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Judith F. Baca Arts Academy · Los Angeles

Judith F. Baca Arts Academy: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Judith F. Baca Arts Academy posts 35% meeting the standard and 14.5% exceeding it, against 43% and 21.3% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

1536 East 89th Street, 90002 (opens in new tab)·Los Angeles Unified·Los Angeles·Grades TK-6·495 students·98% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(323) 826-3560·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3945
% Exceeded15%21%
% Met+35%43%
Growth-20.9-2.9
Absence22.4%17.9%
Suspension0.5%1.6%
Scope Score
39
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #3,489 statewide · #414 of 580 in Los Angeles Unified

Judith F. Baca Arts Academy scores 39 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 39th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

Most rating sites would stop at “35% proficient” and call it done. Judith F. Baca Arts Academy deserves a closer read. The school sits in Los Angeles, where nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has stayed near the 39th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 35% of students meet the standard today, above the 31% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 324%27%20%36%42%
Grade 433%14%26%23%31%
Grade 535%33%27%35%30%
Grade 628%37%39%25%29%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 332%35%32%41%53%
Grade 435%16%31%23%32%
Grade 528%14%26%30%23%
Grade 620%13%31%33%15%

The story this school is actually telling

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

28%
14%
58%
Grade 3 · 42% proficient
12%
19%
69%
Grade 4 · 31% proficient
9%
21%
70%
Grade 5 · 30% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 19.5pp across grades; the floor slips 12.1pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
14.5%
State 21.3%
6.8pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-20.9pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
35.2%
State 42.7%
7.5pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
22.4%
State 17.9%
4.5pp above state avg
Suspension rate
0.5%
State 1.6%
1.1pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
16.7%
State 18.0%
1.3pp 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.

  • Ask what changes between grade 3 and grade 5 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Judith F. Baca Arts Academy in Los Angeles, 32.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Judith F. Baca Arts Academy trails its district average for low-income students by 8.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.9% Math proficient); Hispanic students (32.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 27.2 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 248 students tested.

All students at this school: 32% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 32%, district —, state 43%32%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 32%, district 36%, state 32%32% · +0 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 32%, district 36%, state 32%32% · +1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 30%, district 41%, state 42%30% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 34%, district 42%, state 44%34% · +2 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 13%, district 9%, state 11%13% · −19 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 13%, district 14%, state 15%13% · −19 vs school

5 of 12 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group
Subgroup growth by grade

Change in proficiency from the lowest tested grade — which groups gain ground the longer they stay. Groups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Low-income student ELA proficiency falls by 11.5pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +4.5pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 22.4%, district 24.5%, state 17.9%22.4% · +4.5pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.5%, district —, state 1.6%0.5% · −1.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–623.2%
TK/K23.2%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 18:1, district 20:118:1
Teaching staff27 teachers
Avg. experience21.9 years
Fully credentialed94%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$60,420 – $122,706
Principal salary$154,576 – $170,030
Superintendent salary$440,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $27,425, CA average $14,815$27,425 · spent at this school
Federal share$2,737 per student

$2,737 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$29,292 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction52%
Instruction support16%
Student services12%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other2%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$18,180 per pupil
2019$16,355 per pupil
2018$15,793 per pupil
2017$13,247 per pupil
2016$13,549 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic91.7%
District 73.2% · CA 56.1%
Black4.4%
District 7.2% · CA 4.8%
Other2.4%
District 6.3% · CA 9.0%
White1.4%
District 9.9% · CA 19.9%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 97.8% (34pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$59K · CA $85K
Median home value$534K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+8% · CA 35%
ZIP population52,122
Median age31 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

Transitional kindergarten is offered here — confirmed by actual Census Day enrollment, not just the listed grade span.

On the state's science test (CAST), 16% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Judith F. Baca Arts Academy a good elementary school?

Judith F. Baca Arts Academy has a Scope Score of 39 out of 100, placing it in the 39th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,489 statewide. 14.5% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 6.8 percentage points below the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 3-to-5 growth (27%), met or exceeded (proficient) (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Judith F. Baca Arts Academy's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 35.2% of students at Judith F. Baca Arts Academy met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 14.5% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 20.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 14.5% 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. 402 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Judith F. Baca Arts Academy rank in California?

Judith F. Baca Arts Academy ranks #3,489 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 39th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 3 to grade 5 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 Judith F. Baca Arts Academy getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Judith F. Baca Arts Academy decreases by 20.9 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 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 elementary 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 Judith F. Baca Arts Academy?

22.4% of students at Judith F. Baca Arts Academy are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.5%, 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 Judith F. Baca Arts Academy compare to other schools in Los Angeles?

Judith F. Baca Arts Academy scores 39/100 (39th percentile) among California elementary 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 495 students. Use the schools in Los Angeles page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Judith F. Baca Arts Academy serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Judith F. Baca Arts Academy in Los Angeles, 32.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Judith F. Baca Arts Academy trails its district average for low-income students by 8.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.9% Math proficient); Hispanic students (32.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 27.2 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 248 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.

Your other options

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.


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 · 38%
14.5%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 43th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-20.9pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 46th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
35.2%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 44th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
22.4%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 43th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.5%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 59th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
16.7%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 49th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35728%14%28%30%42%−1
Grade 47412%19%16%53%31%−14
Grade 5709%21%27%43%30%−18
Grade 6585%24%33%38%29%−17
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35725%28%25%23%53%+7
Grade 4749%23%35%32%32%−9
Grade 5704%19%37%40%23%−12
Grade 66012%3%37%48%15%−20
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11671%15%61%22%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged24832.7%−8−6
Hispanic/Latino23732.5%−9−6
English Learners506.0%−1−4
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Judith F. Baca Arts Academy ←3914.5%35.2%−20.90.5%
Sixty-First Street Elementary2.9 mi6118.8%38.5%−3.70.4%
Figueroa Street Elementary2.6 mi5925.3%46.9%−22.90.3%
Weigand Avenue Elementary1.4 mi5519.3%43.7%−17.20.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194044#307910.6%31.2%22.6%0.0%+3.4pp
20222316#48407.7%23.2%42.4%0.3%-7.1pp
20232922#44379.3%27.2%31.2%0.2%+0.6pp
20243737#358510.3%31.2%22.9%0.1%-6.4pp
20253939#348914.5%35.2%22.4%0.5%-20.9pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female21.1%25.7%+4.6pp
Male24.1%20.4%-3.7pp
Black/African American35.4%52.2%+16.8pp
Hispanic/Latino21.8%21.1%-0.7pp
Students with Disabilities29.3%31.0%+1.7pp
English Learners22.2%15.5%-6.7pp
Foster Youth33.3%9.1%-24.2pp
Homeless42.1%60.0%+17.9pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged23.3%22.9%-0.4pp
All Students22.8%22.7%-0.1pp
Filipino42.9%
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction