Best High Schools in Zip Code 90248

This analysis examines three high schools serving grades 9-12 in zip code 90248 in Gardena, California, part of the Los Angeles Unified and New Millennium Secondary District systems, which collectively serve a high-need student population.

Gardena Senior High stands out as the strongest performer, with a graduation rate of 95.8% that exceeds state averages, the lowest dropout rate at 3.4%, and the highest academic proficiency scores in the area. In contrast, Moneta Continuation faces significant challenges, including a very low graduation rate of 54.8%, a high dropout rate of 26.2%, and an alarming chronic absenteeism rate of 85.2%, despite having the highest per-student spending. New Millennium Secondary is a smaller school with a low student-teacher ratio but shows academic performance below Gardena Senior High.

Key takeaways for parents include the notable improvement in ranking for Gardena Senior High and the stark differences in student outcomes between the traditional comprehensive high school and the continuation school, which serves students needing alternative education. All schools in this zip code show room for growth in science proficiency, and the area's high economic need highlights the importance of targeted support. The data suggests that school size and spending per student do not directly correlate with better outcomes, as Gardena Senior High achieves strong results with a larger size and lower per-student funding than Moneta Continuation.