Las Lomitas School District Boundary Changes

As families who own homes in the Peninsula understand all too well, house values rise and fall based on school reputations, including average standardized test scores. Maintaining learning excellence is a key goal for our schools, which is why any proposed district line changes need to be understood from all directions. As an involved Las Lomitas parent myself, I have spent much time analyzing these upcoming changes.

Change Coming?

At the end of last year, the local talk of the town was the redistricting of boundaries for the Sequoia Union High School District. Large projected growth in all four Sequoia Union high schools has mandated a reevaluation of the district’s boundaries. “According to a study done last year, the Sequoia district is projected to grow from 8,300 to 10,000 students by 2020. And those numbers don’t factor in new housing that’s being built within the district’s boundaries”, Superintendent Lianides said at a town hall meeting in 2013.

The proposed boundary map shows Menlo-Atherton (MA) High School growing from 2,041 students to 2,593 students (+27%) by 2020. In this same scenario, the Redwood City/North Fair Oaks area would move out of MA’s boundaries while all of Ravenswood would enter MA’s boundaries. The number of students from each area that would attend MA High School in a given year, 2013 versus 2020, is represented below:

Las Lomitas School District parents are naturally concerned about projected changes since our schools are fed into by four cities: Menlo Park, Portola Valley/Ladera, Atherton and Woodside. These boundary changes could split up the existing community with 2015 incoming 9th graders going to Menlo-Atherton AND Woodside instead of just MA.

The Rest of the Low-Down

Other districts are just as impacted by these changes, which the School Board passed last year. Ravenswood students are especially affected, also having dealt with the closing of their high school back in 1976. Ravenswood students have been spread out between three of the four schools in the district, even though MA is in their backyard.  Significant public pressure exists to incorporate all Ravenswood students into MA as quickly as possible.

Thus far, no changes have been made to the policies for La Entrada students; they will continue to go to MA, with the option of choosing a different high school through open enrollment. Those technically living in the Woodside High School boundaries could continue to apply for a transfer to MA to join fellow La Entrada students.

A teacher-led facilities task force and small group input sessions met throughout last October and community input sessions took place in December and January of this year. Parents came out in force to lobby for keeping their communities intact. The ultimate proposals from 2013 were put into place; you can read more about them here.

Next Steps

Further district map changes are proposed for the 2014-2015 school year. This January 2014 letter from Superintendent Lianides details additional proposed changes which will affect Woodside High and MA, such as moving Las Lomitas families previously assigned to Woodside into MA boundaries. A Bond measure for construction at each of the high schools is on the June 2014 ballot, and if it passes will initiate the proposed boundary map changes for target implementation in fall of 2015. Keep in mind changes would only affect entering ninth-graders and would take four years to phase in.

Menlo-Atherton High School Proposed Boundary Map 2015-16

Woodside High School Proposed Boundary Map 2015-16

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It’s a complicated matter to keep up with the latest school news! However, as a long-time local realtor and active Las Lomitas parent, I’m staying abreast of any and all potential district changes- and what they might mean for the housing market. My clients treat me as a resource on this front, and look to me to help them navigate the waters of the ever-changing school district landscape and market dynamics.

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