Anyone glad to move out of Irvine for their kids???

pricedoutJay

New member
Do you know anyone (or did you) move out of Irvine and moved their kids from Irvine Schools (especially high school) and actually is/are so glad?

I talked to a lady who did move to Lake Forest. She happens to be white and felt like a fish out of water being among mostly Asians in Irvine.  She's glad she did and thinks Lake Forest/Mission Viejo high schools are as good as Irvine high schools.  May be not so much API or SAT scores but overall quality wise.

I was wondering if I should stop Irvine home searching and move down also for cheaper and bigger house... but my kid have to go to a new totally new school when he enters high school this fall...  don't know if getting a house is a good excuse to rattle a kid's school/friend life...
 
I have a few friends who did that. They were tired of all the hours their kids had to put in, etc, in school and felt like they weren't being kids.  I suppose I don't know since my kids aren't of school age, but I definitely have some of those concerns.  I'm a huge believer in education, but I'm also a big believer in letting kids have fun and play with other kids (socialize), play team sports, etc. I think it all helps build someone who can be more well rounded and ultimately not only make their life more enjoyable but better prepare them for when they are older. 

I never pressed on the hours (and they could have been exaggerating or something), but they were in like 4th - 6th grade and kids were up till 11 or 12 with homework, etc. Sounded absurd. When I was in 6th grade, I think I had like 30 min to 1 hour of homework a night with exception of projects / tests. No idea what expectations are now-a-days.  They were talking about 3-4+ hours every night with some nights being 5 or 6 hours. Which at that age is just absurd.

Hell I got through college never having to do anything like that with exception of cramming for finals / mid-terms.
 
What's your goals with the schools?

That's a serious question.  Are you hoping, or are you kids AP level kids looking for a a shot at Ivy?  Top tiers?  Top UC, any UC? or just known name school?  Any school?

Have you read the threads from the board members that have run that gauntlet?  Are you prepared to commit the time and money for the Kumon, prep classes, summer study camps, volunteer mission etc, and parental bird dogging daily to practice and study to keep them at par in the hyper competitive environment where 45 other students in your kids Irvine high school are gunning for prefect SATs?

Do you think your kid will get a better GPA and education in Irvine, or will they have a decent education and same or better GPA elsewhere?

Are you concerned if your kid goes to a slacker school your kid will be a slacker?

 
Bullsback said:
I have a few friends who did that. They were tired of all the hours their kids had to put in, etc, in school and felt like they weren't being kids.  I suppose I don't know since my kids aren't of school age, but I definitely have some of those concerns.  I'm a huge believer in education, but I'm also a big believer in letting kids have fun and play with other kids (socialize), play team sports, etc. I think it all helps build someone who can be more well rounded and ultimately not only make their life more enjoyable but better prepare them for when they are older. 

I never pressed on the hours (and they could have been exaggerating or something), but they were in like 4th - 6th grade and kids were up till 11 or 12 with homework, etc. Sounded absurd. When I was in 6th grade, I think I had like 30 min to 1 hour of homework a night with exception of projects / tests. No idea what expectations are now-a-days.  They were talking about 3-4+ hours every night with some nights being 5 or 6 hours. Which at that age is just absurd.

Hell I got through college never having to do anything like that with exception of cramming for finals / mid-terms.

Do you know what the difference in hours of homework is now that your friends have moved to different districts, when compared to Irvine? I'm curious, because we also thought long and hard about possibly not buying in Irvine due to perceived excessive academic pressure, but my kids are only in Kinder and 1st grade (and private right now). We thought about Newport Beach School district, villa park schools and tustin schools and ultimately decided on TUSD, but the side closer to Irvine (Beckman, etc, which I foresee in the future becoming more like Irvine schools). Its hard to find a good balance between too much pressure and too little pressure (my perception is that Villa park, Newport Beach, etc are too full of rich kids that don't care enough about school, but perhaps I'm wrong)
 
nyc to oc said:
Do you know what the difference in hours of homework is now that your friends have moved to different districts, when compared to Irvine?
My take is we would likely feel (or our kids will feel) that no matter which school district you attend that district gives too much home work in comparison to others. 

I know kids attending Beckman who pretty much spend all their time doing homework.  I can't imagine it could be any worse even in the famed IUSD. 
 
