The real reason the O'Connor residents want this is to boost their own property values by a few hundred thousand dollars.

I am sure they want to boost the property values but anyone who has kids would never want to willingly send them to Ravenswood School District (I went to Willow School). The quality of education is deplorable, just look at the state ratings. The district is mismanaged and the residents in the district don't seem to recognize this fact or just don't care enough to get rid of the current school board and demand change.


There is no need to go into details here since there have been many articles and discussions on the Ravenswood School District and the questionable behavior of the staff and board.

The real reason is that parents would potentially save $20-30,000+ per year by sending their kids to Menlo Park schools vs private schools.

Bob, let's face it, about the only choice you have if you live in the Ravenswood district is to send your child to private school. Most families don't have that choice because they can't afford it so their kids get a sub-par education which handicaps them for the rest of their life...

"The authors also include...the fact that approving the appeal could result in encouraging larger portions of Menlo Park to seek transfer into the Menlo Park district – which would have more substantial impacts to the Ravenswood district. The Belle Haven neighborhood [is petitioning] leaving the Ravenswood district."

Not just Belle Haven.

Lloyden Park is watching this as well. Lloyden Park families can make effectively the same claims as O'Connor.

If the O'Connor transfer is approved, we will be petitioning as well.

We have the right to send our kids to good public schools too!!!

Lloyden Park,

It is a little different in that Selby Lane school has a CSR rank of 5 and Willow Oaks has a rank of 1 (out of 10). I am sure that if everyone got their wish they would be in the Menlo Park or Las Lomitas district as it would bump up their property values buy a huge amount. But you know when you bought in that neighborhood what district it was in and could have looked up the rank of the schools, right? Also, what happens to the schools and districts that they leave?

I feel for the families that have kids going to Ravenswood schools, I don't know if I support them transferring to Menlo Park schools but I understand. If things had changed drastically in the last few years I would probably be more open to supporting the move, but the Ravenswood Schools have been very bad for probably 45+ years. I know they were pretty bad when I attended (Teachers getting the exams early and having students memorize what boxes to check like A, C, D, B, B, etc. instead of teaching the material). So I have to believe that people who purchased in this area know what they were buying into and chose to accept that they would have bad schools or have to send their kids to private schools.

I guess we wait and see what happens to the appeal, but it does not sound promising based on the information in this article.

"Board of Education's agenda"

According to the agenda, this transfer was discussed yesterday (Thu).

What was the result?


"It is a little different in that Selby Lane school has a CSR rank of 5"

Based on what I've read are the minimum requirements for approving a transfer, school quality is not one of them; I welcome correction/clarification. It may be a motivator for the O'Connor petitioners, but I don't believe it's one of the minimum requirements.

We've got an updated story here: Web Link The appeal was denied.

Brian, I tip off my hat to you. The community needs more people like you. You seem to be an individual that is very informed about the current situation in RCSD. Along the way I have been able to meet people who had similar experiences like you. Please tell all your friends and family members to help create a change by supporting the election of three new board members. Thanks!
— Machiavelli