Best High Schools in Zip Code 90045

Zip code 90045 in Los Angeles, California, is home to two distinct public high schools, WESM Health/Sports Medicine and WISH Academy High, which serve grades 9-12 and share the same physical address but offer very different educational experiences.

For parents prioritizing strong academic achievement and consistent performance, WISH Academy High stands out, with proficiency rates in English and Science that exceed state averages and a much lower rate of chronic absenteeism. In contrast, WESM Health/Sports Medicine, part of the large Los Angeles Unified district, excels in supporting students to graduation, boasting a remarkably high graduation rate and a very low dropout rate despite facing greater academic proficiency challenges.

The schools also differ in resources and governance; WESM operates with a smaller student-teacher ratio and higher per-student spending, while WISH Academy is part of its own specialized WISH Academy High District. Both schools share a common challenge in mathematics proficiency, an area where each performs below the state average. This comparison highlights that the "best" school depends heavily on family priorities, whether it's academic excellence or exceptional graduation support.