The Irvine Company has invested heavily to promote the Irvine school system to raise the value of local housing. Is it effective?
Irvine Home Address … 57 ASHBROOK #64 Irvine, CA 92604
Resale Home Price …… $419,900
Won't you believe it?
It's just my luck
No recess!
Nirvana — School
My parents both retired from school system work last year. I grew up in a household where education was a focus, and public school issues were a common topic of discussion.
Many people believe certain schools have good test scores because they have better teachers. That usually isn't the case. While it's true that good teachers prefer to teach in highly rated schools, the quality of teaching isn't what makes test scores better. Good schools are largely a product of involved parents and motivated students. It's rare to find a school where the parents are heavily involved and the test scores are poor. It's equally rare to find a school where the test scores are good and the parents have other priorities.
Good test scores are like gravity. A good school attracts the most involved parents who place an emphasis on education and get involved in the school and with their children. In other words, good test scores beget good test scores. This is one of the reasons poor school test performance problems are so intractable. The worst performing schools are populated by students whose parents don't value education, don't get involved with the school, and don't motivate their children to succeed.
Everyone is searching for an answer to bring the quality of education up. Unfortunately, the real problems with education cannot be addressed in the classroom. The problems start at home and resonate through the community.
Donald Bren On The Best Fix For K-12 Education
Kerry A. Dolan — 9/22/2011
Donald Bren built a $12 billion fortune as a Southern California real estate developer and has been focused on philanthropic giving to support education. That includes gifts at the university level to UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara as well as to K-12 schools in the city of Irvine (in Orange County), which his Irvine Co. master-planned and developed, and after school program Think Together.
Bren shared his thoughts with Forbes via email.
Donald Bren, real estate developer and philanthropist
FORBES: What is your best single idea for reforming K-12 education?
BREN: In my opinion, education is the finest gift an individual can give a young person. And many of our public schools are falling short in successfully educating the youth of our country today.
Gone are the days when state governments are fully able to fund our public schools. Future public education will require involvement and collaboration among various local, civic, private and nonprofit entities, a concept I like to refer to as “community entrepreneurship. ”
Irvine schools have been successful because of the community involvement. Once these schools gained a reputation, they became a magnet for people who value education — which is exactly what Donald Bren had in mind.
Over the past 30 years, I have sought to implement community entrepreneurship to benefit our local kindergarten through twelfth grade schools, working in partnership with community leaders, local school districts and well-run nonprofit organizations.
For example, in master planning and master building the new City of Irvine, we have gone to great lengths to ensure our elementary schools and neighborhood parks are contiguous and a focal element creating the important activity center for each residential community.
When state funding for Irvine public schools began to diminish some time ago, my Irvine Company colleagues helped me to provide private funding support for continuation of basic science, art and music programs that had been eliminated by lack of state funding. Additionally, we have developed annual teacher recognition and reward programs that provide financial awards for teachers who demonstrate outstanding results in educating our students.
By making capital available for unfunded programs and providing a balanced curriculum and financial incentives to teachers based on results, Irvine Unified School District continues to rank among the finest educational systems in the nation.
Yes, they are.
My additional observations for K-12 schools are:
1) Return full governance and financial control to the local school district board and the parents – they know best.
2) Eliminate the large bureaucratic administrative overhead expenses that prevent necessary funding from reaching classrooms.
My school teacher parents used to complain about the huge bureaucracy that seemed to exist only to consume resources.
3) Maximize the existing investment in school buildings and equipment by operating the school campus on a four-quarter or year-round basis.
4) Compensate professional teachers on a year-round basis, similar to most businesses and government. By the way, education is big business and should be approached in a similar disciplined manner.
5) Making a difference requires focus. Academic administrators will tell you that the most important school years are kindergarten through sixth grade, when students develop confidence in their ability to learn and foundational study skills. Focus efforts on the early years before trying to fix high school programs that often provide too little too late.
6) Consider a higher level European-style baccalaureate program for certain schools, and as an example, reducing the need for rudimentary freshman English classes at our prestigious University of California.
