Mariposa Elementary School

We chose Valley Prep initially due to safety concerns and its status as a non-religious private school. While my wife prioritized safety, I was more focused on academics. At our first meeting, academics were vaguely addressed, with more emphasis on events like Culture Day and after-school programs. We were told the school uses the IB curriculum—something we found unimpressive, as many public schools offer the same—and that students were one grade ahead in language arts, though math was on grade level. This seemed acceptable at the time. We were also told the kindergarten class (24 students) would have two teachers and a TA. However, two months in, the most experienced teacher abruptly quit—a major red flag. No replacement was brought in, leaving just one teacher and one TA. Homework increased dramatically, with 10–20 copied worksheets per week, and little communication from the school about expectations. We were essentially guessing how to support our child at home, which only led to setbacks. We eventually turned to Sylvan Learning for help, where we discovered other Valley Prep students also needed tutoring. What’s the point of an accelerated program if nearly every child needs outside support? It became increasingly clear that many of the teachers lacked credentials and experience. The “accelerated” program simply rushed through kindergarten content before winter break and moved to first-grade material with no clear strategy. The school’s curriculum coordinator offered no meaningful guidance or structure. It was incredibly frustrating, especially knowing that research shows overloading young children doesn’t improve outcomes. Before winter break, we were told our daughter should be tested for learning disabilities or possibly being on the spectrum—something multiple families in our class were told. This was alarming, especially since our physician and educator friends said such evaluations are typically considered no earlier than late first grade. When we raised concerns, a meeting with admin and the teacher revealed complete disagreement between them and no meaningful support for our child or family. We were even told to stop asking the teacher about our daughter’s reading progress and direct all inquiries to the principal. We left feeling exhausted, defeated, and without any real return on the money we invested. Valley Prep sells fear of public schools while offering none of the promised advantages.