Best Public Schools in Zip Code 90712

This analysis covers nine public schools in the 90712 zip code of Lakewood, CA, serving grades K-12 across the Bellflower Unified, Long Beach Unified, and Paramount Unified districts.

Elementary schools show a range of performance, with Holmes Elementary and Stephen Foster Elementary standing out for strong academic results, while Craig Williams Elementary faces greater challenges. The single middle school, Hoover Middle, has seen a recent decline in its statewide ranking. The area presents a stark high school contrast: Odyssey STEM Academy excels with a perfect graduation rate, while Buena Vista High struggles profoundly with low test scores and very high chronic absenteeism, despite both schools being in the same district and location.

Key factors influencing school performance here include chronic absenteeism, which is high on average, and district affiliation, with Long Beach Unified elementary schools generally performing well in English. Notably, higher per-student spending and smaller class sizes do not automatically lead to better outcomes, as seen in the high school comparison. Parents should note that mathematics performance tends to be an area of need across most grade levels in this area.