What are some areas in Silicon Valley that have a good public high school (850+) but not so good elementary and middle? We plan on using private schools for educating our kids early on and then use public high schools.

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Question on Quora:

What are some areas in Silicon Valley that have a good public high school (850+) but not so good elementary and middle? We plan on using private schools for educating our kids early on and then use public high schools.

Robert Lei, REALTOR, E-PRO at Century 21 M&M and Associates

Hi, Yes, I know the perfect spot within Silicon Valley for you if you want excellent high school but do not need excellent elementary. One part of Sunnyvale has just this scenario. To see what region I’m talking about, go to this link: Silicon Valley School Districts . Scroll down and click on “Sunnyvale Elementary”. Look for the light-blue region along the western edge of Sunnyvale bordering Mountain View that says “Vargas Elementary”. This is the part of Sunnyvale that has an excellent public high school (Homestead High School API=873) but not as good elementary (Vargas Elementary API=776). Usually, elementary schools have higher API and the API gets worse as you move from elementary to middle to high school. However, this pocket of Sunnyvale is an exception because Vargas Elementary is joined by the two star elementary schools Cherry Chase Elementary (API = 952) and Cumberland Elementary (API = 947) when they reach high school at Homestead High.

Note: The API scores I’ve reported above are the 3-year average of the last 3 recorded years of the Academic Performance Index (API) from the California Department of Education website.

I’m guessing you are asking for “not so good” elementary because you are hoping to get the good high school without paying such a high price for the house as you would be forced to pay if you bid on houses that had all 3 schools — elementary, middle, and high school — all highly ranked. If so, you are correct that the prices of these homes aren’t quite as high as the homes that are in the Cherry Chase Elementary and Cumberland Elementary attendance areas.

Boundaries Determined for Central Park and Pomeroy Elementary Schools of the Santa Clara Unified School District

Boundaries Determined for Central Park and Pomeroy Elementary Schools
Central Park Elementary School will re-open in Fall 2016 and serve as a public neighborhood school. Creating attendance area boundaries for the new school affects the attendance area boundaries of Pomeroy Elementary School.

After seeking and considering input from the Pomeroy Elementary School community on the proposed boundary options being considered by the Board of Education, the decision below was reached.

At the November 12 Santa Clara Unified School District board meeting, the Board of Education voted on the final school attendance area boundaries for Central Park Elementary School and Pomeroy Elementary School, selecting boundary option 3 (pictured below and on the school district website). The new boundaries take effect in the 2016-2017 school year. 

The Board also voted to allow grandfathering for students currently enrolled (in the 2015-2016 school year) and their incoming siblings, if the older student is currently enrolled at Pomeroy Elementary School. Current enrollees wishing to be grandfathered must do so beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. Enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year begins on January 13, 2016. Additional information will be sent to the parents of current Pomeroy Elementary School students through the school. 

 

Millikin Basics+ Elementary School moved from Central Park Elementary to Mariposa School

Posted under: General Area in Santa Clara, Schools in Santa Clara, In My Neighborhood in Santa Clara  |  September 29, 2014 7:37 PM

The rising number of parents who wished to enroll their children in the Santa Clara Unified School District's Millikin Basics+ Elementary School prompted the school’s move away from its former site at Central Park Elementary on Sonoma Place (just north of Central Park) to a bigger campus at the former site of Mariposa School on Hobart Terrace on the West side of Mariposa Gardens in 2013.

Due to an unexpected population drop and unused capacity in neighboring schools, Central Park Elementary was closed in 2012.

After updating the former Mariposa school site, the Millikin Basics + program re-opened at the former Mariposa site in 2012-2013.

The new Millikin Basics+ Elementary School was formerly Mariposa School, established in 1956.
Mariposa School later closed due to declining enrollment, and then was rented out to another educational institution before the school district reclaimed it for the site of the new Millikin campus.

While the old Millikin campus held 402 students, the new campus holds 432 students.

