Researching Schools...

Online reviews tend to be skewed one way or another, so don't put a lot of stock into them. For example, my son attends a wonderful school GreatSchools ranks it low, simply for lack of data.

I thought that the greatschools ratings were based on test scores more than anything else - basically that most if not all states have standardized testing and the great schools scores look at how a school did within its state's testing.

If that's not accurate, I would check with the department of education in California, find out what their state tests are called and look at the results. You should also be able to get demographic info on school districts on-line as well.
One really telling statistic is the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced lunch - school districts that have to deal with a higher pecentage of students living in poverty have to deal with a lot of issues above and beyond just basic education. Unfortunately, it's a lot harder for poor children to succeed in school than it is for children whose families enjoy economic security and the level of intervention needed to support those students pulls time and resources away from everyone. I hope that doesn't sound snobby because that's not my intent but if I got to choose between a school district with a 5% poverty rate and a 25% poverty rate, I'm going with 5%. That said, schools that meet a certain threshold for low-income students - I think it's as low as 3 or 5% - are eligible for Title I funds and other grants that can be used for all students. So it's about finding a school district that qualifies for grants but isn't overwhelmed with poverty.

Other things to look at are what % of students go on to college, the military, a vocation or into the workforce at graduation as well as what % graduate. Look up things like how the sports teams or theater, art and music programs do - robust high school programs like these signal a high level of school commitment and parental and student involvement.

Within a district, check out each school's website. Even in the same district, the level of engagement and quality of schools can vary simply based on random factors like how good the principal is or which location is better. We're lucky in that there are three primary elementary schools in our district and the one that's 1/3 mile from my house is the best. The others are good, but our principal is just awesome and energetic and we have a few crazy-dedicated parents who spearhead projects like installing a school garden and growing giant pumpkins. Another thing I would look at is the PTA - are there lots of fundraisers and events? Is there a high level of engagement?

Finally, talk to realtors in the areas that you're considering. They tend to know the communities really well and can give you the low-down on what districts and schools are the best choices within your price range.

Good luck with your decision! I live in a small house in a fairly expensive town that has excellent schools. I know that we could have a larger, nicer home in a neighboring town but for us, the decision to be the poor people in an affluent town with excellent schools was a good one.

you cant judge a book by the cover.. and you cant judge a school by test scores or parent reviews.

I happen to really like our school.. but I don't like it because it has great test scores.. I like it because the prinicipal is fabulous.. the teachers are caring and the children are treated as children not just a number.

for example we do not have honor roll.. as it is not appropriate for elementary kids. we do not have timed testsin kinder and first grade.. many other nearby districts do have timed tests..

so ... I don't know how you pick a school site unseen... I would try to pick a school in a nice area.. with a good percentage of parents that care.. but other than that... test scores and parent reviews don't mean much..

You can also talk to a realtor. Many people base their housing decision on school districts, and a realtor can help you decide. They will know which schools are "the best," but they will also be able to tell you more about the community. Keep in mind that the best district and the second best district might be very, very close and that the price point might be very different.

Realtors can be extremely helpful with a cross country move.

Great schools ratings are based on test scores. It took me a bit to figure this out when I looked up the school my daughter is supposed to go too. There was no ranking even though there were parent reviews. The reason why there was not a ranking is because the school is a K-2 and the testing is done in 3rd grade.

I found a great site. Google "CA school ratings". It gives the scores for all the schools in a town and if you click on the particular school, it gives a lot of interesting demographic information.

Good luck with your move!

When I look into schools, great schools is a great source--for opinions. I try to see the state's scores for the schools. Then compare the tests scores for the schools with the income levels. If the school has a high amount of low income students, that could affect the overall test scores for a school. Low income families do not have access to tutoring and other things that higher income families have. And unfortunately, the parents are not as involved. I don't understand that part but......Then look at the additional things available for students. You can also call a school to see how they help struggling students.

You can also go to the websites of the school districts and look up their test scores and compare them against other disctricts, and usually schools within the districts.

Talk to a realtor. They would know for suresh at districts are good.

Go to the state of California's Dept. of Education's website. There, you'll find the latest STAR testing results. These are the standardized tests done here in CA. These don't give the full picture, but the ones with the highest scores tend to be in the best neighborhoods and have the highest parental involvement. A realtor can also direct you to the neighborhoods with the best schools.