Plainview Academic Charter Academy

Plainview Academic Charter Academy is a public K-5 charter school serving 248 students in the Tujunga area of the Los Angeles Unified school district, but it faces significant academic challenges, ranking in the bottom 17% of all California elementary schools.

Academic performance at Plainview is well below both district and state averages, with less than a quarter of students proficient in English and less than a fifth proficient in math. This is notably lower than many nearby schools in the same district, such as Brainard Elementary and Apperson Street Elementary, which rank much higher. The school has also seen a steep decline in its statewide ranking over the past decade. A bright spot is a dramatic improvement in student attendance, with chronic absenteeism dropping by 66% to a rate now better than the district and state averages, though this has not yet translated into higher test scores.

Interestingly, Plainview spends over $27,000 per student, which is more than some higher-performing schools. The analysis shows that schools just a few miles away in the Glendale Unified district, like Abraham Lincoln Elementary, achieve top-tier rankings with significantly lower per-student spending, highlighting that factors beyond funding heavily influence success. For improvement, Plainview may need to examine the practices of higher-performing schools with similar student populations within its own district.