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Harding School District
updated: Sep 11, 2012, 11:55 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

My husband and I are first time home buyers about to place an offer on a home in the Harding school district. We have one toddler and hope to have at least one more child. I would like my children to go to public school and I am impressed by the strategic plan Harding has implemented as well as their partnership with UCSB. However, I have concerns that 81% of the students there (according to their 2010-2011 school report card) are "English-learners." To me this indicates that my child may be one of maybe 2 students in her kindergarten class that speak English. I have no concerns about my child being in school with a diverse group of students - in fact this is something I would prefer (so please don't barrage me with comments about being prejudiced, because that is not the situation at all). My concern is that if she doesn't speak Spanish that this will make it difficult for her to socialize with other children. I'm also concerned about how the class curriculum would help her excel if much of the time is spent helping students learn English. So my question is - has anyone had experience sending their children to Harding who are not "English-learners"? Or another public school with similar demographics? What was the experience like? If Harding is not the best fit for my daughter, what is the possibility of transferring to another school in the district? I plan on speaking to the Principal, but I was hoping to get some feedback from people with personal experience.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 318608	2012-09-11 11:59 AM
You will have the same concern about most santa barbara school districts. Buy a less expensive house and save for private school!
CAPTAIN HALEY	2012-09-11 12:08 PM
My daughters started off at Harding (we later moved out of town). They served as role models for the English learners. I loved the school. My only regret was that they didn't teach more Spanish to the Anglo kids.
COMMENT 318614P	2012-09-11 12:10 PM
well you are wise to have concerns
COMMENT 318620	2012-09-11 12:21 PM
The American dream. Work really hard, go to college, get married have a kid or two, save $ for years to buy a house and try and build a better life for your kids... in Santa Barbara that means being house poor, and being forced to live in the ghetto, sending your kids to a school that is 81% ESL - 81%!!!! And dealing with crime and contempt from your neighbors. This is beyond sad, its crazy that a house that costs 750k and requires 150k a year in income puts you in the same neighborhood as gang bangers and illegal immigrants... and a school that is 81% immigrant. Why bother? When you dont have to do the right thing but are rewarded with the same benefits... Q: What's wrong here? A: Everything.
COMMENT 318621	2012-09-11 12:21 PM
I hear it is much has improved from the past, but I know other parents who are still concerned as you are. Part of the issue isn't the instruction - I think the instruction there is good, but rather the demographics. I don't assume to know your race or ethnicity, but in part due to the school's location on the West Side and in part due to the "white-flight" (sending non-latino students out of the school's area) Harding is predominantly Latino. There is nothing wrong with that, but there are social effects. Other parents at the school have said their non-latino children are not invited to after school gatherings such as birthday parties. A more representative demographic could be attained, which would be better for all our children, if the non-Latino families would keep their children in their district rather than moving out or sending them to private schools.
COMMENT 318622	2012-09-11 12:21 PM
If they have 80% english learners, it's probably closer to 4 or 5 kids per classroom who would be native English speakers. Not sure how it is at other schools, but at my kid's school, the "english learners" (31%) only speak English at school.
COMMENT 318627	2012-09-11 12:24 PM
All 3 of my kids and 4 of my grand kids have gone and are going to Harding.. GREAT school.. never have they felt out of place and the teachers do a great job teaching all student no matter what languge they speak. The cafe has a sweet crew of moms who cook and serve wonderful healthy breckfast and lunches.. they work hand and hand with UCSB students and parents get involve.. We have love this school for many years and walking to school with my childern and now my grand childern has been wonderful...
COMMENT 318629	2012-09-11 12:25 PM
Hispanics are projected to be the states majority by 2042. Maybe it's time for some posters to learn to speak Spanish, and get along with Hispanics? Just sayin'.
COMMENT 318634P	2012-09-11 12:44 PM
All of your concerns are valid ones. Although you'll get a very rosy overview from school administrators, the reality is, well, the reality. I too am all for diversity, but I wanted my kids to be in an English-speaking environment and able to perform at their best level. Learning Spanish as a second language is fine. A poster above has things a bit topsy-turvy regardless of demographic realities in today's (or 2042) California. There are social issues as well, not talking of gang-banger stereotypes but the issues of inclusion/exclusion also noted above. Like so many things, that can cut both ways. You also want to be in a school with serious parent involvement and commitment. Makes it easier for everyone. After some struggles with the local school system, I went the private school route, one that was church-affiliated (not for everyone, I know) and one that, FWIW, was in fact predominantly Hispanic. Was happy with that choice.
