Only 60 minutes? It was an hour and a half the last time I had to get to Sunnyvale for a medical appointment at 9 AM...
The schools in Evergreen are very highly rated because the Asian and Indian kids that make up the bulk of the student population are from families that are very achievement oriented. Tiger moms (and dads) dominate. An average kid in these settings might not fit in and might not be happy. A number of families in my neighborhood have opted for private schools, especially the Catholic schools, looking for a more well-rounded education.
The high schools have more issues because the high school district is East Side Union High School District. Some of the worst areas of San Jose are in the high school district boundaries. The district tends to be more focused on the issues related to that than on the good students.