The first formal education system was developed during 300 BC by Sumerians and Egyptians to serve as centers for teaching reading and writing. Later on, Confucius added music, literature and ethics to the learning list, and turned schools into enrichment centers. By the time we went to school, they served dual purpose of educating us, and setting the stage for our career choices. However, in the past decade education has evolved into a “race to the top” purely based on numbers. API ranking, API Growth Scores, Test Scores, SAT Scores, GPA – all these numbers have become vital in deciding a student’s future, and in controlling the real estate prices.

Whether we like it or not, for a large population that resides in Irvine, school district was the decisive factor. But even in the best school district, are some schools better than others? Does that affect the price for the particular neighborhood? Before we tell our children that our equity rests in their hands and ask them to bolster their test scores, let’s have a look at the Median Price/SF in the Irvine Villages and the percentage of price change in the last year (disregarding the age of the village, the ethnicity of the residents, the proximity to the freeway and other factors)

Village	School	Median Price/SF	Y-O-Y % change
Northwood (Perfect 10)	Northwood Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 937 Santiago Hills Elementary API Rank: 10 API Growth: 961 Brywood Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 926 Sierra Vista Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 948	$292/SF	-7.6%
Northwood Point (Perfect 10)	Canyon View Elementary API Rank: 10 API Growth: 966 Sierra Vista Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 948 Northwood High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 908	$328/SF	-7.1%
Lower Peter’s Canyon (Biggest Y-o-Y percentage drop)	Hicks Canyon Elementary API Rank: 10 API Growth: 942 Myford Elementary API Rank: 10 API Growth: 951 Pioneer Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 939 Orchard Hills Middle School API Rank: Not ranked yet API Growth: 952 Arnold Beckman Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 866	$275/SF	-21.9%
Portola Springs (Perfect 10)	Stonegate Elementary Schoo API Rank: 10 API Growth: 954 Sierra Vista Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 948 Northwood High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 908	$293/ SF	1.4%
Woodbury	Woodbury Elementary School API Rank: 9 API Growth: 918 Sierra Vista Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 948 Irvine High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 881	$292	-16.8%
Woodbridge	Springbrook Elementary API Rank: 9 API Growth: 897 Meadow Park Elementary API Rank: 10 API Growth: 947 Stonecreek Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 958 Eastshore Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 940 Lakeside Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 933 Southlake Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 916 Woodbridge High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 877	$273	-6.2%
Oak Creek (Perfect 10)	Oak Creek Elementary API Rank: 10 API Growth: 925 Lakeside Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 933 Woodbridge high School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 877	$261/SF	-20.4%
Quail Hill (Perfect 10)	Alderwood Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 961 Rancho San Joaquin Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 954 University High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 908	$326/SF	-13.3%
Turtle Rock (Perfect 10)	Turtle Rock Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 978 Bonita Canyon Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 965 Rancho San Joaquin Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 954 University High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 908	$295/SF	-14.2%
West Park (Highest Price/SF)	Culverdale Elementary School API Rank: 8 API Growth: 857 Southlake Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 916 University High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 908	$356	-11.2%
West Park II (Perfect 10)	Stone Creek Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 958 Plaza Vista Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 958 Lakeside Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 933 Woodbridge High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 877	$305	-14.8%
University Park	University Park Elementary API Rank: 9 API Growth: 909 Rancho San Joaquin Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 954 University High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 908	$281	-10.8%
Walnut Village (Perfect 10) (Lowest Price/SF)	Deerfield Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 937 College Park Elementary School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 927 Venado Middle School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 927 Irvine High School API Rank: 10 API Growth: 881	$259	-12.8%

Observations:

Walnut village has the lowest price/ sf in the Irvine villages listed about, and has three schools with a perfect 10 API Score. The API Growth Score is good too, but still it ended up at the bottom of the list.

West Park has the highest price/sf in the list, but the elementary school has API rank of 8, and the API Growth Score is not above the desirable 900.

