Schools
Public School System | Private Schools | Children with Special Needs
Pasadena offers a wide range of public and private schools. Since most of you may have young children, we will focus on elementary school, from kindergarten to 5th Grade, for children five to ten years old.
Enrollment
School is mandatory in California. When the child reaches five years of age on or before December 2 of the school year, he/she will enter kindergarten.The public schools in Pasadena are under the administration of the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD). The majority of elementary schools offer full day kindergarten programs (8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.); some offer half day programs (from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.). If there are more requests for full day kindergarten than available space, the school will initiate its own random lottery selection process.
To register your child for the first time in PUSD, you will be required to present the following at the time of registration:
- your child’s birth certificate
- your child’s most recent immunization and vaccination record (in accordance with California’s requirements)
- proof of residency, for example, a utility bill. Some school districts will accept a notarized affidavit of residency.
- transcripts (middle and high school students only)
If you are enrolling in the Pasadena Unified School District, the application process can be submitted online at the PUSD Open Enrollment web site. You will receive a confirmation number electronically as a receipt.
If you have more than one school-age children in your household, you will need to submit a separate application for each child.
To find the nearest school in your neighborhood, visit the Neighborhood School Locator by keying your address to find your school.
You can also choose a school outside of your neighborhood district; you have to complete an application for the Open Enrollment process. For school year 2009/2010, the open enrollment period is from January to February 2010. Either your child will be accepted in one of the schools you have selected or be placed on a waiting list. The Open Enrollment process can be done online.
To give you an idea, considering that most of you will live around Caltech, the neighborhood schools are McKinley, Hamilton, Willard and Norma Coombs.
English as Second Language Curriculum for the Non-Native English Speakers
Your child may be placed in an English as a Second Language (ESL) class if he/she needs extra assistance with the English language. Public schools offer a free assessment by an English Language specialist to determine whether your child is able to attend academic core curriculum in English or not.School Daily Schedule
Depending on each school, class usually starts between 8 and 8:30 a.m. and will end between 2 and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. After school programs are proposed throughout the Pasadena school districts for those who need to stay longer. This program is called the Pasadena Learns After school Enrichment (homework help, academic enrichment and recreation programs are offered).Vacation Schedule
The vacation periods are divided into three parts: winter break (2 weeks), spring break (1 to 2 weeks) and summer break (3 months). In addition, there are a number of public holidays that occur during the school year: Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, etc.School Lunches
Because not all schools offer a lunch program, you may need to provide your child his/her own lunch and/or snack.Food Allergies
It is important that you let the school know of any known food allergies your child(ren) may have so that proper care can be taken to safeguard your child(ren)'s well being.Vaccination Requirement
The California School Immunization Law requires that children be up-to-date on their immunizations to attend school or child care. There are mandatory immunizations to enter school: see the guide to California School immunization requirements.School Uniforms
School uniform: most public schools have a core color uniform (it’s mostly navy blue, red, beige, white, dark green; closed toe shoes are recommended). A uniform is a very convenient and inexpensive way to dress your child every day. The average cost is approximately $80 per year.Parents and Teachers Association (PTA)
"The National Congress of Parents and Teachers" is a non-profit, volunteer educational organization founded in Washington, DC, in 1897 to support issues affecting children and families. Each school has a Parent Teachers Association (PTA) and one of it's contributions is to do fundraising to provide better equipment and supplies like computers, science material, field trips, and sports gear for the students, etc.Volunteering at School
It is a part of American culture to volunteer at your child's school. One way to volunteer is to be a "Room Parent". A room parent volunteers to help in his/her child's teacher, and may be asked to assist in class projects, accompany the class on field trips, keeping order in the classroom, etc.Volunteering is not mandatory but it is a good way to participate in your child's education and to know the teachers and parents. You can volunteer in many other ways, in academic or non-academic activities.
Private Schools
The alternative to public school is private and parochial schools.Each school has its own curriculum, uniform requiremnents, and daily schedule.
Tuition for private schools starts at about $10,000 per year for kindergarten and could increase with higher grade levels. Parochial schools are offered through a religious affiliation and are often less expensive than private schools. Tuition starts at about $4,500 per year for parishioners. All these schools offer after-school programs at a cost.
To be enrolled in school, your child must be five years old by September 5 of the school year. Your child must pass a test (based on both basic academic and developmental/social skills).
You can visit the following web sites for more information.
Private schools in and around Pasadena and read the review by parents about private schools in Pasadena.Note: If you have two or more children attending elementary school, try to put them in the same school since the vacation calendars may be different from one school to another! Also, some schools will offer a discount for the additional child/children.
Public and private schools have to publish their academic testing results every year. You can go online to find the most recent comprehensive school testing results:
California Department of Education Academic Performance Index
Great Schools
PUSD California Standards Test Results
Children with Special Needs
A very good thing about the public schools in California is they welcome children with minor learning disabilities. Thus, the child with special needs may feel he/she is part of the class and not feel different and he is not “labeled”; at the same time the other children have a chance to interact with someone different than themselves and develop their responsibilities.For children with more severe special needs, please consult us to help you find the right school.
For more detailed information, please contact Barbara Avouac.