Alexander Fleming Middle

Alexander Fleming Middle is a large public middle school serving about 1,110 students in grades 6-8 in Lomita, California, as part of the Los Angeles Unified school district, and it has shown notable improvement in its statewide ranking over the past few years.

The school is on a positive trajectory, with student proficiency in English and math increasing from 6th to 8th grade, and its chronic absenteeism rate, while still a challenge, has dropped significantly since 2022. It performs particularly well with some student groups, ranking above the 70th percentile statewide for African American and Hispanic students. However, the school faces significant hurdles, including a high rate of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and notably low proficiency, at 21%, in science. It also has the highest chronic absenteeism rate among several nearby Los Angeles Unified schools, including Andrew Carnegie Middle and Rudecinda Sepulveda Dodson Middle.

When compared to schools in neighboring districts like Torrance Unified and Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, a clear performance gap exists, with those districts' schools generally ranking higher. Interestingly, within its own district, Rudecinda Sepulveda Dodson Middle performs at the 88th percentile, demonstrating that high achievement is possible nearby. Despite spending more per student than some higher-performing schools in other districts, Alexander Fleming's outcomes suggest it faces unique challenges in serving its community, though its recent improvements indicate a capacity for growth.