Recommend elementary schools/areas in San Jose area

[doodlesmama]

Idk if this is the right board, but we are moving in a couple months to the Menlo Park area for my DH's new job. Our DD will be starting Kindergarten this September and we have no idea what schools/towns have good public elementary schools. Any recs would be appreciated, ik East Palo Alto is a no-no. TIA!

[sariana]

Well, Menlo Park is not all that close to San Jose. Are you looking in San Jose specifically for a reason? For good schools consider Cupertino, Los Gatos (expensive!), Saratoga (more expensive!), Campbell, and I think Los Altos, though I would check on that one.

I grew up in and near San Jose, and I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the area that was considered the "desirable" area. It was two words, I think. NOT Alum Rock.

I lived in the Evergreen area. At that time it was just average, but I think it is a much higher caliber area now (lots of newer development--well, since I lived there in the 70s!).

You can use this site to look up schools' Academic Performance Index. Test scores are not the be-all and end-all of a good school, but it gives you something to go by. Click on "API Reports."

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/

[connor_mommy]

I live in Mountain View and attend Los Altos schools. Cupertino schools are good, but more competitive. I love our school district.

[kwc]

I grew up in and near San Jose, and I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the area that was considered the "desirable" area. It was two words, I think. NOT Alum Rock."



Probably Willow Glen?

We live in Palo Alto and are very happy with our schools, though some might consider them highly competitive, potentially "Race to Nowhere" schools. Class size for my 1st and 4th graders is 23 kids, up from 20 DD's kinder year. Most of Menlo also has good public schools. Los Altos has good schools though they have recently had to increase class size a lot. Cupertino as well, though arguably (even) less diverse and more math/ science oriented by reputation.

As expected, all of these locations have astronomically high real estate prices.

[doodlesmama]

Well, Menlo Park is not all that close to San Jose. Are you looking in San Jose specifically for a reason? For good schools consider Cupertino, Los Gatos (expensive!), Saratoga (more expensive!), Campbell, and I think Los Altos, though I would check on that one.

I grew up in and near San Jose, and I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the area that was considered the "desirable" area. It was two words, I think. NOT Alum Rock.

I lived in the Evergreen area. At that time it was just average, but I think it is a much higher caliber area now (lots of newer development--well, since I lived there in the 70s!).

You can use this site to look up schools' Academic Performance Index. Test scores are not the be-all and end-all of a good school, but it gives you something to go by. Click on "API Reports."

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/

We aren't looking at San Jose specifically, it was recommended to us as an ok commute to Menlo park with lower rent prices. We would really like to keep rent under $3000 for as most sq ftge as possible but without a ridiculous commute along with good schools- a lot to ask for ik, lol.

[94bruin]

Depending on where you live in SJ, it would probably take at least 30 mins to commute to MP. I drive the opposite direction, which is reverse commute, and it takes me about 30 mins. The other side of the freeway has way more traffic as a lot of people drive towards Palo Alto/Menlo Park.

Have you considered communities to the north? Redwood City (certain neighborhoods only), San Carlos, Belmont all have nice communities/school, and are probably more affordable than Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Cupertino. If you live to the north, you would't have to cross all the Palo Alto traffic to get to Menlo Park.