Irvine Dream said:
nyc to oc said:
Do you know what the difference in hours of homework is now that your friends have moved to different districts, when compared to Irvine?
My take is we would likely feel (or our kids will feel) that no matter which school district you attend that district gives too much home work in comparison to others. 

I know kids attending Beckman who pretty much spend all their time doing homework.  I can't imagine it could be any worse even in the famed IUSD.

Yes, that's what I'm getting at. It might just be a generational change in amount of HW, rather than specific to Irvine schools. Its an educational arms race that is present in most upper middle class "good" public school districts throughout the country, not just in Irvine. The excessive APs, the excessive HW. The problem I have is if its mostly busy work that takes up a lot of time rather teaching kids how to think.
 
How is hours of hw a measure of anything meaningful? So many factors, are the kids constantly doing it, daydream breaks, intelligence level, etc.  If it's quality hw, what's wrong with spending the time.

And unfortunately, you have to put in the work to learn something.  How is academics different from sports, etc. Ask panda how many hours he spends analyzing real estate. 
 
Wondering at which grade this 3-4-5 hour a night homework grind starts. My 3rd grader in IUSD spends between 1-2 hours on 1-2 days a week on hw. I think it's fair. And, there is this variability between kids - for the same assignment one kid can spend an hour while another could take own sweet 3 hours.
 
nyc to oc said:
The problem I have is if its mostly busy work that takes up a lot of time rather teaching kids how to think.

Mmmn.  I wonder how many kids will use the free time gained from less homework to think?
 
Irvine Dream said:
nyc to oc said:
The problem I have is if its mostly busy work that takes up a lot of time rather teaching kids how to think.

Mmmn.  I wonder how many kids will use the free time gained from less homework to think?

no, the point is for HW assignments to spur thinking, not regurgitation. I'm not expecting that the average kid will want to spend their free time "thinking" though some might if given a chance to pursue a hobby or other passion.  Free time should be for developing other aspects of one's interests or just have time to relax. Don't we all need time to relax? I had plenty of TV time and afterschool playtime with friends, at least at the elementary level. I think its fair to require 1-2 hours of HW in middle school, maybe 3 hours a night in high school. In my time, this amount of work was enough to gain entrance to the Ivy League, but my point is, what was "enough" a generation ago may not be enough nowadays due to the educational arms race, which is not just due to Asian influx, but is mostly true in educated upper middle class neighborhoods regardless of race/ethnicity.

Sometimes I wonder if everybody's doing more (busy)work but getting dumber as a result.  I read some article, (don't remember if it was from the Atlantic or NPR or something along those lines) that a shocking number of high school students graduating with an A average need remedial coursework when they get to college.



 
irvineorbust said:
Do you know anyone (or did you) move out of Irvine and moved their kids from Irvine Schools (especially high school) and actually is/are so glad?

I talked to a lady who did move to Lake Forest. She happens to be white and felt like a fish out of water being among mostly Asians in Irvine.  She's glad she did and thinks Lake Forest/Mission Viejo high schools are as good as Irvine high schools.  May be not so much API or SAT scores but overall quality wise.

I was wondering if I should stop Irvine home searching and move down also for cheaper and bigger house... but my kid have to go to a new totally new school when he enters high school this fall...  don't know if getting a house is a good excuse to rattle a kid's school/friend life...

Isn't the school grades on API or SAT score? Sounds like you or your friend want an easier school district. Maybe you should look around Anaheim if you want Easy.
 
Irvine Dream said:
nyc to oc said:
The problem I have is if its mostly busy work that takes up a lot of time rather teaching kids how to think.

Mmmn.  I wonder how many kids will use the free time gained from less homework to think?

I know, I know...

ZERO!  :p

The forces of homework and Minecraft (or TV or any other screen) are of equal pull strength. When HW eases the grip, it's the other side that pulls kid away.
 
irvineorbust said:
May be not so much API or SAT scores but overall quality wise.

How do you measure overall quality? I thought the quality of the schools is seen through the scores no?

 
nosuchreality said:
What's your goals with the schools?

That's a serious question.  Are you hoping, or are you kids AP level kids looking for a a shot at Ivy?  Top tiers?  Top UC, any UC? or just known name school?  Any school?

Have you read the threads from the board members that have run that gauntlet?  Are you prepared to commit the time and money for the Kumon, prep classes, summer study camps, volunteer mission etc, and parental bird dogging daily to practice and study to keep them at par in the hyper competitive environment where 45 other students in your kids Irvine high school are gunning for prefect SATs?

