Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 90720

In the 90720 zip code of Los Alamitos, California, there are two public middle schools, Sharon Christa McAuliffe Middle and Oak Middle, both serving grades 6-8 within the highly-rated Los Alamitos Unified School District.

Both schools are strong performers that significantly exceed state averages in English, math, and science. However, Oak Middle consistently ranks higher, with notably stronger academic proficiency rates across all subjects and an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 5.8%, which is about half the rate at McAuliffe Middle and far below the state average. This high attendance likely supports its academic success.

An interesting finding is that McAuliffe Middle spends more per student but Oak Middle achieves better outcomes, indicating factors beyond funding, like school culture or instructional methods, play a key role. Parents can be confident in either school due to the strong district foundation, but the data shows a clear performance advantage for Oak Middle.