COMMENT 318635P	2012-09-11 12:45 PM
Laguna Blanca is the place to ask about scholarships. My pal moved her son from Harding to Laguna when she saw his serious interest in theater arts and writing. He was miserable at Harding because the teacher was sending him home with loads of homework - due to the fact that his interests were being neglected and few spoke English in the classroom. Six months after he was enrolled at Laguna he blossomed! Scholarship dream come true!
COMMENT 318636	2012-09-11 12:45 PM
Private school.
COMMENT 318638	2012-09-11 12:50 PM
I say give it a chance. My son went there for a few years and he made great friends. I found that most of the children spoke English but the parents did not. This made it hard for me to communicate with other parents. Even though I am Mexican American I do not speak Spanish. (wish i did). But I did see a lot of parent involvement at the school.
COMMENT 318639	2012-09-11 12:50 PM
When my bright son was in second grade the teacher told me, when I asked when they would start having spelling words that were more challenging (they were being tested on three letter words only), she told me that if I wanted more I needed to do it at home. Most of the kids in the class did not understand much English and she needed to concentrate on that. When my second child was ready to start school, that conversation came to mind and so I homeschool him. He is reading and comprehending three grade levels above where he'd be and we are very happy. My first son went through the public school system, graduating from high school where his enthusiasm and drive gradually dissappeared. Just a thought....
COMMENT 318640	2012-09-11 12:52 PM
Buy a house in a different district. Fact is with 81% English Learners that is where the focus will be. If your child is not in that 81%, then their needs will be neglected.
COMMENT 318643	2012-09-11 01:03 PM
¿Qué pasa si tu hijo aprendió español? Una escuela charter será de ayuda. Aprender español es muy importante hoy en día.
COMMENT 318648	2012-09-11 01:08 PM
My kids went there for the last 2 years of elementary school and it was a nightmare. The teachers are mostly young and new, out of all of the 6th grade graduating class my caucasian son was 1 out of 3 total and he was bullied for being white. The principal and teachers didn't care, in fact, they consequenced for things that other kids did because they used him as the scapegoat. Harding is not a good school, I only had my kids there for a little while because we moved to a house only 3 blocks away. You CAN live in the area and have your kids go to Adams or Monroe School I believe, most of the white demographic in the neighborhood do not put their kids in the school because the first few grades are mainly not English speaking children so the quality of education is not going to be advanced enough for children that are from English speaking households. Also, it may be hard for your kids to fit in... sure was for both of mine :(
COMMENT 318650	2012-09-11 01:09 PM
"most of the white demographic in the neighborhood" Would it have been better to say caucasian than to say white here?
COMMENT 318652	2012-09-11 01:10 PM
How can a school that is 81% of one race/ethnicity be called diverse!!! A school that was 81% "white" would be considered homogeneous and segregated. Harding is a great choice for anglo ethnomasochists.
COMMENT 318659	2012-09-11 01:28 PM
650 - No it would not have been any different at all. However you should never utter consequenced
COMMENT 318664	2012-09-11 01:33 PM
OP here - Thanks for the informative responses. Does anyone know what the likelihood is of being able to transfer to another school? Private school is not going to be an option for us financially, and the Westside is really our best bet for finding a home in our price range (we aren't considering the Eastside).
COMMENT 318670P	2012-09-11 01:41 PM
Goleta. Lower prices, better schools.
COMMENT 318672	2012-09-11 01:43 PM
Try Monroe. Just over the hill from you and is a great little school. Transferring should not be too difficult. Go to district offices to find out the correct procedures you need to follow.
COMMENT 318673	2012-09-11 01:43 PM
Two recent fixer houses in San Roque, a block from Peabody, went for $500K and $550K. With 20% down (family?) and good credit, you can get a 30 year for 3.5%. This means a monthly payment of $1800 + 500 for property tax...about what you'd pay for rent on this home. Think of buying a house in a good district as your tuition to a better school...the numbers right now greatly favor buying in a good neighborhood vs bad+private school.
