The teachers are mostly great, and the seasonal celebrations and parental/family involvement are…read moreawesome. I'm also very grateful for the school's success in instilling a strong moral compass, Christian values, and an understanding of Christianity. That was truly top-tier.
That said, we've unenrolled and will be attending public school for the 2026-2027 school year, along with what I understand to be at least 100 other families. The primary reason is that the general sentiment is that the cost of tuition no longer matches the quality of education being provided.
We've experienced tuition increases every year for the past 3-4 years, maybe even the last 5 years. This includes increases of 9%, 6%, 5%... There is no indication these increases are slowing down, yet the educational experience has not kept pace with what families should reasonably expect from such an expensive private school.
Academically, students transitioning to public school have often been behind in math to the point that the school has since improved its math curriculum, starting this school year. That's great for future students, but for the tuition being charged, this should never have been an issue in the first place.
The same can be said for Spanish. My oldest attended Legacy from K-4 and my youngest from K-2. They took Spanish every year, yet neither can speak or understand more than a few basic words. This seems to be common among students who are not already bilingual. After years of paying for Spanish instruction, there should be significantly more to show for it.
There has also been a noticeable change in the school's culture since its partnership with Grace Community Church in Sunland (not to be confused with Grace Baptist here in SCV) and the increased involvement of The Master's University (TMU). Many families feel the school has become more business-oriented and that hiring increasingly favors individuals connected to Grace or TMU, creating a perception of nepotism.
Security is another major concern. With more than 500 students across a K-12 campus consisting of multiple buildings, having only one security guard during school hours is simply inadequate. A campus of this size should have at least two guards to provide meaningful coverage.
Then there's a lack of law enforcement experience with the guard for the last 2 years. When Legacy first implemented armed security, law-enforcement experience was mandatory. That standard has since changed, and the current guard does not have any kind of law-enforcement background and is limited to basic security experience. By comparison, Trinity Classical Academy has multiple guards on campus and their security personnel have law-enforcement backgrounds. For a school charging premium tuition, I believe that level of security should be the minimum expectation.
Ultimately, the biggest issue is value. Going into 2026-2027, tuition for my two elementary-age children would have been $4,500 per month, before future increases. High school tuition is already around $3,000 per month per student, before future increases. At those prices, families should expect an exceptional academic experience, strong college preparation, and a robust security program that is consistent with a premium private school.
Instead, many graduates are attending schools such as TMU or UC campuses. There is nothing wrong with those schools, but when Legacy presents itself as a premier, prestigious private Christian school and charges premium tuition, it is reasonable for parents to question whether the overall educational value and outcomes justify the price.
Legacy does many things well--particularly its Christian foundation, teachers, and family involvement-- The question is no longer whether Legacy is a good school. The question is whether it is a $30,000-$50,000-per-year school. Based on our experience, we no longer believe it is.
