well under $900k.

I think La Crescenta might be a little to conservative and not as diverse as the OP seems to want. I could be wrong. Schools wise, you are right, good schools.

Nita

[MattClyde]

Originally Posted by BennyPhoenix

Try La Crescenta. Great little area, somewhat of a secret. It's safe, has decent schools. You could find a large house for well under $900k.

I second this^

I would choose la crescenta, very safe and has good schools. But it does get some crazy weather at times, especially if you were up the hill or in Briggs. If you have a larger supply of money you can look into La Cañada, which is next to it.
It might be to much of a bedroom community for your liking and if so, I would suggest Glendale or Pasadena. They are a little more vibrant.