COMMENT 318674	2012-09-11 01:46 PM
I worked in the school district for several years before moving, and I would never ever send my kids there. Even students who were white and weren't labeled as low-income but came from Harding or Franklin had significantly lower test scores and GPAs in junior high/high school. I would honestly sacrifice as much as possible to get my kids in a different school. You can try to transfer but there are no guarantees. My impression was that the district was tightening up on the transfers in the past couple of years.
COMMENT 318676	2012-09-11 01:52 PM
We should all refuse to pay property taxes until the schools only teach in the language of this land. It should be the parents responsibility to teach the kids at home English. Not the other way around.
COMMENT 318678	2012-09-11 01:55 PM
Find a nice house, an economical one, and one where your children can walk to school. I wouldn't care if it was a chicken coop type place, as long as my kids didn't have to be schlepped back and forth to school. Let them walk. It's far healthier. Make sure the school environment is English-speaking. "Diversity" is no joke when you may be bullied for being the outsider. If you want your kids to speak a second language, use the money you'll save on gasoline (see above) and hire a part-time nanny to teach them Spanish or French or Chinese. 683 has the right idea. San Roque is lovely. Easy to ride a bike to Peabody. Or walk. We used to walk a mile each way. Sounds cliche, but it is the way to go.
COMMENT 318681	2012-09-11 01:56 PM
I second the 'Goleta' option. You can find a nice single family home for $700K or so, and the schools are great. There is of course some diversity with Latino students too...just not as many as you'd find in the Eastside/Westside.
COMMENT 318682	2012-09-11 01:57 PM
If only there were actually an official, legally mandated language, 676.
COMMENT 318689	2012-09-11 02:07 PM
Go to Goleta,Peabody,or private. Loved the Hope District! and Dos Pueblos High School.
COMMENT 318690	2012-09-11 02:08 PM
SY is the constitution written in Spanish? I rest my case.
COMMENT 318693	2012-09-11 02:14 PM
My westside neighbors send their kids to Washington on the Mesa and they like it. My other neighbors moved to the San Roque area for Peabody but it was full and they had to take their daughter over to Washington too. They could have stayed across the street and had less of a drive. It is unfortunate that although in an ideal world you could send your kids to harding and they would get the education they deserve, the reality is that it might be harder given the class, not ethnic background, of the kids there. Any poor school is going to have the same problems, and you will have to do a lot more of the work to educate your kids if you send them there. If you choose to do that, then you are an inspiration to the rest of us!
COMMENT 318696	2012-09-11 02:19 PM
It won't be easy to get a transfer to Washington, not at all. Goleta is your best bet. Great schools, and if you buy at More Mesa or Ellwood Mesa you can be walking distance to the beach.
COMMENT 318700	2012-09-11 02:22 PM
I've found the white kids to have thick veneers and coming from extremely dysfunctional homes.
COMMENT 318701	2012-09-11 02:23 PM
That's a terrible argument, 690. Laws are written, not inferred or based on personal judgment.
COMMENT 318704	2012-09-11 02:29 PM
I went to Peabody, and it was a great school, not sure now. Franklin and Harding are the worst for education, your kid developing social bonds, sport programs, ect. Overall SB has good teachers at every school compared to other places, but if you want the best teachers SB has to offer it is Cold Springs, Peabody, Adams, or Washington. I would be less concerned with the teachers than the other kids attending the school. Gangs and illiterate Hispanics pose a major learning threat at schools like Harding and Franklin, if your White do whatever you can to get into a school with less bi-lingual class curriculum and which are safer. I had a friend have to transfer to Franklin from Peabody because of a divorce and he was never the same. Lots of fights, his education didn't prepare him for junior or HS and he was always in remedial classes. You want the best for you kid so they are taking college prep and GATE classes in HS, otherwise their chances of making it into a good college narrows.
COMMENT 318706	2012-09-11 02:30 PM
OP again - our budget is under 500K. We live in Goleta now and it would be ideal to stay here but there is just nothing on the market in our price range other than condos. Is it worth getting a condo instead of a home in order to stay in a good school district? I don't know.
COMMENT 318707	2012-09-11 02:33 PM
SY, your comments consistently suck.
COMMENT 318710	2012-09-11 02:35 PM
I agree SY, they should make English the official language.
