We took our son out of second grade and homeschooled him until the 6th grade. The California school system was one of the top in the US while I was in it through high school. When my son was in it, the CA school sucked. Prop 13 trashed the school funding. I was able to take him to professional events.

We moved to Albuquerque when he was ready for 6th grade. We put him in a private school for 6th/7th/8th grades.

We then put him in a charter school for 9th grade. The principal was a power junky. That is a 5 beer story. We then put him in another charter school for 10th grade. He was kicked out for doing something legal. We had to home school then (11th grade).

We took the principal to the proper authorities, where she was ultimately reprimanded. (She was later disbarred and her pension was removed for embezzling the school.) One result is our son's college was paid for by the State of NM.

On top of that, our son was forcibly put into a science charter school for 12th grade (that principal did not like it, but he was actually a good guy and he was later principal in a school where my brother taught). He did well in that school.

Bottom line: it's a crap shoot on quality of schools. Some of us homeschooled out of shear desperation.