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Luther Burbank Middle · Los Angeles

Luther Burbank Middle: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Luther Burbank posts 43% meeting the standard against 39% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

Alternative school — serves students who benefit from a non-traditional educational setting. Scores are not directly comparable to comprehensive schools.
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5143
% Exceeded18%17%
% Met+43%39%
Growth+15.4+1.5
Absence20.5%18.5%
Suspension1.6%3.7%
Scope Score
51
🚀 Growth Engine · Solid
ranked #600 statewide · #50 of 226 in Los Angeles Unified

Luther Burbank Middle scores 51 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 73rd 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 →

🚀 Growth Engine — Ask how the school tracks each kid's growth year to year, and what happens when a kid stalls instead of gaining.

Most rating sites would stop at “43% proficient” and call it done. Luther Burbank deserves a closer read. The school sits in Los Angeles, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Climbed from the 62nd to the 73rd percentile since 2019 — past roughly 200 middle schools.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 43% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 639%39%38%38%39%
Grade 750%43%46%52%48%
Grade 845%36%38%37%49%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 629%31%30%31%30%
Grade 745%39%42%42%44%
Grade 844%28%41%35%51%

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.

13%
26%
61%
Grade 6 · 39% proficient
13%
35%
52%
Grade 7 · 48% proficient
16%
32%
52%
Grade 8 · 48% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 3.2pp across grades; the floor rises 10.0pp. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
17.6%
State 16.8%
0.8pp above state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
+15.4pp
State +1.5pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
43.3%
State 39.3%
4.0pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
20.5%
State 18.5%
1.9pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.6%
State 3.7%
2.0pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
25.0%
State 18.0%
7.0pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • 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 Luther Burbank Middle in Los Angeles, 42.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Luther Burbank Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (38.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (42.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 40.5 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 690 students tested.

All students at this school: 43% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 43%, district —, state 39%43%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 40%, district 36%, state 32%40% · −3 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 40%, district 36%, state 32%40% · −3 vs school
MaleMale: this school 41%, district 41%, state 42%41% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 45%, district 42%, state 44%45% · +2 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 13%, district 14%, state 15%13% · −30 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 4%, district 9%, state 11%4% · −40 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 75%, district 65%, state 56%75% · +32 vs school

6 of 14 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 rises by 10.3pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -0.3pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 20.5%, district 24.5%, state 18.5%20.5% · +1.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.6%, district —, state 3.7%1.6% · −2.0pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–616.8%
Grades 7–822.4%

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 17:1, district 20:117:1
Teaching staff49 teachers
Avg. experience14.3 years
Fully credentialed60%
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: $24,933, CA average $14,815$24,933 · spent at this school

These measure different things: this figure is spending attributed to this campus, while district-wide figures also include central administration, districtwide programs, and the state's pension contributions made on the district's behalf — costs that never get assigned to a single school. The district number runs higher at nearly every school, not just this one.

Federal share$1,865 per student

$1,865 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

Hispanic89.3%
District 73.2% · CA 56.1%
Other4.6%
District 6.3% · CA 9.0%
White4.0%
District 9.9% · CA 19.9%
Black1.5%
District 7.2% · CA 4.8%
Asian0.6%
District 3.4% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 85.7% (22pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$95K · CA $85K
Median home value$976K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+43% · CA 35%
ZIP population56,835
Median age39 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 28% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Luther Burbank Middle a good middle school?

Luther Burbank Middle has a Scope Score of 51 out of 100, placing it in the 73rd percentile of California middle schools and ranked #600 statewide. 17.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is near the California average of 16.8%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 6-to-8 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 Luther Burbank Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 43.3% of students at Luther Burbank Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 17.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 25.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 17.6% 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. 1,589 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Luther Burbank Middle rank in California?

Luther Burbank Middle ranks #600 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 73rd 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 Luther Burbank Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Luther Burbank Middle increases by 15.4 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This upward trajectory suggests the school is adding measurable value — students leave with higher proficiency rates than they entered with. 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 Luther Burbank Middle?

20.5% of students at Luther Burbank Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 1.6%, 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 Luther Burbank Middle compare to other schools in Los Angeles?

Luther Burbank Middle scores 51/100 (73rd 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 866 students. Use the schools in Los Angeles page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Luther Burbank Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Luther Burbank Middle in Los Angeles, 42.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Luther Burbank Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (38.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (42.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 40.5 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 690 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%
17.6%
↑ vs CA 16.8% · 51th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
+15.4pp
↑ vs CA +1.5pp · 67th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
43.3%
↑ vs CA 39.3% · 53th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
20.5%
↓ vs CA 18.5% · 47th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.6%
↑ vs CA 3.7% · 58th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
25.0%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 626913%26%29%32%39%−8
Grade 725913%35%20%32%48%+0
Grade 825916%32%24%27%49%+3
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 627316%14%31%39%30%−5
Grade 726520%24%27%29%44%+10
Grade 826427%23%22%27%51%+18
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/112607%20%58%14%

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 Disadvantaged69042.5%+2+4
Hispanic/Latino71642.0%+1+3
Students with Disabilities15113.9%−2−3
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Luther Burbank Middle ←5117.6%43.3%+15.41.6%
South Pasadena Middle2.1 mi8258.0%81.3%+1.41.8%
Florence Nightingale Middle3 mi4518.4%39.5%+3.20.3%
El Sereno Middle2.8 mi4420.2%42.8%+3.70.1%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194362#77213.7%42.1%19.0%0.5%+10.2pp
20223547#114912.0%36.0%37.2%0.7%-3.3pp
20234765#75715.1%39.1%32.0%0.6%+5.6pp
20244362#84117.4%39.1%26.7%0.5%+1.5pp
20255173#60017.6%43.3%20.5%1.6%+15.4pp
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
Female18.9%20.9%+2.0pp
Male19.0%20.1%+1.1pp
Asian6.3%
Black/African American33.3%
White5.9%15.0%+9.1pp
Hispanic/Latino19.3%21.4%+2.1pp
Students with Disabilities20.0%26.6%+6.6pp
English Learners16.3%15.8%-0.5pp
Homeless45.0%19.2%-25.8pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged20.1%21.8%+1.7pp
All Students19.0%20.5%+1.5pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,238 middle 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