COMMENT 318711	2012-09-11 02:38 PM
It's funny and sad (at the same time) seeing people afraid of human beings that are "different" from themselves.
COMMENT 318713	2012-09-11 02:44 PM
Yes, it's better to live in a condo and have your child get a good education.
COMMENT 318716	2012-09-11 02:47 PM
As far as doing anything you can to get into a better area, lending is very strict right now and the banks probably won't let you overextend yourselves even if you wanted to. Personally I would take the Westside over Goleta any day - close to downtown, houses have character, much more of a neighborhood feel. Perhaps you could canvas from door to door to encourage other English-speaking families to send their kids to Harding? It just takes a small critical mass to make a change. I've heard of parents doing this near Adams and I think it worked.
COMMENT 318717	2012-09-11 02:48 PM
I went to harding and lerned a lot. The teechers wurk realy hard. Eventuly I went to ucsb and got a degree in filosophy....don't wurry...its a grate school!
COMMENT 318720	2012-09-11 02:50 PM
My kids went to the Open Alternative School...I liked it too.. parents can be as involved as they want to be in the class room and on campus...
COMMENT 318722P	2012-09-11 02:51 PM
Many kids from the Harding area transfer into the schools over the hill: Monroe and Washington. Unfortunately the district is restricting transfers so that it is harder to do. I believe Harding is still an improvement school, meaning the district has to find a spot for your child at another school if you request a transfer, but not sure if you get a choice of schools. I do have one friend who is sending her towhead-blonde daughter to Harding and loved it after the first year. The mom (not hispanic) speaks Spanish, and that has made a big difference in being able to communicate with other parents. This mom is a leader - with her on board, good things will happen, so you might want to give Harding a try....
COMMENT 318727	2012-09-11 03:04 PM
We just bought in Goleta about a year ago and, after growing up "downtown", I used to miss the atmosphere. But not having to worry constantly about getting a parking ticket in front of my own house, having great schools within walking distance and living in a neighborhood with other young families has completely changed my mind. Goleta is a FAR better place to raise your children than the Westside. Trust me, I've lived in both areas with kids. My sister is a 4th grade teacher and I hear endless horror stories about English speaking students being held back mentally due to the concentration on bringing non-English speaking students up to speed. For your kids' sake, stay in Goleta until you can move somewhere in a better district. Then again, you could just go to one of the many excellent schools in Goleta...
COMMENT 318728	2012-09-11 03:05 PM
Yes, SB schools are getting more restrictive about transfers, but you can usually transfer to Open Alternative, Santa Barbara Charter School, or Santa Barbara Community Academy. There are good public school options.
COMMENT 318730	2012-09-11 03:08 PM
No the sad part is that the children are forced to learn Spanish in school. Do you really think any kid can become successful in the USA not speaking English? This politically correct bs is hurting this country. It's not in tune with reality.
COMMENT 318731	2012-09-11 03:11 PM
730 by the year 2050, 1 out of every 3 people in the US will be hispanic. That is in tune with reality. Maybe you should download that Rosetta Stone....
COMMENT 318736	2012-09-11 03:25 PM
OP, you nearly answered your own question. If it is possible to stay in Goleta in a good school district but that means you must buy a condo (I don't believe that's the case), your kids future should always come before your temporary desires. I have seen forclosures and short sales in the 500K range in Goleta...your kids are worth a little sweat equity, not just the usual SB easy way out.
COMMENT 318737P	2012-09-11 03:28 PM
731:There is of course nothing wrong with being Hispanic or with learning Spanish (or other useful languages for that matter). The issue is: Do all US citizens now _have_ to learn Spanish because a group seems less than willing to linguistically assimilate? Are we going to become the next Belgium? Bi-/tri-lingualism is fine, but there need to be some culturally unifying elements to make a large nation work well and language is one of them. FWIW, I speak two languages other than English, (neither of them "heritage" languages, am the grandchild of non-English speaking grandparents who learned (less-than-perfect, but serviceable) English and when I've lived/traveled abroad did not expect people to know English or provide services or assistance in anything other than _their_ languages and I, at the very least, learned the basics or in two cases, became fluent.
