Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 91325

This analysis covers two public middle schools serving grades 6-8 in zip code 91325 (Northridge, CA), both part of the Los Angeles Unified district, with a combined enrollment of over 1,500 students.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle stands out as a high-performing school, ranking in the 87th percentile among all California middle schools and consistently exceeding district and state averages in English, Math, and Science. In contrast, Northridge Middle ranks in the 23rd percentile, with proficiency rates significantly below these benchmarks, creating a notable performance gap within the same community.

Key insights show that Holmes Middle achieves its strong results despite serving a high-need population, and it maintains a chronic absenteeism rate (13.7%) less than half that of Northridge Middle (28.7%). Interestingly, Northridge Middle receives more funding per student and has a smaller average class size, indicating that factors beyond resources, such as school culture and instructional quality, are critical drivers of student success. Both schools share the challenge of lower science proficiency, suggesting a potential area for district-wide focus.