But, by God, let's build more high-density housing so we can cram 30+ kindergarteners into each portable, and limit "enrichment programs" to musical desks, or what have you.

Gern

Menlo Park could try to include the Fair Oaks neighborhood and recieve revenue from their property taxes.

The Redwood City School District would also have to agree to a boundary change, and that ain't going to happen.

I wonder whether the boundaries really would have to change. Are you certain of this? Even then, could arrangements be made?

If Menlo Park school district would gain money from property taxes by adding North Fair Oaks, then Redwood City district would lose that property tax money. You can't count the same dollars twice. And one district can't unilaterally take a neighborhood away from another district.

Plus, you have to think of whether the schools have enough classrooms to accommodate a bunch of extra kids. Menlo Park has had kids stuffed into portables for years because space is so tight.

I just don't see any chance of it happening.

I am wondering how much money they lose per student since Redwood City is not a basic aide district and most Noth Fair Oaks residents are sending their kids to private schools. I am bummed that I pay into a district I won't use. But I also realize I knew this when I moved it. Just thought I was going to flip a house... and then...like most of us, realized we are staying for a while! Demographically, our neighborhood is not being supported- I wonder if we could make that fight? Meaning, the closest "local schools" are the worst of the redwood city schools. If more residents are opting out, I wonder if that would fly?

It's too bad. There are many pockets of unincorporated MP including areas by the Dutch Goose, Menlo Oaks, etc. They are all zoned into MP Schools & Las Lomitas. Oh well. If anyone wants to start petitioning, let me know! Redwood City will definitely not want to lose the tax revenue as they are one of the more struggling districts.

Because Redwood City is not basic aid, every student means more money to them. They would be very unlikely to let a chunk of their district be handed to MP.

MP, being basic aid, does not receive additional money per student. In fact, each additional student dilutes the amount of money available. Yes, there would be additional revenues from property taxes, but according to the board, those would be more than offset by the cost of educating the new students. Plus, as Frumpy said, MPCSD is already stuffed to bursting.

However, twenty years ago, MPCSD acquired whole neighborhoods from Ravenswood. (That was before MPCDS was basic aid). I don't know why they agreed to do this, but I'm wondering if anyone else does.

Exactly. My thought was that since they are not basic aid in RWC and based on attendance - and our kids aren't going, we might have a case. Everyone is so impacted anyway, I can't imagine they would want/be able to support new students. Plus, I would be more curious to know what that number was. The statistics on incoming Kinders are enormous Peninsula-wide. It will be interesting to see how many schools re-open that were closed years ago...like Garland in PA.

The Willows (a good chunk of it) was one of those neighborhoods acquired by the district from Ravenswood.

Yes, but please let's race forward with the high speed rail! California has its priorities mixed up.

We don't have kids but I know when we do we'll be sending them to a private school because of the school district we belong is not good.
It makes sense that if Menlo Oaks, and West Menlo (Sharon Heights) get the Menlo Park School District that the Menlo Park area of North Fair Oaks would as well. All these three areas are "unincorporated" and should therefore be treated the same. I would assist in the petition process.

A few corrections: Sharon Heights is incorporated Menlo Park. Much of unincorporated West Menlo and Sharon Heights is in the Las Lomitas, not the Menlo Park City, school district.