7) And don’t forget, students are living in a digital world where computers and information technology are used at home, at school and in everyday life. They must learn the new methods of our “plugged-in” society.
The classrooms at my son's school are full of computers.
FORBES: Is there any person or any school who you think is doing a good job of improving/reforming k-12 education now?
BREN: In my opinion, the person doing the best job improving education in California is Randy Barth, President and CEO of THINK TOGETHER in Santa Ana, Calif. He is the most dedicated and innovative professional in K-12 tutoring and mentoring education in California.
THINK TOGETHER provides academic learning through specially designed after-school and summer programs throughout Southern California to more than 100,000 students. With special attention given to areas such as the Santa Ana Unified School District, with more than 50,000 underprivileged K-6 students, the majority of whom have little chance to get ahead without this unique program. Thus the results are encouraging – academic improvement scores have been off the charts, so to speak.
Fixing our K-12 education system requires a new solution to a growing national problem. Community entrepreneurship is my recommendation, as it will bring together the necessary resources to make a difference. Our children are worth the extra human effort and investment.
I’m proud to be among a group of dedicated community entrepreneurs focused on improving our community education programs.
I live in Irvine for the schools
For those of you who have attended my Las Vegas cashflow presentations, you have heard about my son. I am the parent of a special needs child.
My son is a slow learner, and he has limited language and social skills. He is labeled as autistic, for whatever that means. All my wife and I know is that we love him, and he is an endless source of joy and happiness.
I get to spend a great deal of time with him, particularly now that I work from home. I see him for each morning as he and I make breakfast together. Most evenings we get some time to play video games or just hang out. He likes when I read books to him, and his skills at Mario Kart or Super Mario Brothers are remarkable. On Sunday morning, you can most often find us at Disneyland. I can't count how many times I have been on Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, and the Matterhorn Bobsleds. It's the most precious time of my week. I will never look back and feel I missed out on enjoying my son as he grew up.
My wife and I have thought about leaving Irvine on many occasions. We have considered San Clemente, Ladera Ranch, Las Vegas, and other areas, but when we really think about moving out of Irvine, we think about the education program we would leave behind, and we change our minds. The Irvine special needs programs are truly outstanding. When I factor in the cost of providing this education privately, the cost of renting in Irvine seems reasonable. It would be much more expensive to rent or own somewhere else and have to provide a comparable private education.
The Irvine Schools do add value to Irvine Homes
The bottom line is that people willingly pay the Irvine rental and ownership premium to be in the Irvine school system. We know several parents who moved here from other school districts and even from out of state to have their special needs child educated in Irvine. Parents of typical children come here for the same reason. The high test scores are a big draw. Parents will do whatever they must to give their child every advantage. If that means paying extra to live in the best school district, that's what parents will do.
The responsible bagholder
HELOC dependency and abuse is deeply embedded into the California psyche. The property records on today's featured property show a HELOC abuser who sold it to a responsible bagholder who simply couldn't afford the property. Perhaps unemployment or a loss of income was a factor, but the later buyer didn't add to their mortgage, and they still lost the home. It's now an REO.
The story begins on 11/10/1998 when the property was purchased for $260,000. The buyers used a $234,450 first mortgage and a $25,050 down payment. The refied twice for $290,000 and $322,700 respectively taking out a little less than $90,000 in the process. Based on the frequency and amount of these withdrawals, those owners were clearly using their HELOC money to supplement their incomes.
Despite the bad habits those owners formed, they were amply rewarded when the sold the property to the bagholder on 5/7/2004 for $542,500. The subsequent owner used a $406,875 first mortgage and a $135,625 down payment. They never refinanced or took out any HELOC money.
The bagholder was unable to sustain the payments on their first mortgage, and the property went to auction on 4/5/2011 for $414,265. If the bank gets their asking price, they are out the amount of commissions buy little more. The 2004 buyer is out their entire $135,625 down payment, and their credit is shot. If they knew they were going to suffer those consequences, they probably would have refinanced and maxed out some HELOCs.
