Summary:
Zip code 90021 has seven schools—two elementary, two middle and three high schools—with enrollment ranging from 17 to 305 students. The schools serve students from elementary through high school, and their results show substantial differences both between schools and by subject. The clearest concern is that no school reached the state proficiency rate in ELA, math or science in the grade-matched comparisons.
Among the elementary schools, Para Los Ninos Charter led Ninth Street Elementary in 2024–2025 ELA (31% versus 18%) and math (26% versus 13%); Ninth Street was about 1 point higher in science. Para Los Ninos Middle led CDS Secondary in all three subjects that year, by 24 points in ELA, 17 in math and 18 in science. For 11th graders in 2025–2026, Metropolitan Continuation led in ELA (26%) and science (12%), while Central High led in math (13%). Tri-C Community Day had the lowest result in each subject. High-school attendance and completion are also major concerns: chronic absenteeism ranged from 83% to 88%, and graduation rates from 16% to 55%, compared with 88% statewide.
Average schoolwide scores across five schools rose from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026 in ELA (13% to 20%) and math (6% to 11%), while science edged down from 8% to 7%. Individual results varied: CDS Secondary’s ELA rose 26 points, while Tri-C’s fell 12. SchoolDigger rankings also diverged: Central High improved 14 percentile points and Metropolitan Continuation 11, while Para Los Ninos Charter fell 30. Context differs too: student–teacher ratios range from 4.1 at CDS Secondary to 25.1 at Ninth Street; reported free/reduced lunch eligible figures for 2024–2025 range from 88% to 96%, while Ninth Street and Metropolitan report direct certification for free meals instead. Comparisons use matched grades and years because schools serve different grades and results come from different years.
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