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School Profile · Lake Balboa

Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12: 44% of kids clear the bar — ahead of the state's 43%. But math slips between grade 3 and grade 5.

Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 posts 44% meeting the standard, against 43% across the state. The number below is the one to ask about on a visit.

6701 Balboa Boulevard, 91406 (opens in new tab)·Los Angeles Unified·Lake Balboa·Grades K-12·590 students·77% low-income·Magnet·2024–25 CAASPP·(818) 342-6133·Website
Magnet program — specialized public school with themed curriculum. Enrollment via district lottery, not neighborhood-based.
Alternative school — serves students who benefit from a non-traditional educational setting. Scores are not directly comparable to comprehensive schools.
Scope Score
41
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #2,809 statewide · #291 of 580 in Los Angeles Unified

Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 scores 41 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 51st 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 →

Most rating sites would stop at “44% proficient” and call it done. Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 deserves a closer read. The school sits in Lake Balboa, where three in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12's low-income kids hit 53.0% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The story this school is actually telling

The floor · met or exceeded
44.4%

of students met or exceeded the standard, versus 42.7% statewide.

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The trajectory · grade 3→5
13.9pp

math proficiency runs 57% in grade 3 against 26% in grade 5, while reading holds (43% to 46%). The state average rises by +4.5pp over the same span.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

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

20%
23%
57%
Grade 3 · 43% proficient
22%
20%
58%
Grade 4 · 42% proficient
19%
28%
53%
Grade 5 · 47% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 1.9pp across grades; the floor rises 3.1pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. The school's 5th graders aren't posting a wider lead than its 3rd graders. One question worth asking on a tour: are the strongest students being pushed, or coasting? A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

53.0%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12's most underrated number

53.0% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.

Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 low-income: 53.0%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
19.2%
State 21.3%
2.1pp below state avg
Met or exceeded
44.4%
State 42.7%
1.7pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-13.9pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
16.1%
State 17.9%
1.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.6%
State 1.6%
1.0pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
21.4%
State 18.0%
3.5pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask the principal what changes between grade 3 and grade 5. Ask who teaches the older grades, and what the school does when a child starts falling behind.

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Path

Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 serves grades K-12 — students can complete their entire K-12 education here.

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.

The community around it

Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope Score

Student demographics

Hispanic37.5%
White47.5%
Asian4.9%
Black1.9%
Other8.3%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 76.8% (13pp above CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
590
610 below CA avg (~1,200)
Transitional Kindergarten
No TK reported, 2025-26
California requires the district to offer TK, but not every site has a room — ask the district which campuses do.
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
0 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$23,240
District avg: $18,180 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
21.4% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$60,420 – $122,706
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 in Lake Balboa, 53.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 outperforms its district average for low-income students by 12.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (42.7% Math proficient); White students (55.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 3.8 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 279 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Asian+13.9pp
30.0% vs 16.1% overall · n=30
Math · Hispanic−8.2pp
38.3% vs 46.5% overall · n=126
2 more gaps by subject
ELA · Low-Income−3.8pp
53.4% vs 57.3% overall · n=279
Math Exceeded · Hispanic−5.8pp
16.4% vs 22.1% overall · n=126

Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.

Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income279 tested
ELA 53.0%·Math 42.7%· +12.1pp vs district
White179 tested
ELA 55.9%·Math 49.7%· -13.0pp vs district
Hispanic139 tested
ELA 54.7%·Math 37.4%· +13.7pp 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 rises by 6.5pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +4.5pp.

Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Funding Breakdown
Instruction 55%Support 40%Other 4%

Source: NCES F-33 (2019–2020) · Full district breakdown →

Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$78K
$7K below CA median
Median Home Value
$809K
$150K above CA median
Bachelor's+
30%
5pp 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
13.2 years avg experience
28 teachers · 4% first-year · 11% second-year
Teacher Credentials
82% 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 →

Frequently asked questions

Is Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 a good elementary school?
Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 has a Scope Score of 41 out of 100, placing it in the 51st percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #2,809 statewide. 19.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 2.1 percentage points below the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for elementary 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 Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 44.4% of students at Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 19.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 25.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 19.2% 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. 298 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 rank in California?
Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 ranks #2,809 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 51st 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 Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 decreases by 13.9 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 Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12?
16.1% of students at Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.6%, 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 Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 compare to other schools in Lake Balboa?
Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 scores 41/100 (51st 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 590 students. Use the schools in Lake Balboa page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 in Lake Balboa, 53.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 outperforms its district average for low-income students by 12.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (42.7% Math proficient); White students (55.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 3.8 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 279 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.

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%
19.2%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 48th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
44.4%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 51th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
-13.9pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 35th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
16.1%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 53th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.6%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 58th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
21.4%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 34420%23%23%34%43%−0
Grade 45122%20%22%37%41%−4
Grade 55419%28%26%28%46%−2
Grade 65016%44%22%18%60%+13
Grade 76118%41%15%26%59%+11
Grade 86428%36%22%14%64%+18
Grade 114650%37%9%4%87%+40
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 34416%41%18%25%57%+11
Grade 45133%20%25%22%53%+11
Grade 5546%20%31%43%26%−9
Grade 65030%16%30%24%46%+11
Grade 76121%20%26%33%41%+7
Grade 86431%16%19%34%47%+15
Grade 114617%39%24%20%57%+33
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111649%29%52%10%

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 Disadvantaged27953.0%+12+15
White17955.9%−13−6
Hispanic/Latino13954.7%+14+16
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12 ←4119.2%44.4%−13.90.6%
Academy for Enriched Sciences1.4 mi7958.0%80.0%−11.90.4%
Hesby Oaks Leadership Charter2.6 mi6641.6%71.3%+3.60.1%
Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies2.2 mi6131.8%64.0%−12.80.7%
California average4321.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
43%41%'19'22'23'24'25
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #2405 → #2893 → #2727 → #3790 → #2809
What we can't show
  • — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue