Public elementary school, then private middle & high school? (Los Angeles: neighborhood, school district)

[egold70]

As a new, first-time parent, I am spending more time planning and researching on what would be a solid plan of attack once my children are of the age to begin attending elementary school. The sentiment I have been getting from parents of young children is that if you can reside within the boundaries of a solid public elementary school, then plan on sending the kids to private middle and high school, you can save a little bit on tuition. Mucf of the "real benefit" to private schools comes after 6th grade, is what I am hearing.

I found a nifty website which lists every public school in LA County. It also shows statistics on API scores, parents education, student body ethnicity, etc, number of students, teacher ratios, etc.

A couple of questions:

Is there a public resource on private schools in LA, the similarly breaks down statistics, etc? For example, if I am living in the Pacific Palisades and want to find a good private high school within a certain radius from my home, what is a good source to find out what schools are available/popular? It seems like many of the "name brand" privates (such as Harvard Westlake, Buckley, Milken, etc) are up in the Mulholland/Valley area. But if I was living in, say, Santa Monica, that would be one heck of a commute to shuttle my kids to and from those schools, wouldn't it?

Also, for example, living in Westwood near UCLA, here is the list of schools in LAUSD a resident of the area would be eligible for:

Westwood Charter Elem (902 API)
Emerson Middle (701 API) or Webster Middle (633 API)
Uni High (659 API)

Based on the dropoff in educational quality after elementary, and also noticing that the ethnic makeup seems to indicate that white students (70% of Westwood Elem) seem to be the minority at the middle or high schools, should I assume that parents of caucasian children are sending them private after elementary? What else could explain the ratio going from 70% white to 13% in middle school?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by egold70

Is there a public resource on private schools in LA, the similarly breaks down statistics, etc?

I am pretty sure Greatschools.net has some private school data but I don't think it is as comprehensive as what it provides for public school.

Originally Posted by egold70

For example, if I am living in the Pacific Palisades and want to find a good private high school within a certain radius from my home, what is a good source to find out what schools are available/popular?

School Performance Maps

Originally Posted by egold70

It seems like many of the "name brand" privates (such as Harvard Westlake, Buckley, Milken, etc) are up in the Mulholland/Valley area. But if I was living in, say, Santa Monica, that would be one heck of a commute to shuttle my kids to and from those schools, wouldn't it?

Check Sigalert.com Los Angeles Traffic Map during the times you might be commuting.

Originally Posted by egold70

Based on the dropoff in educational quality after elementary, and also noticing that the ethnic makeup seems to indicate that white students (70% of Westwood Elem) seem to be the minority at the middle or high schools, should I assume that parents of caucasian children are sending them private after elementary? What else could explain the ratio going from 70% white to 13% in middle school?

Could be that three elementary schools feed one middle school. If one ES was 70% white (for example your school) and the other two ES were low percentage white, then when they all attend the MS, the ratio would necessarily be less than 70% white.

[uptown_urbanist]

There could be multiple factors at work, but I do know many people (and not just white) who have gone public for elementary, then switched to private for junior high and high school.

[bhcompy]

I went to private for elementary and public for middle and high school. I was a year ahead when I went to middle school in most subjects. I would imagine that your kids will be behind if they did the reverse.

[bhcompy]

In fact I wouldn't suggest going the reverse route because it hurts your kids socially as they grow up. I was ahead academically but woefully behind socially when I hit public school in middle school. It was a million miles away from the sheltered life of private school. Keeping your kid in private school through high school, imho, will give them a severe crutch in college.

[the one]

at those westside prep schools maybe.

otherwise, i know plenty of people who ended up at catholic [high] schools and were just as socially adjusted to life in college and in the streets.

in more urban areas it doesnt matter too much if you go to private school or not. you are not sheltered. you are still in the same neighborhood as everyone else. if you go to verbum dei [in watts] or salesian [in boyle heights], both all boys schools, you still have to deal with the fast life associated with urban living. you dont have the PRIVILEGE to escape social ills behind an ivy covered wall and car service.

i think it really depends on where the schools are at.

since the OP is considering west side, b. hills schools, there could be a whole set of problems that snooty kids deal with (pharming[popping pills] versus smoking a bag of weed).

i think if the OP is this invested in their childs education, they will do well in most schools. and the option still exists to send them to public sharter schools.

dont fret young parent or parent to be. it will all be ok. just stay involved.

Originally Posted by bhcompy

In fact I wouldn't suggest going the reverse route because it hurts your kids socially as they grow up. I was ahead academically but woefully behind socially when I hit public school in middle school. It was a million miles away from the sheltered life of private school. Keeping your kid in private school through high school, imho, will give them a severe crutch in college.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by the one

at those westside prep schools maybe.

otherwise, i know plenty of people who ended up at catholic [high] schools and were just as socially adjusted to life in college and in the streets.

in more urban areas it doesnt matter too much if you go to private school or not. you are not sheltered. you are still in the same neighborhood as everyone else. if you go to verbum dei [in watts] or salesian [in boyle heights], both all boys schools, you still have to deal with the fast life associated with urban living. you dont have the PRIVILEGE to escape social ills behind an ivy covered wall and car service.

i think it really depends on where the schools are at.

since the OP is considering west side, b. hills schools, there could be a whole set of problems that snooty kids deal with (pharming[popping pills] versus smoking a bag of weed).

i think if the OP is this invested in their childs education, they will do well in most schools. and the option still exists to send them to public sharter schools.

dont fret young parent or parent to be. it will all be ok. just stay involved.

I agree with you full heartedly, how a child performs and what they learn depends on the family as much as the school. I think if I did have kids entering school right now and especially in a huge school district with both good and bad schools I would opt for Charter schools. This is a good compromise.

Nita

[Naomi Manischewitz]

i am a teacher and personally, i believe it is better to have them go to elementary at a private (if you can afford it), and public starting with 6th grade. just my 2 cents.

[CA4Now]

We sent our kids to public from K through 8th and were planning to continue through high school.....and then switched them to private. In CA you still have reduced class size for public schools in grades K-3 (although I understand that some of those class sizes are up now). You also have easy access to teachers and administrators in elementary schools (through volunteering) and open PTA positions in middle schools to gain acesss to what's going on academically. After that, you're really taking a risk due to size of high schools, massive budget cuts, inexperienced teachers and less accountablity.