The LA area is home to the second largest school district in the country, which covers 29 cites, spanning 704 square miles. The Los Angeles Unified School District provides services for more than 700,000 children, and 45,000 faculty members across the city. Taxpayers support the public school system and officials are elected.
The US public school system consists of children aged from 6-18. The first division is kindergarten to 6th grade (ages 6-11). Middle school is from 7th to 8th grades (ages 12-13), followed by high school from 9th to 12th grade (ages 14-18).
There are a number of private schools, which are separate from the state, around the city as well. These schools cost anywhere from $12,000 to 30,000 per year. One can research the different private schools in the area by going to: http://www.privateschoolreview.com
Most of the time, your location determines which school your child will attend but there are some instances of open enrollment. There have been many financial woes within the school district as of late, due to the recent budget cuts.
Greatschools.org (http://www.greatschools.org/) provides a list of all LA schools and rates them from a score of 10. Choosing a school is as important as choosing the right neighborhood, and in fact, finding the right school first might determine where you decide to live. Research thoroughly before you move.
