We're considering a move to California—specifically, to Contra Costa County. I'm interested in comparing schools in this county to schools in Massachusetts, where we are now. How can I do that? I've heard that California schools are bad. Although I've been told that the public schools in Contra Costa County are better, I'm still very concerned.

To be frank, comparing schools across states is not very meaningful. Too much differs from state to state in what's taught and how it's measured. Each state sets its own bar for "proficient" performance, and California has set its bar very high. You can make use of the comparative rankings on our Web site to compare schools within the state of California, however. We also believe that schools in California are getting an undeserved bad rap. There are excellent schools in this state, with very rigorous academic standards. If you're interested in seeing the standards that are set for California schools, and on which students are tested, you can check the California State Board of Education's Web site. View the standards for each grade level, kindergarten through twelfth. The county you're looking at has very high-performing schools with great statewide reputations. I think you'll be impressed with the quality of the schools in all of the communities you're considering.