Camellia Avenue Elementary

Camellia Avenue Elementary is a K-5 public school serving 433 students in the North Hollywood area of the Los Angeles Unified school district, operating in a community with significant economic need where nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Academically, the school faces considerable challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom quarter of all California elementary schools over the past decade, with proficiency rates in English, math, and science falling well below district and state averages. While the school spends more per student ($29,575) than most nearby schools, this higher funding has not translated to stronger academic results. A notable strength, however, is its special education program, which ranks significantly higher than the school's overall performance. The school also shows a pronounced gender gap in achievement, with female students outperforming male students by a wider margin than at many neighboring schools.

Interesting comparisons with nearby schools highlight possibilities for improvement; for instance, ISANA Palmati Academy and ISANA Cardinal Academy are charter schools with similar student demographics in the same community but achieve much higher test scores, with lower chronic absenteeism and, in one case, lower per-student spending. Within the local Los Angeles Unified district, schools like Victory Boulevard Elementary and Roscoe Elementary also outperform Camellia, suggesting the school's struggles are not solely due to community factors. Key areas for attention include supporting English Learners and addressing a sharp drop in math proficiency by the 5th grade.