Chase has the property now, and they are hoping to sell it and get most of their loan balance back. At this price, they probably will.
——————————————————————————————————————————————-
This property is available for sale via the MLS.
Please contact Shevy Akason, #01836707
949.769.1599
sales@idealhomebrokers.com
Irvine House Address … 57 ASHBROOK #64 Irvine, CA 92604
Resale House Price …… $419,900
Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Sq. Ft.: 1601
$262/SF
Property Type: Residential, Condominium
Style: Two Level, Contemporary
Year Built: 1978
Community: Woodbridge
County: Orange
MLS#: S675677
Source: SoCalMLS
Status: Active
On Redfin: 3 days
——————————————————————————
This Chase Bank Owned property has been freshly painted and new carpet installed. This is the largest model in the Parkside Tract. Lots of room for a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home. Only one common wall for this townhouse style condo. Fireplace in the living room with 2 skylights. Formal dining, family room, new stove just installed in kitchen. Garage has direct access. Rare long driveway for Irvine. High vaulted ceilings. Secondary bedrooms are on opposite side of hall of Master Bedroom for more privacy. No neighbors behind property for increased privacy. Property is located in the Village of Woodbridge – one of the best communities to live in. Many pools, parks, Lakes with boating and Lagoons for Beachcombers, volleyball, basket ball courts, tennis clubs, too many HOA activities to list for adults, children, and families. Close to shopping, banks, houses of worship, schools, movie theaters – all in the heart of Irvine. Look at MLS MEDIA for disclosures.
——————————————————————————————————————————————-
Proprietary IHB commentary and analysis 
Resale Home Price …… $419,900
House Purchase Price … $542,500
House Purchase Date …. 5/7/2004
Net Gain (Loss) ………. ($147,794)
Percent Change ………. -27.2%
Annual Appreciation … -3.4%
Cost of Home Ownership
————————————————-
$419,900 ………. Asking Price
$14,697 ………. 3.5% Down FHA Financing
4.03% …………… Mortgage Interest Rate
$405,204 ………. 30-Year Mortgage
$122,783 ………. Income Requirement
$1,942 ………. Monthly Mortgage Payment
$364 ………. Property Tax (@1.04%)
$0 ………. Special Taxes and Levies (Mello Roos)
$87 ………. Homeowners Insurance (@ 0.25%)
$466 ………. Private Mortgage Insurance
$313 ………. Homeowners Association Fees
============================================
$3,172 ………. Monthly Cash Outlays
-$302 ………. Tax Savings (% of Interest and Property Tax)
-$581 ………. Equity Hidden in Payment (Amortization)
$21 ………. Lost Income to Down Payment (net of taxes)
$72 ………. Maintenance and Replacement Reserves
============================================
$2,383 ………. Monthly Cost of Ownership
Cash Acquisition Demands
——————————————————————————
$4,199 ………. Furnishing and Move In @1%
$4,199 ………. Closing Costs @1%
$4,052 ………… Interest Points @1% of Loan
$14,697 ………. Down Payment
============================================
$27,147 ………. Total Cash Costs
$36,500 ………… Emergency Cash Reserves
============================================
$63,647 ………. Total Savings Needed
——————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Irvine Renter, you sound like a great parent. It’s great to hear you understand what is important: spending time with your son and enjoying and appreciating what he brings to the world and your life.
Irvine is the result of class warfare as the top 30% continue to thrive. The rat race of Irvine was invented by panic for security for ones family as capitalism continues to create disparity. There’s a tipping point where people finally understand what is really imprortant. I’m not sure this will happen in our lifetimes (I doubt it) but it will happen, the signs are evident.
I can think of another thing which would help our young children and build a bright future, both for them and for responsible, patriotic renting families: home prices which require only modest mortgages and a light debt load.
Elimination of non-productive debt-addled atheist squatters from our housing stock would create safer and more affordable neighborhoods for our Christian families. Good solid affordable family neighborhoods create a humble, patriotic, and Christian environment for our families and children, which are our most important resources.
What’s with all the christian stuff? Is that snark?