COMMENT 318740	2012-09-11 03:32 PM
I agree @ 643, speaking Spanish is important these days. But the fact is if you have a greater number of native Spanish speakers in your class, the overall grades reflect that. And not in a good way. Check out the greatschools website. You will see a major discrepancy in academic performance skills in schools that have a majority of Spanish (1st language) speaking students. Most of the parents from these families don't speak English very well either and therefore are unable to help their kids with homework etc. I would steer clear of any school with a greatschool index score of less than 7. The writing is on the wall and in this case it's not graffiti.
COMMENT 318742P	2012-09-11 03:39 PM
I agree with @736. There is a foreclosure on my street in Goleta priced under $500,000, so it is definitely possible to find a place. I student taught in both the SB and Goleta districts MANY years ago and that experience made me decide to raise my future children in Goleta. It was a great decision.
COMMENT 318745	2012-09-11 03:40 PM
You would be wise to consider staying in that school. Spanglish will be the dominant language here soon. Your kid will be a little ahead of the curve when he/she approaches middle school.
COMMENT 318747P	2012-09-11 03:42 PM
We are considering going over the hill to Santa Ynez to buy because houses are cheaper (for some very obvious reasons) but I would rather live in SYV and go to their schools than send our kids to a SB elementary school even if the prices were identical. (there are only a handful of decent SB Schools whereas the majority of Goleta schools are wonderful.) Through the lens of this parent Goleta Union School District is the place to be but you have to be able to afford to live there. We can't.
COMMENT 318748P	2012-09-11 03:42 PM
Students in the Harding district can transfer to Open Alternative School, there are many students at OAS who live in the Harding district. There is also SB Charter School. My daughter goes to OAS and we have had a fabulous experience there for the last three years. There's always choices, no matter where you live.
COMMENT 318749	2012-09-11 03:44 PM
I would suggest a condo in a good school district over a home in a weak school district. That's what we chose years ago.
COMMENT 318750	2012-09-11 03:45 PM
SB Charter has a "lottery". Although, if you are an extremely squeaky wheel you seem to get in... at least that's what happened to 3 families I know. Makes me glad we didn't "get in". Bad ethics.
COMMENT 318753P	2012-09-11 03:53 PM
There is nice political correctness and there is reality. If you send your child to Harding you have to consider there is less parental involvement due to cultural and economic hurdles for many of the parents. Yes knowing Spanish is a valuable skillset however as someone who knows English your child will get less attention as the teachers are working to make the others english proficient. The fact you ask shows you may know with the associated problems its not the right fit. Find another neighborhood/school and encourage your child to learn Spanish.
COMMENT 318754	2012-09-11 03:55 PM
318620 - I live on the West Side and not one of my neighbors are an illegal immigrant or a gang banger.
COMMENT 318758	2012-09-11 04:00 PM
Move to Goleta. Several schools within GUSD are better than Harding. Mtn. View, for instance. Or beg, borrow, and steal to get yourself in the Hope District. It's your child's future, for heaven's sake. What is more important?
COMMENT 318771	2012-09-11 04:51 PM
Anyone who knew more than one language would understand the limitations of a) English and b) monolingulaism.
COMMENT 318777	2012-09-11 05:03 PM
OP again - so many different opinions. My head is spinning. Thanks everyone for giving me things to think about. Hopefully others in a similar situation will also benefit from the discussion.
COMMENT 318784	2012-09-11 05:39 PM
My grandson will go to Adams School. I hope he can walk to school with the many kids he plays with at the local park. I just wish they had a crossing bridge so the children would be safer. Kudoos to the wonderful crossing guard who works there. That's what a neighborhood is all about. I love seeing him shepherding the children across the street. Some white, some not. Who cares. Just love those kiddies, support their teachers, and nourish their spirits.
COMMENT 318788	2012-09-11 05:52 PM
There is another charter school whose name I can't say because EdHat netnanny says you can't use your handle in your post and I chose that handle when I made this account. LOL. It means FORWARD in Spanish, and starts with an A. ANYWAY... even though my kid spoke no Spanish in Kindergarten, by the time she left that school after 6th grade she was fully biliterate (not just bilingual). She is now at Carpinteria Middle School and she is scoring very, very well on all her charts and tests. IF NOTHING ELSE when she attempts to get a job during High School and college she will have an edge over many of her classmates. Bilingualism is a *good* thing. "He who has two languages has two souls."
