School Profile · Gardena
Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.
Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena posts 36% meeting the standard and 12.4% exceeding it, against 39% and 16.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.
812 West 165th Place, 90247 (opens in new tab)·Los Angeles County Office of Education·Gardena·Grades 6-8·360 students·88% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(310) 425-1605·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
39
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,053 statewide · #5 of 12 in Los Angeles County Office of Education
Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena scores 39 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 53rd percentile of 2,238 California middle schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →
Most rating sites would stop at “36% proficient” and call it done. Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena deserves a closer read. The school sits in Gardena, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
As a charter, Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena enrolls by application, not address — the score reads the same, the enrollment path doesn't.
The story this school is actually telling
The school, grade by grade
ELA · CAASPP 2024–25Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.
8%
34%
58%
Grade 6 · 42% proficient
10%
34%
56%
Grade 7 · 44% proficient
10%
20%
70%
Grade 8 · 30% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding rises 2.2pp across grades; the floor slips 11.4pp. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.
The 5 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
12.4%
State 16.8%
4.4pp below state avg
Met or exceeded
36.3%
State 39.3%
3.0pp below state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-10.5pp
State +1.5pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
21.4%
State 18.5%
2.9pp above state avg
Suspension rate
2.0%
State 3.7%
1.7pp below state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.
Your other options
Nearby Middle Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 44
Casimir Middle
Torrance Unified · 1.9 mi
Solid
60/100
Enterprise Middle
Compton Unified · 2.1 mi
Developing
37/100
Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle
Los Angeles Unified · 3 mi
Developing
33/100
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 67
Arlington Elementary
Torrance Unified · 1.8 mi
Solid
69/100
Lincoln Elementary
Torrance Unified · 1.8 mi
Solid
68/100
One Hundred Fifty-Sixth Street Elementary
Los Angeles Unified · 1.6 mi
Solid
65/100
Nearby High Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 62
California Academy of Mathematics and Science
Long Beach Unified · 2 mi
Strong
87/100
Animo Watts College Preparatory Academy
Los Angeles Unified · 2.9 mi
Developing
50/100
Environmental Charter High - Gardena
Los Angeles County Office of Education · 2.1 mi
Developing
50/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic81.7%
White0.8%
Asian1.1%
Black11.7%
Other4.7%
GenderFemale 48.3%Male 51.7%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 88.1% (24pp above CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
360
500 below CA avg (~860)
Student-Teacher Ratio
23:1
2 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$123,399
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$58,299 – $115,472
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena in Gardena, 38.1% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 38.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena trails its district average for low-income students by 0.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (32.9% Math proficient); Hispanic students (37.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 25.4 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 310 students tested.
Equity Gaps
ELA · Disabilities−25.4pp
13.6% vs 39.0% overall · n=57
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−9.7pp
0.0% vs 9.7% overall · n=57
Math · Disabilities−25.3pp
8.3% vs 33.6% overall · n=57
Math Exceeded · Disabilities−13.6pp
1.7% vs 15.2% overall · n=57
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income310 tested
ELA 38.1%·Math 32.9%· -0.0pp vs district
Hispanic286 tested
ELA 37.1%·Math 35.7%· -13.6pp vs district
Disabilities57 tested
ELA 14.0%·Math 8.8%· -2.0pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Subgroup Growth by Grade
Change in proficiency from lowest tested grade. Shows which groups are gaining ground.
Low-income student ELA proficiency falls by 5.7pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$77K
$8K below CA median
Median Home Value
$659K
$100 above CA median
Bachelor's+
27%
8pp below CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
5.8 years avg experience
16 teachers · 19% first-year · 6% second-year
Teacher Credentials
56% fully credentialed
Source: CDE SARC, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
For the data nerds
Every number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Exceeded standard · 43%
12.4%
↓ vs CA 16.8% · 45th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
36.3%
↓ vs CA 39.3% · 48th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 15%
-10.5pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 63th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
21.4%
↓ vs CA 18.5% · 46th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.0%
↑ vs CA 3.7% · 57th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 122 | 8% | 34% | 37% | 21% | 42% | −5 |
| Grade 7 | 116 | 10% | 34% | 25% | 30% | 45% | −3 |
| Grade 8 | 115 | 10% | 20% | 39% | 30% | 30% | −16 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 122 | 20% | 21% | 34% | 24% | 42% | +7 |
| Grade 7 | 116 | 9% | 18% | 33% | 41% | 27% | −7 |
| Grade 8 | 115 | 17% | 16% | 27% | 41% | 32% | −0 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 113 | 3% | 15% | 62% | 20% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 310 | 38.1% | −0 | −0 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 286 | 37.1% | −14 | −2 |
| Students with Disabilities | 57 | 14.0% | −2 | −3 |
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena ← | — | 39 | 12.4% | 36.3% | −10.5 | 2.0% |
| Casimir Middle | 1.9 mi | 60 | 32.5% | 62.5% | −10.6 | 0.1% |
| Enterprise Middle | 2.1 mi | 37 | 11.5% | 30.7% | +6.0 | 6.6% |
| Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle | 3 mi | 33 | 7.2% | 30.6% | +0.5 | 0.6% |
| California average | — | 40 | 16.8% | 39.3% | +1.5 | 3.7% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #1303 → #1386 → #1310 → #1039 → #1053
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,238 middle schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena a good middle school?
Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena has a Scope Score of 39 out of 100, placing it in the 53rd percentile of California middle schools and ranked #1,053 statewide. 12.4% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 4.4 percentage points below the California average of 16.8%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 36.3% of students at Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 12.4% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 12.4% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 706 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena rank in California?
Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena ranks #1,053 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 53rd percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 6 to grade 8 growth), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.
Is Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena decreases by 10.5 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the middle Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.
What is the attendance and school culture like at Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena?
21.4% of students at Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 2.0%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.
How does Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena compare to other schools in Gardena?
Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena scores 39/100 (53rd percentile) among California middle schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 360 students. Use the schools in Gardena page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.
How does Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena in Gardena, 38.1% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 38.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena trails its district average for low-income students by 0.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (32.9% Math proficient); Hispanic students (37.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 25.4 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 310 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.