There is moral choice in our universe: We can have neighborhoods of $atan-worshiping debt huggers who do not pay their bills, or we can have healthy family neighborhoods, made up on honest children-oriented families who have not mortgaged their family’s (and childrens’) future to by BMWs and tight pants to go clubbing in.
Family children family children.
Today’s family renters are about solid, responsible family values. Let’s bring them into our neighborhoods, and drive out the old debt-loving sleaze with pitchforks and torches!
And what exactly does the diety you worship and the fables you believe in have to do with any of this?
Irony is dead.
I was mocking the usual garbage about how “we must keep home prices high to help families.” I had hoped to make the point that, yes, the same can be said in favor of renting families. Indeed, families in general would all benefit from an asset which did not require a 30-year period of extreme debt servitude to purchase.
If anything is family friendly, low house prices are, together with an acceptance that a house is not an investment, but a place to live.
In order to give extra sting to my mockery, I added the usual holier-than-thou tone which assumes that no decent human being could disagree with my point, because I am extremely angry that every real-estate journalist assumes that continued high prices are the best thing for America’s families – whatever that means.
Heavy-handed? You bet. Leaden? Possibly.
But it scares me that we’re living in an age where sarcasm as severe as I intended can be misunderstood as an earnest statement. Yikes!
“But it scares me that we’re living in an age where sarcasm as severe as I intended can be misunderstood as an earnest statement. Yikes!”
I had the misfortune to live in an area of the country where your sarcasm was stated as a deeply held belief. You can never be sure.
I figured, but it just wasn’t extreme enough to be certainly sarcastic.
you still do
You relate, Good schools are largely a product of involved parents and motivated students … this is true.
My conviction from life experience, that interest shown by the parents in education and motivation on the part of the student is only part of school performance; the other parts are inherent capability to learn, which is a genetic factor, and a God given gift to learn. There are some who simply because of their culture, and because of their genetic code and absence of a God given gift to learn, can not be educated. The best hope society has for the latter group of individuals is provide life skills training, encouragement to bridle sex and other drives, to provide free schizophrenia medication as needed, mandate STD vaccines for all girls, as well as to stop public education efforts after the sixth grade, and make households pay for education at the junior high and high school level. Education at the higher levels is not an entitlement. Society has no responsibility to help to people beyond providing basic math and reading skills.
CBS Detroit reports that nearly half of all the people living in Detroit can’t read. And The Economic Collapse Blog reports that in Detroit today, there are over 33,000 abandoned houses, 70 schools are being permanently closed down, the mayor wants to bulldoze one-fourth of the city and you can literally buy a house for one dollar in the worst areas. This cultural wasteland is not the result of jobs being located out of the US; but, rather it is the case of the people that live there cannot be educated. Not all are edcateable, they simply do not have the genetic code to be educated. Yes they can be instructed and taught some things, with a lot of one-on-one teaching. But they simply can not be educated, it is not their fault, the issue stems from a genetic disadvantage. I am not a racist, I am simply relating my life experience and convictions thereof.
There are many non-minority people I know who have no interest in learning. They are the Joe six packs, and the Jane mothers, the women who simply want to get pregnant and have children. I know one such woman who got pregnant out of wedlock immediately before menopause, just for the experience of getting pregnant one last time; she gave the child up for adoption. These people have no interest in reading, they use what little is left over from alcohol money, or shopping money, to buy television service. And they are largely incapable of learning on the computer, believe me I have tried teaching these people emailing and internet skills, but they are overwhelmed and simply cannot remember how to use the browser, mouse and keypad. Many minorities are schizophrenic by nature, and need to be on medication to restrain their violent tendencies.
The fact of the matter is that many are culturally disposed to learning as they grow up in an upper middle class area such as Irvine, or Mercer Island, and they have the genetic code to learn. I came from what I call a mixed genetic code, might say mongrel code, as my dad was an educator, but my mother was an alcoholic; there was no household emphasis on learning; the family ethic was simply to enjoy life. There was no philosophical or religious ethic.
