Summary:
This analysis examines 15 public schools in the 90047 zip code of Los Angeles, serving grades K-12 with a mix of traditional Los Angeles Unified and charter schools, all of which serve predominantly low-income student populations.
School performance in this area varies dramatically. Middle College High stands out as a top performer with exceptional test scores and a perfect graduation rate, while schools like TEACH Academy of Technologies and Manhattan Place Elementary face significant academic challenges. Charter and district schools are found among both the higher and lower performers, showing that the governance model alone doesn't determine success. Notably, high per-student spending does not guarantee strong results, as some of the highest-spending schools have the lowest rankings.
Key challenges across the area include chronic absenteeism, which is double the state average at many schools, and particularly low middle school math proficiency. The continuation school, Ellington (Duke) High (Continuation), shows critical rates of dropout and absenteeism. For parents, the data suggests looking closely at individual school performance, as there are pockets of excellence like Middle College High, Animo South Los Angeles Charter, and Stella High Charter Academy that achieve strong outcomes despite serving similar high-need communities.
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