Do you think your kid will get a better GPA and education in Irvine, or will they have a decent education and same or better GPA elsewhere?

Are you concerned if your kid goes to a slacker school your kid will be a slacker?

I'm not sure how # of hours doing homework kinda became the focus, but my original point is, for a kid who spent first 7, 8 years of schooling in Irvine, is it fair or better/worse for him to move to different school district/high school especially because his parents decide to move for a cheaper housing.

I mean, yes, kids will follow where parents go and parents shouldn't be dictated by kids all the time.  Also it's not high GPAs and SAT that I'm looking for.  Luckily, my kids don't have to spend all night every night doing homework.  I don't send my kids to afterschool classes or send them to early SAT classes either.  Their GPAs are high enough and they both play sports, volunteer, and have other interests.

So again, we made "mistakes" by settling in Irvine when my kids were young and I am not impressed with the school district or schools.  The city has safe environment, diversity (to certain level) but hype reputation is due to affluent parents, helicopter moms, and over zealous fathers in my opinion.  I just wanted to avoid yet another mistake by moving out of the city at the wrong time for my kid.  By the way, we talked about this possibility and my kid expressed his desire to stay with his friends and going to a high school in Irvine, but he doesn't mind moving and leaves fully up to me to make that decision...
 
Irvine Fanatic said:
irvineorbust said:
May be not so much API or SAT scores but overall quality wise.

How do you measure overall quality? I thought the quality of the schools is seen through the scores no?

I meant students behavior, caring teachers, school violence or safety, facility, reputation (not just academic but clubs, sports) and etc...

If you have a lot of money, you are a good person?  High score doesn't mean a school is good (at least to me).  That just tells me that parents are well off and were able to provide more for their kids in terms of after school classes and weekend SAT classes.
 
That sounds like the school is really irrelevant (as long as it's a base level quality school).

It just is a question of are you being 'unfair' to your kid moving at the beginning of high school to another because it's more affordable. Is that the question?

That's a judgment call, will the family quality of life be better or worse in the new location?  There will be some changes to your kids school experience and hopefully others to your financial, social, commute, free-time life quality.

For me personally, I'd choose elsewhere where there is more diversity in what is being emphasized in the school with a better quality of life for us. 

On a side note, not sure you'll find that in a cheaper environment than Irvine.



irvineorbust said:
nosuchreality said:
What's your goals with the schools?

That's a serious question.  Are you hoping, or are you kids AP level kids looking for a a shot at Ivy?  Top tiers?  Top UC, any UC? or just known name school?  Any school?

Have you read the threads from the board members that have run that gauntlet?  Are you prepared to commit the time and money for the Kumon, prep classes, summer study camps, volunteer mission etc, and parental bird dogging daily to practice and study to keep them at par in the hyper competitive environment where 45 other students in your kids Irvine high school are gunning for prefect SATs?

Do you think your kid will get a better GPA and education in Irvine, or will they have a decent education and same or better GPA elsewhere?

Are you concerned if your kid goes to a slacker school your kid will be a slacker?

I'm not sure how # of hours doing homework kinda became the focus, but my original point is, for a kid who spent first 7, 8 years of schooling in Irvine, is it fair or better/worse for him to move to different school district/high school especially because his parents decide to move for a cheaper housing.

I mean, yes, kids will follow where parents go and parents shouldn't be dictated by kids all the time.  Also it's not high GPAs and SAT that I'm looking for.  Luckily, my kids don't have to spend all night every night doing homework.  I don't send my kids to afterschool classes or send them to early SAT classes either.  Their GPAs are high enough and they both play sports, volunteer, and have other interests.

So again, we made "mistakes" by settling in Irvine when my kids were young and I am not impressed with the school district or schools.  The city has safe environment, diversity (to certain level) but hype reputation is due to affluent parents, helicopter moms, and over zealous fathers in my opinion.  I just wanted to avoid yet another mistake by moving out of the city at the wrong time for my kid.  By the way, we talked about this possibility and my kid expressed his desire to stay with his friends and going to a high school in Irvine, but he doesn't mind moving and leaves fully up to me to make that decision...
 