My education began while living in a bed and breakfast inn, during the off-season in Sitka Alaska, where I encountered an English professor, who I enjoyed having a discussion about English words and their prefixes and suffixes. I then developed Questioning and Critical Thinking. Then, I stumbled across a couple who gifted me a James McArthur Study Bible, and I came to study scripture daily and participate in a weekly bible study, where people would share their week’s reflections on a passage of study. Thus it was only recently that I received an education. And, from that education I’ve come to believe that not all are edcateable, God planned it that way. He is sovereign, he rules all, everywhere. He gives gifts to all; but he retains the right to determine, who gets an education.
Like your son, I have an autistic spectrum disorder. Do I have any complaints? None at all, God is and does as he wills. He determines the times and exact places where an individual lives Acts 17:26.
Perhaps one might enjoy my blog, where I share my thoughts on the sovereignty of God: one can use the link provided to EconomicReview Journal. And yes, Irvine Renter, I even got an education from you on Heloc Dependency; I was too callow, to figure it out on my own.
Religion is for those who don’t understand Science.
Whoa, where’s all this god talk coming from today?
I have no idea. I didn’t mention it. If anything, I thought I might be criticized for attending the Church of Disney on Sunday mornings.
When you live in “the Land of the Mouse” you are expected to visit “D” from time to time. No extra credit for Sunday.
Raising my children in Mission Viejo, I had a different experience. During their elementary schools (1969-1978) my daughter and son attended 4 different elementary schools in both school districts that service that community. At that time Saddleback School District was considered the top school district in the area. They spent the most time at DePortola Elementary in the early grades 1-5. I was also employed as an aide at that school. The most significant difference there was the school principal. He was a truly dedicated professional that was able to hire a significantly talented group of teachers, bring them together as a unified force, and make the most of whatever assets they possessed individually, and collectively. The demographics of that school at that time were very similar to Irvine presently: upper middle-class, college educated parents, homogenious ethnic backgrounds, few (if any) families disadvantaged, over 10% of students qualified for “gifted” programs. We also had a part-time music teacher and part-time nurse that divided time between 3 schools. The district music festival was so expansive that it had to be held at Anaheim Convention Center. When my kids got to high school level, they both had excellent opportunities in sports, AP classes, as well as other choices. My daughter was one of 5 students admitted to Stanford, with 20 others admitted to Harvard, Yale, and other top schools out of a class of 250 students. She was CIF All Stars player in basketball and also lettered in softball. She now is a professor at George Washington University and is part of the national AP board that evaluates testing and curriculum for AP programs. Believe it or not, she didn’t have to live in Irvine.
I moved to Irvine from the Milwaukee area 8 years ago. Why? 3 reasons.
1. A descent Job.
2. The schools
3. The weather.
Well, the descent job (in a construction related field) is gone, but the schools and the weather are still here.
I am so tired of hearing people bash this city. Yes it is boring, the kids are sheltered, it is expensive, blah, blah, blah…. So what! It is expensive everywhere worth living! I am glad my kid is sheltered from much of the degenrate bullshit that most other metro areas have to offer! My family is lucky to live here. Especially after being on unemployment for over a year! I could have moved back home to WI. got a crappy job and payed cheap rent to live in a run down ghetto fabulous city. But instead, I struggle to pay my ridiculous rent and keep the fridge full. I drive an old car, dont take lavish vacations, and save every dime I can. But you know what? My child gets straight A’S in high school. Not just any School. One of the best in the entire country!! Do I wish I could spend less for housing? Who doesnt? But to me the safety and happiness of my family and the future opportunites for myself and my child are worth every dollar per square foot.
Right with you, 100%. I could have bought a cheaper place but I want my kids where education and safety are valued and I’m willing to scrape and struggle for it.
I just don’t understand why more communities don’t try to use education to keep property values up.
I don’t think anyone is bashing Irvine, but there are real problems with the affordability of this city.
You said you have a “decent job” yet struggle to pay rent, and put food on the table.
You don’t find anything wrong with that statement?