The year-over-year percentage drop was the biggest in Lowers Peters Canyon (West Irvine and North park, North park Square) area, and it has Tustin Unified School District schools with a perfect 10 API, and high API Growth Scores.

Portola Springs saw a percentage hike over last year’s median price/sf, and the schools have a perfect ten API rank and good API growth score. But many other villages are on par with those numbers.

Even though the boundaries of the City of Irvine command better prices in Orange County because of their schools, school boundaries within Irvine aren’t dictating the prices yet.

Would you choose one Irvine village over another based only on the schools? Do you think it is the schools that help Irvine hold the premium over other cities?

Discuss below or at Talk Irvine.

Note by zovall: This post is written by an IHB regular, Cubic Zirconia. Her writing has been featured on IHB in the past. She has put together some information regarding what school districts (there are multiple!) serve the city of Irvine and some helpful links. We'd love to hear your comments on the schools as well as her post.

Hello IHB readers,

This is Cubic Zirconia.

I was introduced to IHB in 2008 during my house hunting days. The market was going through a major correction, and nobody knew where the bottom was. MLS listings for short sales would generate interest with a teaser price that wouldn’t be approved by the bank and equity sales would list at an exorbitant price, still in denial that the market was under correction. That was not all, MLS listings would be full of misinformation, like an incorrect school district, the wrong amount of HOA dues, and very vague contact information if it was a short sale. Living outside Irvine and finding a house in Irvine wouldn’t have been easy for us, if not for IHB posts, then written by Irvine Renter. From someone who would religiously read Irvine Renter’s posts every morning to writing a post on IHB, it’s been a huge transition!

The great California sun shines on all of Orange County, but many prefer to buy in Irvine more than other places for two reasons – safety and schools. The public school system is one of the best in Irvine, with test scores higher than the state average, and almost every school with a perfect ten API ranking and Great school rating based on performance (www.greatschools.org).

It is natural to assume that the premium you pay for a house in Irvine will assure a spot in an Irvine school, served by the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD). Your Realtor probably didn’t tell you, and the seller’s Realtor boldly quoted an Irvine school in the MLS listing page, but it’s not so. There are some parts of Irvine that are served by schools with a physical Irvine address, falling under Tustin Unified School District. They are usually referred as the “other side of Culver” with Culver serving as the boundary line. Some even fall under the Santa Ana School District.

Here is the list of schools that fall under Tustin Unified School District, but serve North Park, West Irvine and other western/northern areas of Irvine. You will notice that even though these schools fall under Tustin Unified School District, they have the API ranks and scores comparable to any Irvine school. All of them have special education programs, GATE programs and afterschool programs as well as CDC. They have new and spacious school buildings, well planned and laid out. The teacher credentials and experience are also on par with Irvine schools.

1. Myford Elementary (K- 5)

Address: 3181 Trevino Dr., Irvine CA 92602

API rank 10, and API score of 951 for 2011.

Serves: West Irvine and some other parts of Irvine

For more information: http://myford.tustin.k12.ca.us/

2. Hicks Canyon Elementary (K-5)

Address: 3817 Viewpark, Irvine CA 92602

API rank 10, and API Score of 942 for 2011.

Serves: North Park and some other parts of Irvine

For more information: http://hickscanyon.org/

3. Orchard Hills (Middle School 5-7 for 2011, K-8 planned)

Address: 11555 Culver Dr, Irvine CA 92602

API rank not available (new school), API score of 952 for 2011.

Serves: North Park and some other parts of Irvine

For more information: http://ohhawks.org

4. Pioneer Middle School (6-8)

Address: 2700 Pioneer Rd, Tustin CA 92782

(This was the primary Middle School before Orchard Hills opened)

API rank 10, API Score of 939 for 2011.