New iPhone App helps attract Customers to your Open House

Tunedra recently unveiled a new iPhone app that helps Agents and Sellers attract Home Buyers to their Open Houses.  The usual real estate text description doesn't really stand out.  To make your home descriptions more memorable, the Tunedra iPhone App allows you to SING the description.  The result is a catchy tune that potential home buyers cannot get out of their mind.

For an example, click this link to musical description of Bertha Taylor Elementary listing.
then click the triangle play button at the lower left corner to play.

To help understand the song:
49ers = The San Francisco 49ers.  On Sundays when the 49ers play, the traffic to open houses drops precipitously.  On Saturdays you have no excuse not to come visit my open house

API = Academic Performance Index (Bertha Taylor is the highest performing elementary school in the Oak Grove School District.  Of course, after listening to this song, that point should be drilled into your head.)

Bullis Charter School is not the same as Gardner Bullis Elementary

Although both are physically in the city of Los Altos and have similar names, Bullis Charter School is not the same as Gardner Bullis Elementary.  The two schools get confused with each other, but are very different. 

To explain, knowing the history is helpful.  Back when the Los Altos School District Board decided on February 10, 2003 to temporarily close down the original elementary school which served much of Los Altos Hills (Bullis-Purissima Elementary), a group of affected residents sprung to action and started Bullis Charter School (BCS) to fill the void.  Even though BCS is physically located in the city of Los Altos (in the portable classrooms on a campus shared by Egan Junior High School), BCS is chartered by the County of Santa Clara.  BCS operates independently of the Los Altos School District (LASD). 

Although BCS is technically a public school, keep in mind BCS is not a typical public school.  It is a charter school.  You are strongly encouraged to donate $5,000 per year per student.  For that, you get some aspects of school that you might typically get in a private school.  You get "Focused Learning Goals", full-time teaching specialists in the arts and sciences, a Mandarin language program, and optional after-school activities.  You need to enter a lottery to get in.    Originally, the majority of the students for BCS came from the neighborhoods in the attendance area of the school that was temporarily closed.  However, now only approximately 25% of the students at BCS are from that attendance area. 

Anyone in the state of California can submit an application to attend BCS.  Enrollment preference, authorized by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, are as follows:

If a random drawing is necessary, SCCOE authorized enrollment preferences are applied based on the following hierarchy within each grade level:

1.Siblings of current BCS students who reside within the Los Altos School District (LASD) have first preference.
2.50% of the available openings for students residing in the former Bullis-Purissima School attendance area as defined by LASD in 2003 have the next priority.
3.Other LASD students have the next priority.
4.Siblings of current BCS students who reside out-of-district are given priority after that.
5.Out-of-district students without BCS siblings receive the final priority.

Three Campbell/Moreland School-Sets Collide at the Winchester Blvd & Payne Ave Intersection

Three Campbell/Moreland School-Sets Collide at the Winchester Blvd & Payne Ave Intersection

A T-boundary formed by Winchester Blvd  running north-south and Payne Ave running west defines the boundaries between 3 elementary/middle/high school sets.

East of Winchester Blvd lies completely in the Campbell Union and Campbell Union High School district, namely Castlemont Elementary (API 811), Monroe Middle (API 784), and Del Mar High School (API 694). 

North-West of the Winchester Blvd & Payne Ave intersection, the homes fall in the Payne Elementary (API 902) and Moreland Middle (API 861) of the Moreland School District, and Prospect High School (API 794) of the Campbell Union High School District. 

South-West of the Winchester Blvd & Payne Ave intersection, the homes fall in the Rosemary Elementary (API 835), Campbell Middle (API 755), and Westmont High School (API 796) of the Campbell Union High School District. 

If I currently rent in Cupertino but want to own my own place in Cupertino, can my children stay at their current school until the end of the school year?

Question:
If I currently rent a condo in the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) and my child currently attends our neighborhood Cupertino elementary school, what would happen if I buy a condo that goes to a different elementary school within CUSD?

I want to own my own place in Cupertino, but can my children stay at their current school until the end of the school year?

