This is the story of a family that moved to Burbank. They signed a contract for a home that exceeded their budget based solely on the 9-point score of Burroughs High School. However, once they started living there, they began to notice aspects that the score alone did not reveal.

Let's first summarize the Burbank area scores. Burroughs High School has a score of 9, while Burbank High School has a score of 8. On the elementary school side, Joaquin Miller Elementary School received a score of 9, and Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School received a score of 8. These figures are based on GreatSchools data as of August 2026. Schools within the Burbank Unified School District generally have high scores.

So, what were the disappointments? A high score indicates good metrics like test scores and college readiness, but it doesn't provide information about class sizes or the number of students per teacher. This family later looked up the student-to-teacher ratio and reviews from current parents, and they said it would have been better if they had checked these factors from the beginning.

It's also important to note that the GreatSchools score is a combination of various factors. According to GreatSchools' official methodology, test scores and student growth account for 0.45 of the score, while the remaining factors each account for 0.27. Even a score of 9 is built on multiple layers of data.

How should one determine if the premium on home prices is worth it based on a single score? It helps to look at the trend of scores over the past few years. Whether the score has been consistently maintained or is just a recent spike can affect its reliability.

It's also beneficial to check reviews from current parents. Reviews often contain information that numbers cannot capture, such as facilities, after-school programs, and communication styles of teachers. When scores and reviews are considered together, a much more comprehensive picture emerges.

Before signing a contract, be sure to verify which school the address is actually assigned to on the district's website. In areas like Burbank, where the school district has a good reputation, there can be a significant price difference between properties just inside and just outside the boundary. Misunderstanding the assigned school can lead to disappointment.

• Did you check the student-to-teacher ratio in addition to the scores?
• Did you look at the score trends over the past few years?
• Did you find reviews from current parents?
• Did you reconfirm the actual assigned school on the district's website before signing?

Scores are a good starting point, but determining whether the premium you pay because of that score is truly right for your family requires reviewing multiple sources of information.

In areas like Burbank, where demand is steady due to proximity to Hollywood industries, school district premiums tend to be higher than in other cities. Therefore, the extra money you pay for a score may not be insignificant, so it's wise to first clarify your family's priorities.

The Burbank Unified School District website often provides information on school capacities and waiting lists. Popular schools tend to attract many transfer requests and applications from outside the district, so it's important not to stop at just confirming the assignment but also to check the actual enrollment availability. Even if a school has a high score, if it's already at capacity, your child may not be able to enroll when you want.

If you are a family moving from another state, be sure to familiarize yourself with California's property tax calculation method. The tax amount is based on the purchase price and has a cap on annual increases, which differs from methods in other states.

This article is not investment or legal advice, and it is advisable to reconfirm the assigned school and district boundaries with a real estate professional before finalizing any contracts.