Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 91342

In zip code 91342, which covers the Sylmar/Lake View Terrace area of California, there are two public middle schools serving grades 6-8, both rated 2 out of 5 stars and serving student populations where over 88% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The two schools are Olive Vista Middle, part of the large Los Angeles Unified district, and the smaller PUC Lakeview Charter Academy, which is its own independent charter district. Olive Vista is the larger school with nearly 900 students and shows more consistent academic performance across grade levels, with lower rates of chronic student absenteeism. PUC Lakeview, while spending significantly more per student, has more variable test scores, excelling in 8th grade English but struggling notably in 7th grade math.

Both schools have shown steady improvement in their statewide rankings over the past few years. Key challenges for the area include science proficiency, which lags behind the state average at both schools. For parents, the choice may come down to a preference for the consistency and scale of a traditional district school or the specific program and autonomy of a charter, noting that the charter's higher funding has not yet translated to stronger overall outcomes compared to its neighboring school.