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Lawndale High · Lawndale

Lawndale High: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Lawndale posts 34% meeting the standard and 12.6% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

14901 South Inglewood Avenue, 90260 (opens in new tab)·Centinela Valley Union High·Lawndale·Grades 9-12·1,403 students·78% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(310) 263-3102·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4944
% Exceeded13%16%
% Met+34%36%
Grad rate94.0%87.6%
College readiness65.0%35.4%
Absence33.3%30.2%
Suspension2.4%3.6%
Scope Score
49
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #843 statewide · #1 of 5 in Centinela Valley Union High

Lawndale High scores 49 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 61st percentile of 2,160 California high 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.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “34% proficient” and call it done. Lawndale deserves a closer read. The school sits in Lawndale, where three in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 61st percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 34% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1151%48%48%51%50%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1116%18%14%17%19%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
34%
State 36%
Graduate
94%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
65%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 34 are proficient by 11th grade → 94 graduate → 65 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
94.0%
State 87.6%
6.4pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
12.6%
State 15.8%
3.3pp below state avg
College readiness
65.0%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
34.5%
State 35.7%
1.2pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
33.3%
State 30.2%
3.1pp above state avg
Suspension rate
2.4%
State 3.6%
1.2pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
13.1%
State 18.0%
4.9pp 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 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 Lawndale High in Lawndale, 46.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 46.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Lawndale High trails its district average for low-income students by 0.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (14.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (52.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 43.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 289 students tested.

All students at this school: 34% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 34%, district —, state 36%34%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 31%, district 30%, state 32%31% · −4 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 36%, district 32%, state 32%36% · +1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 36%, district 29%, state 42%36% · +2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 32%, district 35%, state 44%32% · −2 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 28%, district 24%, state 26%28% · −6 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 7%, district 5%, state 15%7% · −27 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 4%, district 5%, state 11%4% · −31 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 25%, district 21%, state 22%25% · −9 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 35%, district 31%, state 56%35% · +0 vs school

5 of 15 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 33.3%, district 38.3%, state 30.2%33.3% · +3.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.4%, district —, state 3.6%2.4% · −1.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1233.4%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 23:120:1
Teaching staff75 teachers
Avg. experience16.3 years
Fully credentialed92%
Intern / emergency permit0.9%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$55,373 – $116,676
Principal salary$0 – $176,438
Superintendent salary$243,337

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered27
AP exam qualifiers147 students
CTE pathway completers32 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $28,111, CA average $14,815$28,111 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,223 per student

$1,223 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,795 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
Instruction53%
Instruction support12%
Student services10%
Administration11%
Buildings & maintenance12%
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$16,383 per pupil
2019$16,005 per pupil
2018$16,522 per pupil
2017$12,662 per pupil
2016$11,838 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic68.5%
District 75.7% · CA 56.1%
Black22.9%
District 15.5% · CA 4.8%
Other4.6%
District 4.7% · CA 9.0%
Asian2.6%
District 2.2% · CA 10.2%
White1.4%
District 1.9% · CA 19.9%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 78.3% (15pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$88K · CA $85K
Median home value$802K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+22% · CA 35%
ZIP population32,075
Median age38 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 13% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lawndale High a good high school?

Lawndale High has a Scope Score of 49 out of 100, placing it in the 61st percentile of California high schools and ranked #843 statewide. 12.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 3.3 percentage points below the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), 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 Lawndale High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 34.5% of students at Lawndale High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 12.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 21.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 12.6% 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. 757 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Lawndale High rank in California?

Lawndale High ranks #843 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 61st percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), 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.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Lawndale High?

33.3% of students at Lawndale High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 2.4%. 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 Lawndale High compare to other schools in Lawndale?

Lawndale High scores 49/100 (61st percentile) among California high 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 1,403 students. Use the schools in Lawndale page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Lawndale High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Lawndale High in Lawndale, 46.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 46.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Lawndale High trails its district average for low-income students by 0.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (14.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (52.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 43.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 289 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

All schools in Lawndale →

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
Graduation rate · 25%
94.0%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 58th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
12.6%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 47th pctile
College readiness · 20%
65.0%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 67th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
34.5%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 49th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
33.3%
↓ vs CA 30.2% · 47th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.4%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 55th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
13.1%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 45th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1137820%31%26%24%50%+3
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 113796%13%26%55%19%−5
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/116882%11%70%17%

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 Disadvantaged28946.7%−0+8
Hispanic/Latino25752.5%+3+14
Black/African American8440.5%+3+8
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Lawndale High ←—4912.6%34.5%—2.4%
Mira Costa High2.3 mi7542.7%71.6%—1.4%
North High2.6 mi6739.5%69.8%—2.2%
Hawthorne Math and Science Academy1.7 mi6737.6%69.4%—0.8%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
94.0%
AP Exam Prepared
65.0%
A-G Completion
60.3%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
74.0%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195160#81310.2%33.3%19.5%5.1%—
20224965#72912.3%33.2%34.6%5.3%—
20234862#80710.1%31.1%37.1%3.6%—
20244963#79411.6%33.7%28.9%6.0%—
20254961#84312.6%34.5%33.3%2.4%—
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
Female20.2%35.8%+15.6pp
Male18.5%30.9%+12.4pp
Asian6.4%7.9%+1.5pp
Black/African American21.2%37.6%+16.4pp
White11.1%——
Hispanic/Latino19.1%32.8%+13.7pp
Pacific Islander10.0%——
Two or More Races21.6%43.1%+21.5pp
Students with Disabilities25.7%35.7%+10.0pp
English Learners26.4%38.8%+12.4pp
Foster Youth16.7%——
Homeless27.6%57.8%+30.2pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged20.0%36.2%+16.2pp
All Students19.3%33.4%+14.1pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high 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

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