We moved to Poway in 1999 for the schools. The high API means more than just a high score. It means my kids are surrounded by other kids whose parents value education.
After moving to Poway, I found out what else is hidden in the API: the higher socieconomic group that implies a high API provides the PTA and Foundation money to buy computers, art teachers, PE teacfhers, music programs. Fewer kids left home alone after school means less bad kids to influence my kids. High API means classmates’ parents are educated and spend time to do volunteer work, teach their kids, give them opportunities, help in the classroom.
I also saw that the best teachers compete for the few openings in the Poway schools. Poway has the pick of the best teachers, and the San Diego magazine ranking was for the quality of Poway High teachers, with many having masters degrees. My son’s elementary school has many teachers near retirement age, with decades of teaching experience. New openings go to the cream of the crop. The good teachers don’t end up in National City. Sorry, but teachers have choices too, and they like to work at the schools where kids come with breakfast in their tummies. This is a better environment for *my* kids. So I give my kids the best environment, with a gifted program. I found all this at Poway schools, even though it is so underfunded, that I envy lostkitty.
In any case, people with kids who can afford Poway schools, come here. If they have no kids, they don’t care about schools yet and get a starter home elsewhere. If they cannot afford Poway, they convince themselves their kids can get a good education elsewhere. asianautica made the best of the Mira Mesa environment. Why didn’t his parents live in Poway? That’s what I would like to know. Also, how did he beat the odds in Mira Mesa? I think that colleges give an advantage to those poor districts, so he was given a few extra points in the admittance process for coming from a disadvantaged school. That may be another factor to keep in mind.
My sister in law is in the Chula Vista district, and they can’t seem to fine enough parents to help with anything down there.
Our Tierra Bonita Education Foundation raised $50K last year to replace the elementary school computers.
I will keep putting my kids in a high-scoring school, because I want to provide a high-learning environment. I got that, and I am grateful. My daughter compares herself with gifted kids, whose parents are physicist, lawyer, doctor, engineers, etc. Those are her peers. She wouldn’t have that in Chula Vista.
