Best Public Schools in Zip Code 90044

This analysis examines 21 schools in the 90044 zip code of Los Angeles, serving grades K-12 in a high-poverty area where all schools have significant populations of economically disadvantaged students.

Parents should know that while most schools face considerable challenges, a few stand out for stronger performance. Figueroa Street Elementary is the highest-performing traditional public school, showing remarkable recent improvement and an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.4%. Among high schools, the charter school Ednovate - South LA College Prep has the highest English proficiency and a 90% graduation rate. Other schools showing positive improvement include Woodcrest Elementary and Augustus Hawkins High. In contrast, schools like Bret Harte Preparatory Middle and John Muir Middle are in the greatest need of support, with academic proficiency below 25%.

Key challenges across the area include very high chronic absenteeism, with rates over 30% at most schools, and a noticeable drop in student performance during the middle school years. Science proficiency is a particular concern, averaging only 15.8%. Charter schools within the Ednovate - South LA College Prep District, KIPP Scholar Academy District, and Vox Collegiate of Los Angeles District generally perform better than traditional schools in the large Los Angeles Unified district, though there are exceptions. There is no clear link between higher spending per student and better outcomes, suggesting factors like school culture and attendance are critical for success.