Summary:
The two high schools in ZIP code 90804 serve grades 9–12 in Long Beach Unified: Wilson High, with 3,349 students, and Richard D. Browning High, with 340. In 2025–26, the two schools’ average proficiency was 18% in math and 15% in science, compared with 38% and 36% statewide. The central concern is that both schools are far below state results in math and science, by about 21 percentage points in each subject.
The schools’ relative strengths vary by subject. Richard D. Browning High led in ELA at 48%, 2 points above Wilson High at 46%; both were below the state’s 49%. Wilson High led in math, 20% to 15%, though both trailed the state’s 38%. Its science lead was slight: 15% versus 14%, with both well below the state’s 36%. Wilson High also had the stronger graduation rate, 93% versus 88% at the smaller school and 88% statewide. The smaller school had higher dropout (12% versus 7%) and chronic absenteeism (36% versus 30%); state rates were 8% and 18%, respectively.
Recent changes show different subject-by-subject patterns. From 2024–25 to 2025–26, Richard D. Browning High improved 4 points in ELA and 10 in science, while Wilson High fell 9 points in ELA and 2 in science. Math declined at both schools: 2 points at the smaller school and less than 1 point at Wilson High. SchoolDigger’s ranking percentile rose from 26 to 37 for the smaller school over three years, while Wilson High fell from 57 to 40 and went from three stars to two. In 2024–25, the student-teacher ratios were 18.5 at the smaller school and 22.8 at Wilson High; the smaller enrollment and ratio do not align with uniformly stronger outcomes.
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