I don’t. This is how capitalism works, unfortunately.
Some parents are in deep debt trying to pay for their kids’ Ivy League educations. Do you find anything wrong with that statement?
> I don’t. This is how capitalism works, unfortunately.
You say capitalism, I say TIC/Bren quarter-million dollar lot tax.
> Some parents are in deep debt trying to pay for their kids’ Ivy League educations. Do you find anything wrong with that statement?
Yes, most people have a greater appreciation for things that they earned. There’s a lot of options for poor families rather than Ivy League schools.
In fact, families should not co-sign non-dischargeable student loans, as any accountant will tell you these days.
What I find wrong with your statement about the lack of affordable housing is that it does not belong in this thread. This thread is about Irvine schools and the impact on ones decision to live here. As I stated, my decent job has gone away. I stay here (working my crappy job) and struggle to pay rent and bills so that my child can continue recieving a first-rate education.
The affordability factor means little to me. Mostly because I rent. At my current income, (off 35% from 09) I could not afford to purchase the SFR I live in. So, I will coninue renting while my child recieves a “free” world-class education. When she graduates HS in 2015 we will likely move somewhere more affordable and begin an entirely new struggle called “paying for college”!
I too am a parent of a special needs child who attends Irvine pre-school. I’ve considered moving out due to housing costs but the special needs program here seem to be adequate and am concerned about neighboring districts like Tustin and Fountain Valley. I will be buying a house in Irvine soon, paying through the nose but it is such a great area to raise a young family.
Now that we’re talking about Irvine schools, what areas would you consider to be some of the best (in terms of schools) in Irvine?
I was thinking of buying a house either at Oak Creek or Westpark in the near future.
I’ve read ALL these posts and I keep coming back to the core. Everyone seems convinced that “Irvine schools, and ONLY Irvine schools can meet the needs of everyone’s children”. I submit you all are victims of marketing hype, if not downright brainwashing. TIC’s marketing thrust for the school situation really only took hold when they began to sell homes in Tustin Ranch. That was in the mid-late 1980’s. Sales there were slower than in other areas. “Secret shoppers” were dispatched to sales offices to see if sales staff were touting school performance. Prices were adjusted to increase sales volume. ARE YOU GETTING THE PICTURE YET? Early 1980’s was the run-up to 17% interest rates! Another recession followed. The “market” didn’t return until the early 1990’s. So, they needed a HOOK. And they happened on to a self-perpetuating marketing ploy. By that time Wong and all his Chinese brothers had taken up the notion, the ethnic newspapers and ethnic social groupsembraced the notion. And the demographics began to change. I’m not saying that was bad. But it was ‘social engineering’ on a scale not considered as part of sales/marketing for residential housing. Homes suddenly boasted “wok rooms”, instead of trash compactors there were “rice bins”, fortune cookies were served in sales offices. If you feel the Irvine Schools are SO superior, have any of you taken the time to research private education outside public education? How about Harbor Day? You could live anywhere and send your kids to Harbor Day. San Clemente, perhaps, where ocean close homes were 45% less money.
So it’s okay when IrvineRenter does things for the children but not okay when others do?
Let’s be fair here folks.
Does Irvine have good schools or not? I’ve read many comments over there years herre where it’s just a fallacy or a marketing ploy (heck… there’s one just above me). But facts and numbers don’t lie. You can’t “secret shop” API scores. Irvine schools are always at the top of the lists, usually getting beat out by charter schools which is effectively the same type of enrollment.
As for private vs. IUSD public… I can make that comparison. And while both have their pros/cons… almost every parent I know who has been in the same private school our kids were in have found IUSD to be just as good if not better.
I think any parent here would consider paying a premium to live in a safer city with a better school system. It’s for the children right?
I think the school are better. Used to teach in both public and private school in another state, and the Irvine schools are far and away the best I’ve ever seen. Excellent teachers for the most part and a very good curriculum that is tracked and tweaked each year to make an excellent excellent curriculum. Students value academics as well which is great – when the kids compete to be good over who is doing better in Math, that encourages learning a lot more than competing over cool clothes or whatever.
