What to do about middle school? What are the choices? How do you get the information you need to make an informed choice? And what do you need to do to get your child into the school(s) he or she (and you) really want.
The conversation happens virtually every day at public elementary schools throughout Los Angeles. “Whether you want to go public or private, waiting until the 5th grade to figure things out is way too late.” “If you are considering a magnet program, you need to start racking up magnet points in kindergarten.” “When is the cutoff date for the lottery for that Charter School?” “I’m thinking about private schools, should I use a consultant?”
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
If you want to continue in public school and your local middle school is a good one, congratulations.
Step One: Identify/evaluate your local middle school.
Check with your school district to identify your local middle school (the school your child may attend based on his or her home address). Click on the link below for your school district’s school finder or school boundaries map.
LAUSD: notebook.lausd.net/schoolsearch/selector.jsp
Long Beach: lbschools.net/Schools/school_finder.cfm
Manhattan Beach: manhattan.k12.ca.us/
Palos Verdes: pvpusd.k12.ca.us/index.php/parents_and_students/enrollment/
Santa Monica/Malibu: locator.decisioninsite.com/?StudyID=103288
Redondo Beach: rbusd.org/schoolboundary
Torrence: locator.decisioninsite.com/Default.aspx?StudyID=85052
Step Two: Consider Charter School, Magnet School and Gifted Program Options
If your local middle school is not the right fit and/or you think your child may be “gifted,” you will want to investigate your charter school, magnet school and gifted program options. As ridiculous as it sounds, this is a process you should begin in kindergarten. Set forth below are links to the specific LAUSD pages discussing these options.
Magnet Schools: The LAUSD explains its Magnet program on its Choices website: echoices.lausd.net/Magnet/MagnetHome.aspx The 2011 Choices Brochure (a listing of the magnet schools and the process that currently applies for admission) can be found at echoices.lausd.net/2012-13ChoicesBrochureEng.pdf The magnet school process is complicated — so much so that complete websites have been devoted to navigating the process. See askamagnetyenta.wordpress.com/top-5-faqs-re-magnet-schools/
Charter School: The LAUSD explains its Charter School Program on its website: notebook.lausd.net/portal/page?_pageid=33,205129&_dad=ptl&_schema=PTL_EP In addition, there are non-LAUSD Charter Middle School programs available on the west side. See New West Charter Middle School http://newwestcharter.org
Gifted Programs: The LAUSD explains its Gifted or SAS Program on its website: lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/offices/GATE/prog-opt-2.html.
Analyzing these options to select the right fit and gain admission for your child can be daunting — which is why many private school admission consultants also provide assistance in analyzing public school choices (see School Choice Admission Counselors discussed below).
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
In addition to public middle schools, you may want to investigate your private or independent school options. Where to start? Many people begin by reviewing The Whitney Guide (The Los Angeles Private School Guide) — written by Fiona Whitney. More information about the Whitney Guide may be found at www.thewhitneyguide.com
Many of the elite private schools require student applicants to take the independent school entrance exam, also known as the ISEE. Information about this test can be found at erblearn.org/parents/admission/isee. A copy of the student guide to the ISEE can be found at erblearn.org/uploads/media_items/isee-student-guide.original.pdf.
School Choice/Admission Counselors
There are a number of consultants that offer assistance with both public and private school choice and admissions, including extensive preparation for the ISEE exam. See, for example, A Perfect Path at aperfectpath.com, LA School Scout at laschoolscout.com, Launch Education at launcheducation.com and Parent’s Education League at www.parentseducationleague.org/page/7352_about_us.asp.