Best Public Schools in Zip Code 90038

The 90038 zip code in Los Angeles contains four public schools serving grades K-8, with three elementary schools and one middle school, all supporting a community with very high economic need.

Among these schools, Vine Street Elementary stands out as the top academic performer, with math and English scores well above district and state averages and a rising state ranking. In contrast, Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter operates very efficiently with much lower spending per student and has an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 3.9%, though its academic results are in the middle of the group. Hollywood Elementary has the lowest academic ranking but the best attendance among the Los Angeles Unified schools here.

The transition to Hubert Howe Bancroft Middle shows a notable drop in academic proficiency compared to the elementary schools, which is a common challenge. Science scores are low across all schools. The significant differences in outcomes between schools, despite serving similar high-need populations, highlight the impact of individual school practices and models, with both the charter and district schools showing distinct strengths in either academic performance or student engagement and efficiency.