COMMENT 318791P	2012-09-11 06:09 PM
The reality is - whether we like it or not - that if 81% of the kids are English learners, that is where the bulk of the teachers effort has to go. Once you have purchased the house, you are pretty much at the mercy of the SB school district as to what you can or cannot do as regards to transfers. They can and have even changed the rules on the fly. If you currently live in Goleta, are happy there and think highly of the school district near where you live, I would advise staying in that area. Yes, a condo is a really good compromise. At some point in later years you may be able move up as far as housing goes, but you will have a hard time putting your kids lives back together if the school fails them.
COMMENT 318793P	2012-09-11 06:17 PM
My daughter started kindergarten there, it was our neighborhood school. I took time off from school, and was not allowed to volunteer because her teacher was new and uncomfortable so I was in the library. My daughter was the only Anglo kindergartener in the am group. She was not included in birthday parties, nor in conversations because she did not speak spanish. When she had her birthday party- many students said they would come through rsvp, then just didnt appear. The social scene was a big problem...being excluded hurts. I moved her to OAS, and found a wonderful, high achieving inclusive school community. I wanted to believe that it wouldnt matter who was in the school, but it did. Now, I have a friend who teaches at La Cumbre-the junior high Harding feeds to, and I can testify that the students are way behind in mathermatics, and behavior. I would never send a student to harding...it is not doing a good jb.
COMMENT 318797	2012-09-11 06:33 PM
You asked for it - Make the decision on your own. Go visit the school and meet the folks.
COMMENT 318799	2012-09-11 06:42 PM
To the OP - Is there a possibility that you would consider movng out of the area or out of the state? Seriously, if you are not wedded to SB emotionally, try the old yellow legal pad list of pros and cons for various scenarios. My husband and I are retired now, but if we were young in this environment/economy we would place all options on our table for consideration. Sometimes thinking really, really far outside the box can bring a stunning revelation that proves fortuitous in retrospect.
COMMENT 318800P	2012-09-11 06:44 PM
788: Bilingualism _is_ a good thing, but it seems that for many the definition has come only to mean English and Spanish. There are other choices and other languages that are advantageous to learn for many reasons. I am "trilingual," but if I were to answer most ads looking for a bilingual applicant, it wouldn't count as bilingual is now equated with Spanish ability. I understand the demographics, in southern California certainly, but can you see the point with regard to all those who tout bilingualism?
SBJULES	2012-09-11 06:51 PM
I would think that bilingual education would be an asset these days.
COMMENT 318811	2012-09-11 07:36 PM
We lived on the "upper" west side for a number of years and did as 90% of our white neighbors did before our oldest entered kindergarten: we sold and moved to Goleta. Best decision we ever made. We had a very open mind and visited Harding several times to vet it out. Realized you only get one chance to educate your kids. Again, nearly every white neighbor we knew did exactly the same thing. Good luck in your decision.
COMMENT 318815P	2012-09-11 07:52 PM
One word: Idaho
COMMENT 318820	2012-09-11 08:16 PM
If you live in a neighborhood where all the children except yours goes to the neighborhood school who will he have as friends to play with? For a child that is a huge issue, it is important for him/her to have neighborhood friends. You have more to consider when choosing the location of your home than the school district, choose a neighborhood where your child will be accepted and have friends. How about a private Catholic school? Many who are not Catholics are sending their children to the Catholic schools for the better education and higher standards.
COMMENT 318825P	2012-09-11 09:36 PM
Some years ago, a neighborhood woman tried to get her fellow white parents in the Harding school district to all enroll their children EN MASSE to Harding. That way the demographic of the school would reflect the area with a substantially larger percentage of white kids going and therefore not feeling outcast (or whatever word you choose). The key was to get EVERYONE to enroll their child there at the same time. She put in a lot of leg work and energy but it was obviously not to be. Under New York Times ownership, the News -Press did a series of excellent stories regarding this, touching on all the issues involved. Forget who the reporter was. but he/she did and excellent job.
COMMENT 318829P	2012-09-11 10:27 PM
It is a terrible shame that our neighborhood schools have become so bad that these questions need to be asked. But in fact they have. Thank our politicians for that...