**
attending another school

move into new address

When you purchase a place, you are supposed to give the closing statement for your home purchase to your child's current school's secretary.  The school district will then update the school assignment for your child. 

To prove that you have physically moved into your new home address, you'll also have to give them a PG&E bill with your name on it, plus one form of ID within 30 days.

Student Assignment with the Cupertino Union School District.  Normally when you move to a new residence, you are supposed to update your address with CUSD.  However, if space is available you can request to have your child stay at his/her current school.

The good news is that Eisenhower 4th grade does have a few spots available.

Charlene also checked and confirmed that Eisenhower has nobody on their waiting list of

waiting families from overflow trying to get back to Eisenhower.  Bottom line is yes, since Eisenhower 4th grade has space right now, now is a good opportunity to buy something and also keep Nina at Eisenhower.

In fact, I checked the other elementary schools that feed to Hyde middle school and got more good news.  Sedgwick Elementary is very full and has very little space.  De Vargas Elementary 4th grade is also full.  That means if you buy a property in Sedgwick or De Vargas, they will be glad to allow Nina to continue at Eisenhower.  The situation can change at any time.  Right now the conditions are in your favor.  If you end up not finding the right place for several months, we may have to check the situation again.

Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) Attendence Map Elementary/Middle Schools

Click the link below to see the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) Attendance Map showing which neighborhoods send to which Elementary/Middle Schools: Click this link: --> CupertinoUnionSchoolDistrictAttendenceMap _ElementaryBoldBorder_MiddleShaded The Elementary school boundaries are shown with the bold borders. The Middle school boundaries are shown by the shading.

Sunnyvale Elementary School Gap Appears to be Closing

Sunnyvale Elementary School Gap Appears to be Closing

Posted Under: Home Buying in Sunnyvale, Home Selling in Sunnyvale, In My Neighborhood in Sunnyvale | October 17, 2012 11:56 AM | 13 views | No comments

The gap in performance between schools in the Sunnyvale Elementary school district appears to be closing, based on the recently released latest API results. For many years, we had Cherry Chase #1 and Cumberland #2 both FAR ahead of the rest of Sunnyvale schools in Academic Performance Index (API). Ellis Elementary then emerged as a clear #3 with the remaining schools still far behind.

However, the latest results show a strong improvement in Bishop Elementary (+25) and good improvement in San Miguel Elementary (+7) while a couple of the top schools Cherry Chase (-11) and Ellis Elementary (-4) dropped slightly. If Bishop Elementary and San Miguel Elementary continue their climb, they will break the 800 API barrier next year. From an investment point of view, you might be wise to buy houses in those two neighborhoods while they are still below the psychological 800 barrier.

By the same token, now may be the smart time to buy in the Cumberland Elementary neighborhood. Cumberland Elementary looks poised to overtake Cherry Chase as the #1 ranked school in the Sunnyvale School District. If/when that happens, it will be a huge psychological stimulus for Cumberland home prices.

Robert Lei, REALTOR, ePRO
Century 21 M&M and Associates
474 E. El Camino Real
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
(408) 893-2410

STAR testing for Cupertino Union School District's Eisenhower Elementary 2nd graders

If  you are wondering why a bunch of 7 year old kids in Santa Clara near the Cupertino border look to have a sense of relief, it's because Cupertino Union School District's Eisenhower Elementary 2nd graders just completed their STAR tests this past week.


Each spring, all students in California from grades two through eleven take the state's Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) exams, a battery of standardized tests.

The California STAR Program looks at how well schools and students are performing. Based on STAR tests and the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE), California assigns an Academic Performance Index (API) rating and growth target to each school and district. Ratings range from 200 to 1000, with a goal of 800 API for all schools statewide.


The STAR Program includes four tests: the California Standards Tests, the California Modified Assessment, the California Alternate Performance Assessment, and the Standards-based Tests in Spanish.

The STAR program used to include the California Achievement Test, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6), but this test was eliminated in the 2008-2009 school year.