The learning does come with a lot of homework however. If you are a parent who wants the kids to magically learn everything by 3pm and have the evenings and weekends completely free, Irvine might not be the best choice for you. But if you are willing to put in the homework time (or pay a tutor to do it for you), then the schools are great.
“Used to teach in both public and private school in another state, and the Irvine schools are far and away the best I’ve ever seen”….so…as compared to another state? What does that mean? Every school/district tweaks curriculum every year. Federal funding requires it. Private schools often take the “cool clothes” out of the equation with uniforms. So, then you are left with a community that “value’s academics”. Is that all there is? If that was true, only kids from Irvine would go on to higher learning. Get real. There are lots and lots of kids who go to college and on to graduate school and beyond who don’t live in ‘fabled Irvine’. You just drank the koolaid.
Usually, states tweak standards, issue a standard textbook, then it’s up to the individual teachers to cobble something together themselves to meet the standards. Different teachers, completely different classroom materials all cobbled together based on whatever the teacher can afford to pay out of their own pocket (no reimbursement). It’s like the preindustrial revolution when each craftsman made up their own. I’ve done it and seen others do it too. Irvine though – take elementary science for example. When I volunteer, I see the premade labs and materials. I see the standard hands on equipment (ex. live animals and such) that the teachers share and rotate. And there is a curriculum specialist to evaluate the results each year and improve it so it gets better every year instead of random changes without measurement. I was working BTW in the most highly rated high school in the state (public) and at an exclusive private school (>$10,000 tuition with kids who had mansions and 5 horses and 3 christmas trees and layouts in homemaking magazines of the landscape artists christmas tree), and it can’t touch what I see when I volunteer in an Irvine classroom. The teachers are better, the curriculum is better, and the students are better.
So…who pays for the premade labs and materials? Go to newspaper archives and search Donald Bren, contributions, schools. Not every community has their very own resident billionaire. But he’s pushing 80.
So now you agree that Irvine schools are better. But it’s only because of Donald Bren and once he is done, the schools won’t be as good. ????
@Humph…follow the money. Look at the amenity packages of older Irvine villages vs. current ones; say, Woodbridge vs. Laguna Altura. The Ranch is getting close to build-out. The large remaining residential pieces are not in Irvine. There soon will be no reason for TIC to spend anything to promote Irvine. Lennar will have to take on that task, if they do it at all. They probably will be content to ride the coatails of the “myth” as it exists. Bren has done a lot in terms of supplies/materials/etc. to assist Irvine schools and in giving cash awards to top teachers outside of the property tax revenue stream the district receives. All done to create the impression that his dirt is worth more than anyone elses.
Safer City? Another marketing coup. Stats are mostly the same for Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, etc. Just not in the same category…based on population….”safest City with a population under/over x,000,000″
Private/public….you are still paying for the “school experience”….only difference is your larger mortgage. And there just might be an educational advantage for the kids to learn something from a more diverse population.
“Safer City? Another marketing coup. Stats are mostly the same for Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, etc. Just not in the same category…based on population….“safest City with a population under/over x,000,000””
Is it a marketing coup or statistically correct?
The comparison wasn’t being made to similar South County schools (which also have an RE premium if you compare them to Santa Ana, parts of Lake Forest or Riverside) because the price difference is not as pronounced as the aforementioned cities. I would live in a South OC city also except for that fact it’s much farther from work/play/friends/family.
So let me add “central location” to the list of why Irvine has a premium.
Fine. That’s your choice of why you are willing to pay a premium. But that has nothing to do with the schools. There are always those choices to be made. You would rather pay more to live closer to where you work.
Irvine schools have better test scores than neighboring districts because of demographics, namely a much higher Asian fraction. If you compare apples to apples, e.g. within ethnic categories, Irvine school test scores are no better than the other South County districts.
And with that ethnic cohort comes a strong family emphasis on school, homework, etc. And frees up teachers from teaching English to children who only speak Spanish. If that sounds biased, sorry. It’s reality.