Serves: Irvine falling under Tustin Unified School District and parts of Tustin

For more information: www.pioneerwildcats.com

5. Arnold Beckman High School (9-12)

Address: 3588 Bryan Ave, Irvine CA 92602

API rank 10, API score of 866 for 2011.

Serves: Irvine falling under Tustin Unified School District and parts of Tustin

For more information: http://beckman.tustin.k12.ca.us/

SAT Scores for 2011: Critical Reading 548 Math 588 Writing 571

In addition to these schools, there are also two magnet schools in TUSD.

1. Tustin Memorial Academy (K-5)

Address: 12712 Browning Ave, Santa Ana CA 92705

API Rank 10, API Score 962

2. Columbus Tustin Middle School

Address: 17952 Beneta Way, Tustin CA 92780

API Rank 7, API Score 819

A personal note about the magnet schools: Compared to the other schools that serve the area, I found that the two magnet schools fell short in terms of building, planning and parking. The API Scores for the elementary school are in the close range for both the magnet and the regular schools. However, when it comes to Middle Schools, Pioneer and Orchard Hills fare better than the magnet school. Pioneer Middle School was the #1 Middle School in OC in 2010. Also, the schools are further into Tustin, increasing the driving distance for Irvine homes. In my opinion, they are not worth the extra drive. All of the elementary schools in TUSD accepting Irvine kids are gated, with a very controlled exit system at dismissal. I can’t think of the advantage of the magnet schools over the non-magnet schools when it comes to TUSD.

So next time, when you look at a property, no matter what the MLS says, you can always check the school for any given address here:

For those under Tustin Unified School District: http://www.schoolsiteonline.com/schoolsitelocator/?districtCode=76529

Map of the area served by TUSD: http://www.tustin.k12.ca.us/html/schooldirectory/110824-tusd-district-map-e-c.pdf

TUSD Contact Information: 300 South C Street Tustin, CA 92780 • (714) 730-7301

For those under Irvine Unified School District:

http://www.iusd.org/asp-bin/whichschool/

Map of the area served by IUSD: http://iusd.org/enrollment/documents/IUSD_ELEMENTARY_ATTENDANCE_2011_2012.pdf

IUSD Contact Information: 5050 Barranca Parkway, Irvine CA 92604 • (949)936-5000

The story is a little different when looking at Irvine addresses which are served by the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD).

Condos at The Plaza, Central Park West, The Marquee, The Metropolitan and some apartment buildings near the Airport area fall under SAUSD. Here's a glimpse at the portion of Irvine that is served by SAUSD:

To check if an address falls under Santa Ana School District : http://www2.sausd.us/maps/locator1.asp

Full Map of the area served by SAUSD: http://www2.sausd.us/maps/main-v3.asp

SUSD Contact Information: 1601 East Chestnut Ave, Santa Ana 92701-6322 • (714)558-5501

The Santa Ana schools that serve Irvine are:

1. James Monroe Elementary School (K-6)

Address: 471 East Central Ave. Santa Ana, CA 92707

API Rank 6, API Score 839

2. Douglas MacArthur Fundamental Intermediate School (6-8)

Address: 600 West Alton Ave, Santa Ana CA 92702

API Rank 8, API Score 849

3. Century High School (9-12)

Address: 1401 South Grand Ave, Santa Ana CA 92705

API Rank 1, API Score 615

The Santa Ana schools are no match to Irvine schools in the test stats. Not only that, the parent and Great Schools performance reviews also fall short. The teacher credentials and experience meet or exceed the state average, but the API leaves a lot to be desired.

Like I said before, often there is more than meets the eye, or in this case, more than the MLS states. Since one of the reasons to move to Irvine is to take advantage of the great public schools in the area, it’s good to tread with caution and see if the property you are putting an offer on falls under the school district you assumed it is in.

Was this information useful?

Are there any specific School District related topics that you would like to read on IHB?

Reports and analysis about each school in detail?

The review of special programs offered?

A post about Irvine Schools (IUSD)?

Please let us know!