Elizabeth Learning Center

Elizabeth Learning Center is a K-12 alternative school serving 1,257 students in Cudahy, California, within the Los Angeles Unified school district, notable for its exceptionally high graduation rate of 93.4% despite serving a community with significant economic need.

The school presents a unique profile: it graduates students at a rate well above the district and state averages, yet its students' scores on standardized tests in subjects like math and English are below those same benchmarks. This success in helping students complete their diplomas, even with lower test proficiency, sets it apart from other local alternative schools. For instance, while Thirty-Second Street USC Performing Arts has perfect graduation and stronger academics, schools like Virtual Academy STEAM and City of Angels have much lower graduation rates. Elizabeth Learning Center also operates with higher per-student spending than several of these comparable schools, which may support its graduation outcomes.

Areas for growth include improving test scores and reducing chronic absenteeism, which, at 31%, is higher than average but still lower than many peer alternative schools. Recent trends are positive, showing improvements in graduation rates, attendance, and some test scores. This suggests Elizabeth Learning Center has developed effective supports for student completion and is working to strengthen academic proficiency, positioning it as a distinctive model among alternative education options in the region.