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Schools in 90242 — Downey, California

90242 has 8 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 39.5 — 4.3 points below the California state average of 43.8. Scores range from 9.9 to 51.2, a 41.3-point spread.

Avg Scope Score
39.5
State avg: 43.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
41.3
9.9 – 51.2
Avg Exceeded %
18.1%
State avg: 21.6%
Chronic Absenteeism
20.9%
State avg: 18.1%
Schools Ranked
8
With Scope Scores

How 90242 schools perform

The top-ranked school is Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary with a Scope Score of 51 and 31.6% of students exceeding standard.

Declining trajectory: Average proficiency drops by 4.6 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5 across 90242. This pattern in test scores may reflect a variety of factors and is worth examining school by school.

Chronic absenteeism across 90242 averages 20.9%, below the state average of 18.1%.

How 90242 compares to nearby zip codes

Zip CodeCitySchoolsAvg Scorevs 90242
90242Downey839.5
90241Downey649.2+9.6
90240Downey450.4+10.9
90245El Segundo476.0+36.5
90247Gardena641.6+2.1
90248Gardena335.8-3.7

School archetypes in 90242

1 Culture First1 Growth Engine6 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 1 school in 90242 is classified as Growth Engine — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.

Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more

All schools in 90242

#SchoolScoreCountyExceededMet+AbsentSusp.
1Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary
Downey Unified Building Momentum
51Los Angeles31.6%58.5%19.2%0.7%
2Carpenter (C. C.) Elementary
Downey Unified Culture First
49Los Angeles21.6%48.1%8.7%0.5%
3Ward (E. W.) Elementary
Downey Unified Growth Engine
44Los Angeles20.2%42.0%23.5%2.8%
4Alameda Elementary
Downey Unified Building Momentum
44Los Angeles22.7%45.3%23.9%0.8%
5Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle
Downey Unified Building Momentum
41Los Angeles18.8%44.5%21.6%6.9%
6Gauldin (A.L.) Elementary
Downey Unified Building Momentum
40Los Angeles13.2%35.7%21.3%0.9%
7Sussman (Edward A.) Middle
Downey Unified Building Momentum
36Los Angeles14.0%39.3%22.4%5.1%
8Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall
Los Angeles County Office of Education Building Momentum
10Los Angeles2.9%8.8%27.0%17.5%

Schools in 90242 on the map

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology

Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.

What Scope Scores can't tell you about 90242

  • Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
  • Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
  • Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
  • Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
  • Parent and community engagement levels
  • Quality of special education and gifted programs
  • How school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access

Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Are the schools in Downey good?
Downey's 8 ranked elementary schools average a Scope Score of 39.5/100, which is 4.3 points below the California state average of 43.8. 18.1% of students exceed the state standard on average (state average: 21.6%). The Scope Score weights six dimensions: exceeded standard (40%), met standard (22%), grade-level growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best elementary school in Downey?
The highest-scoring elementary school in Downey is Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary with a Scope Score of 51/100 and 31.6% of students exceeding the state standard. Rankings are based on SchoolScope's 2025 Scope Score, which measures academic performance and school climate using publicly available California data. See full methodology.
How do Downey schools compare to the state average?
Downey elementary schools average a Scope Score of 39.5 vs. the statewide average of 43.8 (4.3 points below). The exceeded rate averages 18.1% vs. 21.6% statewide. Chronic absenteeism averages 20.9% vs. 18.1% statewide. Scores range from 9.9 to 51.2, a 41.3-point spread.
How many schools are in Downey?
Downey has 8 ranked elementary schools with Scope Scores. Schools are ranked using a weighted composite of CAASPP test performance, growth trajectory, chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Schools with insufficient testing data are not ranked.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on six dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade 3–5 growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, and ELPAC English Learner proficiency. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score separates students who "exceeded" from those who "met" the standard — revealing whether a school pushes students beyond proficiency or paces toward it. Full methodology and weights.