The test taken by the majority of students is the California Standards Tests (CST).

In 2nd grade through 11th grade, the CST covers English-language arts. In 2nd grade through 7th grade, the test also covers math.

Additional tests are added at various grade levels. The CST adds a history-social science test for 8th grade, 10th grade and 11th grade. The CST adds a science test for 5th grade, 8th grade, and 10th grade. The CST also adds a math and science test for students in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade. The test they take depends on which math and science course they are enrolled in that school year, such as algebra, geometry, physics, or chemistry.

The STAR - CalEdFacts page provides a more detailed overview of the program.
For more information, you can also visit California Department of Education Testing and Accountability.

Stocklmeir's lottery system means parents don't have to camp out

The Cupertino Union School District will be running a lottery system for spots in Stocklmeir Elementary. Some people don't like to hear the word lottery for such an important issue, but the reason for the lottery makes sense. If the school district had offered spots on a first-come, first-served basis, then we'd see a long line of parents camping outside the office to ensure their kids got it. With kindergarten spots offered to Stocklmier Elementary through a lottery, all parents have an equal shot at getting their child in as long as they pick up their registration packet on time within the registration window of Jan 30th – Feb 16th. Parents don't gain any advantage by camping out for early registration.

Ramifications if you lose the Cupertino Union School District's Stocklmeir Elementary Lottery

The Cupertino Union School District (CUSD) will once again hold a lottery for kids entering kindergarten for families who live within the boundaries of Stocklmeir Elementary School.

However, this is no cause for alarm. The CUSD expects all (or at least most) of the students to get into Stocklmeir.

The unlucky parents whose kids don't get into Stocklmeir through the lottery have other options that aren't that bad.

They can apply to other elementary schools within the Cupertino Union School District. What distinguishes Cupertino from some other top school districts is that ALL the schools within the Cupertino Union School District are highly ranked. If you don't get into one high ranking school, you will find a place in another high ranking school. (Contrast this to Fremont Mission San Jose where if you don't get into Mission San Jose, you suffer a rather steep drop down.)

Surprising, other top elementary schools do have openings. Regnart Elementary (API 976) has an even HIGHER ranking than Stocklmeir (API 966), but does often have openings because most families cannot afford to buy a house in Regnart Elementary neighborhood.

Even if you don't get into Regnart Elementary (API 976)or any other alternative school, the "overflow school site" fallback this year for kids who don't get into Stocklmeir Elementary (API 966) is John Muir Elementary (API 944), a very good school in it's own right. If your child ends up having to go to John Muir, your child will get free transportation from Stocklmeir to John Muir. CUSD will provide transportation for you since they realize you would be inconvenienced by the extra driving distance.

Parents who didn't get into Stocklmeir are put on a waiting list. If and when space opens up at Stocklmeir, the CUSD will notify the next family on the waiting list and give them the option to either stay at their childs current kindergarten class (e.g. John Muir) or move to Stocklmeir.

However, as mentioned in my other blog post, for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year, the CUSD expects everybody to get in.

Detailed breakdown of Campbell Union School District Elementary School Boundaries

Click the hypertext for a detailed map of the Campbell Union elementary school attendance area boundaries.

However, since the street detail of the map is hard to read, I've provided a verbal description of the street boundaries of the top elementary schools within the Campbell Union School District, starting from highest API to lowest API (based on 2011 API rankings):

1. Marshall Lane (API 953)
Marshall Lane is the furthest southwest of the Campbell Union School District Elementary School Boundaries. The majority of the Marshall Lane region is southwest of Hwy 85. In fact, Hwy 85 is the northeastern boundary line of the Marshall Lane region from Quito Rd southeastward to Pollard Rd.

West of Quito Rd, the Marshall Lane region reaches northward just enough to include Devon Ave and westward just enough to include Montrose St.