Cornflakes said:
Wondering at which grade this 3-4-5 hour a night homework grind starts. My 3rd grader in IUSD spends between 1-2 hours on 1-2 days a week on hw. I think it's fair. And, there is this variability between kids - for the same assignment one kid can spend an hour while another could take own sweet 3 hours.
That seems like a totally reasonable amount of homework.
 
irvineorbust said:
Irvine Fanatic said:
irvineorbust said:
May be not so much API or SAT scores but overall quality wise.

How do you measure overall quality? I thought the quality of the schools is seen through the scores no?

I meant students behavior, caring teachers, school violence or safety, facility, reputation (not just academic but clubs, sports) and etc...

If you have a lot of money, you are a good person?  High score doesn't mean a school is good (at least to me).  That just tells me that parents are well off and were able to provide more for their kids in terms of after school classes and weekend SAT classes.

I think you already have an answer to your question.
 
Although a sidebar to this thread... I think some of the blame for longer hours spent on homework can be given to common core.  When I was in 2nd grade 87-58 = 29.  Now 87-58 is a graph, a picture and an explanation of my thought process...how can homework not take longer?

But to answer irvineorbust's original post, most orange county elementary schools and high schools are on par in the sense that they all recruit similar candidates for teaching positions, class sizes are the same (on the 30+side), curriculum is similar esp. with common core,  etc.  Of course API and SAT stats will be different but has less to do with the quality of the education than the parents behind the students of the respective school districts. 

I started 9th grade, not knowing a soul at the school; there are kids who are forced to change schools (to different states/countries sometimes) in the middle of an academic year ... I think generally most of us are just fine with it; friends can be made ... I think your post is less about schools and more about the "right" thing to do as a parent (?); if only it were that black and white, right?...

good luck, I'm sure whatever decision you make, your kid knows you love and care about him and you can't really go wrong in most of OC. 

 
nyc to oc said:
Bullsback said:
I have a few friends who did that. They were tired of all the hours their kids had to put in, etc, in school and felt like they weren't being kids.  I suppose I don't know since my kids aren't of school age, but I definitely have some of those concerns.  I'm a huge believer in education, but I'm also a big believer in letting kids have fun and play with other kids (socialize), play team sports, etc. I think it all helps build someone who can be more well rounded and ultimately not only make their life more enjoyable but better prepare them for when they are older. 

I never pressed on the hours (and they could have been exaggerating or something), but they were in like 4th - 6th grade and kids were up till 11 or 12 with homework, etc. Sounded absurd. When I was in 6th grade, I think I had like 30 min to 1 hour of homework a night with exception of projects / tests. No idea what expectations are now-a-days.  They were talking about 3-4+ hours every night with some nights being 5 or 6 hours. Which at that age is just absurd.

Hell I got through college never having to do anything like that with exception of cramming for finals / mid-terms.

Do you know what the difference in hours of homework is now that your friends have moved to different districts, when compared to Irvine? I'm curious, because we also thought long and hard about possibly not buying in Irvine due to perceived excessive academic pressure, but my kids are only in Kinder and 1st grade (and private right now). We thought about Newport Beach School district, villa park schools and tustin schools and ultimately decided on TUSD, but the side closer to Irvine (Beckman, etc, which I foresee in the future becoming more like Irvine schools). Its hard to find a good balance between too much pressure and too little pressure (my perception is that Villa park, Newport Beach, etc are too full of rich kids that don't care enough about school, but perhaps I'm wrong)
Personally, I'm in TUSD Irvine as well, although I'm going to guess, that it won't differ at all from the other schools in Irvine (in terms of homework). The people who moved went to Ladera, Mission Viejo, and Coto and all saw roughly a 50% reduction in homework. Again, I didn't press and couldn't tell you anything (and one of the people tends to exaggerate a lot, the other two, pretty straight shooters) regarding whether they slack off or homework habits. Either way, anything in that neighborhood sounds like a ridiculous amount of "work" for a child that age (in my eyes).  I say that because how are they supposed to have the time to do any other sort of "enriching" activity such as sports or even just be able to spend time doing something they truly enjoy and are passionate about.

All of life is not to just work work work work. Their is a fine balance, in my opinion, and believe me, I am not anti work (have worked my tail off thus far in my career and worked many 80-100 hour weeks, etc). 

All this said, I want a new(er) house and like Irvine's general location so my options are the Tustin Legacy (which I never was able to quite grasp at when considering price point, etc) and Baker Ranch (which I probably would have bought at if they had integrated schools into the master plan).
 
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