Interesting point, Bugs. Perhaps Poway’s reputation as “best schools” is more marketing hype than reality. Somehow people think that Poway schools are the best, and are more anxious to move here. Scripps Ranch prices are higher, according to what you said (and hs mentioned before the rents are higher there too). RP and RB are part of the Poway school district, so again people are paying a premium for the schools.

My thesis is that houses in the Poway school district cost more for sq foot than other inland areas like Mira Mesa, due to the desirability of the schools. Families will pay the Poway prices, if they can. Whether that gives their kids a better education is questionable, based on the input I read here.

I would need to defer to you Bugs, in whether my thesis is correct. If not, the prices in Poway and Mira Mesa should be similar.

I am also interested in how this perception of Poway schools got started.

ocrenter, I understand your dilemna. I was at the receiving end of this many times. As an outsider to the misunderstanding, I can see why I got no sympathy: the attacks are not noticeable to others, but hit strongly to the person to whom they are addressed. Another interesting think I am learning about forums. In any case, I learned English at age 9, and I skipped 7th grade. There is an ethnic bias against education among Mexicans, because they don’t value education as much as whites or Asians. Mexicans value family and hard work. They tend to be really loving, hard working, and close as a family. Important qualities. Their culture doesn’t value education, so they have a low chance of ever being like Japan or China in the global economy. That is not racist, it is an observation.

There is a difference between being racist/sexist and making an observation. Remeber the feminists who screamed at data showing boys were better at math, that their brains are wired to process logic? They said this kind of study should not be done, because it is sexist. So we should deny the biology of our brains so as to not offend the feminists? Boys are better at math than girls, in general. Girls are better at nurturing and communication. People get defensive at these facts because they are insecure.

Likewise, areas with higher concentrations of Hispanics have more reduced-fee lunches, higher drop-out rates, lower APIs. sdrealtor is right that the API just follows the demographics. You could eliminate the API and just publish the demographics, and you will know the school’s test scores. But that would be politically incorrect.