COMMENT 318833P	2012-09-11 11:07 PM
Those who refer to classes being taught bilingually likely went to school before 1998, when Prop 227 got rid of most instruction in Spanish, with the exception of some charter schools. Playground conversation, of course, is not mandated, but classroom conversation is.
COMMENT 318834P	2012-09-11 11:08 PM
Be aware that even if you live next door to Peabody, there is a lottery for entrance, siblings of current students get preference, and your child may not get in.
COMMENT 318835P	2012-09-11 11:41 PM
If you want to know how a particular subgroup does at a particular school, go to http://api.cde.ca.gov/reports/page2.asp?subject=API&level=School&submit1=submit, type in the school name, and select "2011 Base API Report". I think you are looking for a score of at least 900 in the 2011 base column for your subgroup. (The official goal is 800, but that is actually pretty low for advantaged students.) However, there were only 9 students at Harding in the white subgroup (in grades 2-6) last year, and they don't report scores for groups that small. You may find that white students score well at some underprivileged schools, even compared to white students as some more affluent schools. For example, if you can't afford the Mt. View or Kellogg area, the white subgroups at Isla Vista, La Patera, Foothill, and Hollister fare quite well. Goleta trains its teachers in "differentiation," which means teaching to different levels in the same classroom. Note that Santa Barbara Charter and OAS do not place an emphasis on test scores, and their scores are low considering the families that attend. Do not make transfer plans for your toddler based on the rules now; they change to rapidly.
COMMENT 318839P	2012-09-12 06:29 AM
825P: I recall that series. The N-P used to have very good local education coverage. I also knew the woman to whom you refer, the onetime PTA president at Harding. She too finally gave up and transferred to Hope district. That was also covered locally (and even beyond, I think) at the time.
COMMENT 318843	2012-09-12 06:58 AM
The mom that rallied all the kids to go there eventually pulled her own kids out and moved them to a different school because they weren't learning enough at Harding due to the demographic. I think that pre-school and full day Kindergarten should be required for Spanish speaking kids to teach them to be fluent in English. That way they will be set up to succeed and the teachers can raise their standards so that the English speaking kids are being taught at a higher level. After only being in the school half a year and being bullied by the kids there I pulled my daughter out. I wanted her to have friends in her neighborhood but the education at Harding is so inferior, and the kids were such bullies, that is wasn't worth it. My son was just as unsuccessful at making quality friendships there because a lot of the kids already have a gang mentality and the staff take the side of the majority, which my son wasn't.
COMMENT 318847	2012-09-12 07:08 AM
It is difficult to raise the concerns you have raised without being called racist or other name, ironically by liberal white folks more than hispanics or other ethnicities. The problem with all schools is not ethnicity, it is attitude and social and cultural backrounds that drag down the educational levels. Contrary to a few posters, it is not money either. The reason public schools in wealthier neighborhoods have more funds is the higher property taxes paid by more expensive homes owned by more educated people with better jobs. This is not racist, this is economic fact. Those same parents donate more time and money to their neighborhood schools and in most cases, instill in their children a reverance for education, a need to be self reliant, self disciplined and motivated to be successful in school and in life. Any child of any ethnicity who is living and attending school in an environment where these things do not thrive has a much more difficult time being successful.
COMMENT 318850P	2012-09-12 07:13 AM
Hi OP, same issues for my wife and I. It's a tough decision, we decided on Goleta and possible private school. We could afford SB Eastside, still moved to Goodland :) Reason was not just because our daughter would have difficulty making friends, but also my wife and I would have difficulty making friends with other parents. It's really important to have adult friends with kids in the same school as your own. Also, my family is from Eastern Europe and very much opposed to the "district" system of public schools we have. We feel the $$ from the government should be attached to the student, not the school district. Imagine if you were told that "your" district grocery store was Vons and that you had to shop there and not allowed to go across the street to Albertsons.... This system has got to change, people are starting to make huge decisions in their life based upon "districting"....here...in the USA???
COMMENT 318869	2012-09-12 07:47 AM
OP, if you find those comments informative then you are fooling yourself about your "situation".
