Lankershim Elementary

Lankershim Elementary is a public K-5 school serving 326 students in North Hollywood as part of the Los Angeles Unified district, but it faces significant academic challenges, ranking in the bottom third of California schools with a 1-star rating and alarmingly high chronic absenteeism of 39.2%.

When compared to nearby schools, Lankershim's performance gap is clear: its proficiency rates in English (26%) and Math (29%) are well below both the district average and higher-performing neighbors like Colfax Charter Elementary (80% proficiency) and Toluca Lake Elementary. A critical differentiator is attendance, as Lankershim's chronic absenteeism rate is more than double the state average and far exceeds rates at schools with stronger results, suggesting this is a primary barrier to improvement. It's notable that other local schools with similarly high economic need, such as Victory Boulevard Elementary and Fair Avenue Elementary, achieve better academic outcomes.

Despite these struggles, Lankershim spends more per student ($27,760) than most area schools, indicating that factors beyond funding are at play. There are recent signs of improvement for some student groups, and the school has historically shown strength in supporting disabled students. For parents, the key considerations are the school's intense focus on improving attendance and its ongoing efforts to translate its substantial resources into better classroom results for all students.