Northeast of Pollard Rd & Hwy 85 a staircase pattern defined by east on Pollard Rd, north along Harriet Ave, east along W. Hacienda Ave, north along Archer Way, east along Westmont Ave then turning back south on S. San Tomas Aquino Rd and continuing southeast along the east part of Pollard Rd down to where it almost touches Hwy 85 again.

2. Forest Hill (API 931)
Forest Hill is contained on the west by Quito Rd and on the east by S. San Tomas Aquino Rd. The southern edge of the Forest Hill region starts at the northern edge of Marshall Lane region (see above). The northern boundary of Forest Hill starts at Quito Rd and Baylor Ave then staircases eastward along Baylor, southward along Villanova Rd, east along Vanderbilt Dr, then roughly continues along S. San Tomas Aquino Rd.

3. Capri (API 867)
Capri is northeast of Marshall Lane and east of Forest Hill. Capri extends from Hwy 85 at its southernmost point up to W. Campbell Ave at its northernmost boundary.

4. Sherman Oak (API 845)
Sherman Oaks is a triangular slice of pie region north of Southwest Expwy and east of S Bascom Ave. Its northern boundary is roughly defined by Hwy 280, except that it juts a little north of Hwy 280 just northwest of San Jose City College. This extra piece starts at S Bascom Ave and Scott St, heads east on Scott St, south on Rutland Ave until it hits Parkmoor Ave.

5. Castlemont (API 824)
The Castlemont region is just WSW of the Sherman Oaks wedge-shaped region. Castlemont is bounded on the west by S. Winchester Blvd and on the east by S. Bascom Ave.

The remaining schools with lower API, which I will describe in less detail are:
6. Lynhaven (API 802)
Lynhaven is northwest of Castlemont.

7. Rosemary (API 771)
Rosemary is southwest of Castlemont.

8. Blackford (API 763)
Blackford is east of Sherman Oaks region and Castlemont region.

Cupertino Collins Elementary $465k - Blast from the Past

Real estate goes up and down in the short term, but over the long run it goes up.

Here's a reminder of one that got away.





This Cupertino home with Collins Elementary was listed at $465k, which sounded like an outrageously high price at the time, but since then this house reached a value of $1.1M and after dipping back down to $900k is back up to $950k.

Price Trend of Santa Clara Eisenhower Elementary Condos on Mauricia Avenue

Condos are a good way to gauge the price trend of a neighborhood because condos provide a uniform apples to apples comparison. In this case, I chose the "apple" as the Mauricia Avenue 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 1067 square foot units. Click the hyperlink for the price trend graph of Santa Clara Eisenhower Elementary on Mauricia Avenue 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 1067 square foot condos.

If the above link doesn't work, then copy / paste this link in your browser:
http://siliconvalleyhouses.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/mauriciaav2bed2bathpricetrend.pdf

Sunnyvale Cherry Chase Elementary Houses Near Highway 85 Power Lines

In a previous blog article, I wrote about the various school attendance boundaries in the Sunnyvale Union School District.
http://siliconvalleyhouses.blogspot.com/2010/05/sunnyvale-elementary-school-district.html

As you can see from the Sunnyvale School District Elementary School Site Boundaries Map, the western portion of the Cherry Chase Elementary attendance area is close to highway 85 and therefore is relatively close to the power lines that run along highway 85.

Those power lines can be an eye sore and the humming noise can sometimes get on your nerves, but the more important question is "Does the extra EMF radiation from those power lines increase the likelihood of cancer in the homeowners who live near power lines?"

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) titled "Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF) Radiation from Power Lines"

Some takeaways from that report are:
1. The general scientific consensus is that, thus far, the evidence available is weak and is not sufficient to establish a definitive cause-effect relationship.
2. ... exposure to extremely low frequency EMF, the type found in homes near power lines. Based on studies about the incidence of childhood leukemia involving a large number of households, NIEHS found that power line magnetic fields are a possible cause of cancer.

Concerned home owners and potential home buyers should read the entire NIEHS report. For further discussion, home owners and buyers should read the various "Fact Sheets" from Transpower (a New Zealand power company).