COMMENT 318874	2012-09-12 07:57 AM
My two cents from my experience with helping to enroll my three very dark-skinned grandkids into three different schools in Goleta (elementary, junior high, and high) after their arrival from a "foreign" country. 1)the schools push you very hard into ESL programs if they can. My oldest grandkids speaks English better than most of her peers (and many of her teachers) yet was flagged for remedial English and ESL activities. the Goleta elemetary district was better but still pushes the ESL ridiculously hard, even though few families in our school want anything other than English only (including the "foreigners" 2) They district also encourages you to enroll as an illegal alien in order to avoid certain paperwork requirments. 3) transfers seem fairly easy for elementary, much harder for high and JH.
COMMENT 318892P	2012-09-12 08:48 AM
I would like to comment that buying a house in a less-reputable school district will depress market price now and in the future. As an investment, you may find that it's better to buy a condo; though condo appreciation is less than for SFRs, the initial investment will be lower. However, condos come with association fees, while SFRs usually require maintenance expenses: the latter may add value which the fees don't. I live in San Roque; I bought my house 16 years ago and have been priced out since. There are a couple of houses asking about 495k right now. On State at Constance is a great condo complex where friends of ours live who sent two kids to Peabody, and some of those are for sale now too. Peabody is great, though suffering as all public schools are. There are English learners there, but by no means a majority. Right now, there's a lottery to get in, because there are so many students in the district, but there is a very good chance, and if you don't get in, there's Adams and Roosevelt and OAS nearby. I would say for the sake of your child's happiness at school, she should go where there are plenty of English first-languagers. I speak as a devoted public school fan who seeks diversity, prefers a bilingual classroom and is highly suspicious of private schools. That 81% is very troubling.
COMMENT 318898	2012-09-12 08:54 AM
@896 If you are pigeon holing an entire race - then yes your statement was racist.
SBROCKS	2012-09-12 08:58 AM
No matter where you send your children, they will do well because you send a message to them that school is important. School starts and ends in the home. Try Harding. If it is not a good fit you will find another one. My girls went to Roosevelt, SBJH, San Marcos, SBCC. One has gone on to Chemistry degree, microbioloy BA and a masters in Toxicology and cannot get a job anywhere in the US. The other is at SBCC with 5 degrees and transfers on at the end of the year. Fortunately their grades have left them debt free. The sad truth in todays world is there are many students left with high loans and no jobs. Save your money and no matter where they go they will do fine.
COMMENT 318904	2012-09-12 09:02 AM
Funny how when people don't agree with facts and live with their heads in the sand, they can only come up with calling people 'racist'. Typical lib-dem response.
COMMENT 318910	2012-09-12 09:20 AM
896, just stay away from saying you aren't rascist because even though you speak the truth, people will still call you a rascist for making factual statements about a certain culture/race (even if you experienced it first hand). When will we just call a spade a spade and admit that different cultures/races have different beliefs and behaviors? If someone told me that white people are generally uptight, entitled and drive camry's, I'd say, yep, pretty much.
COMMENT 318911	2012-09-12 09:21 AM
All of the Goleta schools test over 800. Your child would be much better off at any Goleta school than at Harding. I might suggest finding a different realtor if you're not able to find a house for $500K. There are several in the Brandon neighborhood. It's a good school with involved parents, good teachers and a nice mix of ethnic backgrounds.
COMMENT 318913P	2012-09-12 09:25 AM
318904 - Blanket thinking. Please do not characterize a whole group by the actions/words of a few. And people on both the left and the right have done good things for this country. I hate it when a group is singled out for condemnation. Putting someone down as "lib/dem" is EQUAL to putting someone down as "racist". There is no difference. Check your hypocrisy meter.
COMMENT 318917	2012-09-12 09:32 AM
Have a discussion with Monroe before buying the home. You need to know if transfers are possible and will be possible in the future. It is not a "racial" problem at Harding, but an economic class problem. 10 yrs. ago a local parent tried to get people to stay in Harding district and volunteer to improve the school. She worked with the principal. After a few years she gave up and transferred her child out. You don't want you child called names on the playground. Although improving, the academic environment is very low. Parental expectation is low. The asphalt playground has weeds growing through it. The backboard is crumbling. Take the hint; don't go there. Washington fills up from within their district and has the highest test scores; look at Monroe.
COMMENT 318924	2012-09-12 09:42 AM
910 Your ignorance is on display. Move along.

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