Torrance: A Case Study in Public School Arbitrage
Where you live shouldn't decide your kid's future—but it does.
One Sunday, standing in a circle of weary parents outside my kid's Sunday school, I overheard what passes for high-stakes gossip in suburban California: Torrance elementary schools.
Curious, I did what any rational parent does—I ran the numbers.
Three schools in the Torrance Unified School District—Evelyn Carr, Edison, and Torrance Elementary—consistently underperform. Their test scores mirror California's average, which is a euphemism for "not great." These schools aren't failing, but they're not launching futures either.
Here's the opportunity: Torrance Unified has an open enrollment lottery. Translation: you're not locked into your zoned school. You can apply to send your child elsewhere in the district.
- Zoned for Carr? Apply to Lincoln Elementary—it's high-performing and less than a mile away.
- Assigned to Torrance Elementary? Try Towers.
- Stuck with Edison? Lincoln or Arlington are better bets.
This isn't just a school choice policy—it's a geography arbitrage. Torrance Unified isn't solving systemic inequality, but they're offering a lever. In public education, a lever is a luxury.
The system's not fair. But it's bendable. And that bend can make all the difference.
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