Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Downtown Business High

Public Grades 9-12
161st
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 2,162 California High Schools
Better than 93% of California high schools
Summary

Downtown Business High is a standout public high school serving grades 9-12 with 819 students in the Los Angeles Unified district, achieving exceptional academic results despite serving a community where over 80% of students are economically disadvantaged.

The school's performance is remarkable, with 82% of students proficient in English and 61% in math, far exceeding both district and state averages, and it boasts a 98% graduation rate with a very low dropout rate of just 2.3%. This success is even more impressive when compared to nearby schools like Edward R. Roybal Learning Center or Harold McAlister High (Opportunity), which have significantly lower proficiency and graduation rates, demonstrating that Downtown Business High is a model of effective urban education within the same neighborhood.

Notably, the school has maintained this high level of excellence for over a decade, supports its students exceptionally well as shown by strong attendance, and does so with lower per-student spending than many comparable schools. Its focused business-themed curriculum appears to be a key factor in its consistent success, engaging students and leading to outstanding outcomes that prove what is possible within the Los Angeles Unified system.

819
Students ?
17.9
Student/teacher ratio ?
$19,219
Per pupil spending ?
81.4%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 1200 West Colton St.
       Los Angeles, CA  90026-5816

(213) 481-0371

District: Los Angeles Unified

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
57.4%
Asian:
33.6%
White:
3.8%
more
 See top rated California high schools

 Compare Downtown Business High to nearby high schools!
At a glance
Ranking trend: Holding steady — 95th percentile in 2015 → 93rd in 2025
Strengths
Test scores above the California average (64% vs 41% meeting standards)
Ranks in the top 7% of California high schools
98% graduate in 4 years — above the California average (88%)
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school64%
District avg39%
California avg41%
161st of 2,162
California public high schools ?
Top 7%▼ down 2 pts since 2015
See the entire ranking list of California High Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
5th of 153High Schools in the Los Angeles Unified
791st of 1,543Los Angeles Unified among California districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202592.2161 of 216292.6%★★★★★
202491.6187 of 215991.3%★★★★★
202387.6264 of 217087.8%★★★★☆
202293.0152 of 212392.8%★★★★★
202194.070 of 129094.6%★★★★★
201981.6332 of 213384.4%★★★★☆
201897.439 of 201798.1%★★★★★
201798.211 of 202199.5%★★★★★
201693.8101 of 203995.0%★★★★★
201594.0100 of 199495.0%★★★★★
201361.8491 of 242679.8%★★★★☆
201262.0493 of 235479.1%★★★★☆
201160.7494 of 236779.1%★★★★☆
201052.6688 of 228169.8%★★★☆☆
200952.5670 of 223870.1%★★★★☆
200851.9633 of 211770.1%★★★★☆
200743.2797 of 206361.4%★★★☆☆
200638.6871 of 196855.7%★★★☆☆
200532.2989 of 190148.0%★★☆☆☆
200425.91045 of 165336.8%★★☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
201989.440 of 59293.2%★★★★★
201898.013 of 58297.8%★★★★★

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202577.8127 of 58578.3%★★★★☆
202477.8119 of 57379.2%★★★★☆
202363.4254 of 59157.0%★★★☆☆
202280.798 of 58183.1%★★★★☆
201978.9109 of 58281.3%★★★★☆
201887.740 of 58193.1%★★★★★

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202592.9120 of 190693.7%★★★★★
202487.9226 of 191588.2%★★★★☆
202386.8231 of 191587.9%★★★★☆
202292.4145 of 185892.2%★★★★★
202191.688 of 105491.7%★★★★★
201994.684 of 183395.4%★★★★★
201895.056 of 176096.8%★★★★★

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202590.7122 of 190093.6%★★★★★
202490.8128 of 190293.3%★★★★★
202387.0184 of 191790.4%★★★★★
202293.490 of 186195.2%★★★★★
201985.1183 of 181489.9%★★★★☆
201898.719 of 174298.9%★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202596.257 of 201397.2%★★★★★
202494.786 of 202695.8%★★★★★
202394.4104 of 203094.9%★★★★★
202297.550 of 194397.4%★★★★★
202197.128 of 112697.5%★★★★★
201998.132 of 193798.3%★★★★★
201899.017 of 186299.1%★★★★★

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202590.2180 of 194290.7%★★★★★
202492.3155 of 194892.0%★★★★★
202385.3282 of 196385.6%★★★★☆
202291.7156 of 191691.9%★★★★★
202194.758 of 112294.8%★★★★★
201979.7331 of 188082.4%★★★★☆
201898.230 of 183498.4%★★★★★

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202549.8481 of 125261.6%★★★☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202586.9101 of 115591.3%★★★★★
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)97th percentile+5 vs school
Female (2025)94th percentile~ school
Hispanic (2025)94th percentile~ school
African American (2019)93rd percentile+9 vs school
White (2025)91st percentile~ school
Male (2025)91st percentile~ school
Asian (2025)78th percentile-14 vs school
Special Education (2025)62nd percentile-31 vs school
By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?
English Language Arts/Literacy82%+34 vs state
Mathematics61%+24 vs state
Science49%+17 vs state

1.0
1 rating · 1 written review
50
40
30
20
11
Rate Downtown Business High
Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.
Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.
Tap a star to rate
What people are saying
by a parent
Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Open Quote TOO CROWDED SCHOOL FOR TOO MANY STUDENTS,IT SHOULD NOT BE BE TAG AS MAGNET I WOULD NOT SUGGEST AS A GOOD OPTION:-( Close Quote





Schools Near Downtown Business High









Frequently Asked Questions about Downtown Business High

In the 2024-25 school year, 819 students attended Downtown Business High.

Yes. Downtown Business High ranks in the top 7.4% of California high schools.

Students at Downtown Business High are 57% Hispanic, 34% Asian, 4% White, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races.


Rate Downtown Business High!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Downtown Business High!




SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





Diagnostics