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Los Angeles Unified: Los Angeles Unified high schools lead at 48.5. A 86.3-point spread across all schools shows this is a district of contrasts.

Near Average2024–25 data936 schools · avg 41.1/100

Los Angeles Unified has 936 ranked schools across elementary, middle and high levels with an average Scope Score of 41.1/100 — 2.2 points above the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation at 94/100, where 61.1% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $18,180 per student (above the state average of $14,491). 70 schools rank as Growth Engines — cohort growth (the school's returning cohort, tracked across a two-year span) well above the state median. Chronic absenteeism averages 24.4%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

The K–12 path at a glance
Elementary579 schools
Developingavg 40.1/100
Middle163 schools
Developingavg 35.8/100
High194 schools
Developingavg 48.5/100

Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.

Stage 1 of 3

The elementary years

77 points separate Wonderland Avenue Elementary (89) from Everest Value (12) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.

0100
Strong Solid Developing Needs Support district avg state avg

77 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 579 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.

The strength

Wonderland Avenue Elementary (89/100) holds the Strong band — 72.7% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 20.7%. 60 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.

The catch

21.1% of students are chronically absent (state: 17.9%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.

Strong89/100
Strong89/100
Strong86/100

All 579 elementary schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Stage 2 of 3

The middle years

One school defines the top: Science Academy STEM Magnet sits 18 points clear of the field — the other 162 middle schools are a different conversation.

0100

73 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 163 middle schools — the average hides more than it tells.

The strength

Science Academy STEM Magnet (90/100) holds the Strong band — 87.7% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 13.6%. 10 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.

The catch

23.6% of students are chronically absent (state: 18.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.

Strong90/100
Gaspar De Portola Charter Middle
Strong All-Around · Charter
Solid68/100

All 163 middle schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Stage 3 of 3

The high school years

One school defines the top: Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation sits 17 points clear of the field — the other 193 high schools are a different conversation.

0100

86 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 194 high schools — the average hides more than it tells.

The strength

Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation (94/100) holds the Strong band — 61.1% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 14.3%. 28 schools classify as Strong All-Around — no weak dimension we measure.

The catch

34.9% of students are chronically absent (state: 23.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.

Middle College High
Strong All-Around
Strong77/100
Downtown Business High
Strong All-Around
Strong75/100

All 194 high schools, ranked, in the appendix →

Worth a second look

Despite a 65% free-or-reduced-lunch rate, Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation posts a Scope Score of 94 — 99th percentile statewide. Scores this high are rare among schools serving this level of economic need — worth a closer look than the band alone suggests.

What it means for your family

If you're choosing a neighborhood

The 86-point spread means the district average is nearly meaningless for an address decision — the zoned elementary school is the whole decision. The strongest attendance-zone candidate is Wonderland Avenue Elementary at 89/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.

If you already live here

248 of the 936 ranked schools are charters and 28 run a magnet program — enrollment paths that don't depend on your address. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, those lotteries and applications are the levers worth the paperwork.

If your kid is enrolled now

A band is a position, not a prophecy — 258 campuses here rank as On the Rise (188) or Growth Engine (70), their returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide. Ask your school two questions: what it is doing about attendance, and what the classroom looks like for a kid who arrives ahead.

The strongest-scoring run through the district:

Wonderland Avenue Elementary StrongScience Academy STEM Magnet StrongDr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Strong

Top scorers at each level — not necessarily one zoned sequence. Confirm feeder patterns and enrollment zones with the district, and visit before you decide.

What this page can't see: whether a campus feels safe and glad at 8 a.m. If a path above looks workable, the next step is a visit.

The system behind the schools

Well-resourced on paper: $18,180 per student — $3,690 above the state average — while results sit within 2.2 points of the state line.

Money
Per-pupil spending$18,180 · state $14,491
2016–2020 trend$13,549 → $18,180
Instruction share55% · support 40%
People
Teacher salary range$60,420–$122,706
Teaching staff22,880 · FTE
District enrollment460,633 · students
Who attends
Hispanic 74.3% · White 8.4% · Black 8.5% · Asian 2.6% · Other 6.2%
Free/reduced lunch84% · economic need indicator

NCES F-33 district finance 2019–2020 (district grain, not school-specific) · CDE Form J-90 salary schedule 2024–25 · CDE enrollment (district averages)

For the data nerds

Every school in Los Angeles Unified

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed

Elementary Schools (579)

#SchoolExceededScore
1Wonderland Avenue Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
72.7%Strong
89/100
2Third Street Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
68.3%Strong
89/100
3Overland Avenue Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
70.4%Strong
86/100
4Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
72.2%Strong
86/100
5Carpenter Community Charter
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
59.8%Strong
84/100
6Welby Way Charter Elementary School And Gifted-Hig
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
62.6%Strong
82/100
7Roscomare Road Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
62.2%Strong
81/100
8Clover Avenue Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
65.6%Strong
80/100
9Community Magnet Charter Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
59.6%Strong
77/100
10Canyon Charter Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
61.1%Strong
77/100
11Porter Ranch Community
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
55.3%Strong
77/100
12Kentwood Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
63.2%Strong
75/100
13Broadway Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
64.0%Strong
74/100
14Renaissance Arts Academy
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
59.6%Strong
74/100
15Warner Avenue Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
58.6%Strong
74/100
16Mar Vista Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
55.0%Strong
74/100
17Academy for Enriched Sciences
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
58.0%Strong
74/100
18Beckford Charter for Enriched Studies
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
61.0%Strong
74/100
19Franklin Avenue Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
56.5%Strong
73/100
20Kenter Canyon Elementary Charter
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
54.8%Strong
73/100
21Castle Heights Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
53.2%Strong
73/100
22Granada Hills Charter
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
54.1%Strong
72/100
23Canfield Avenue Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
54.1%Strong
71/100
24Coeur D'Alene Avenue Elementary
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
51.0%Strong
70/100
25Kester Avenue Elementary
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
53.8%Solid
70/100
26Palisades Charter Elementary
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
51.4%Solid
70/100
27Colfax Charter Elementary
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
54.3%Solid
69/100
28Castlebay Lane Charter
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
46.2%Solid
69/100
29Ivanhoe Elementary
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
48.7%Solid
69/100
30Westwood Charter Elementary
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
51.3%Solid
68/100

Middle Schools (163)

#SchoolExceededScore
1Science Academy STEM Magnet
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
87.7%Strong
90/100
2Girls Academic Leadership Academy, Dr. Michelle Ki
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
44.5%Strong
72/100
3Gaspar De Portola Charter Middle
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
43.3%Solid
68/100
4Alfred B. Nobel Charter Middle
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
41.6%Solid
66/100
5Robert Frost Middle
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
36.6%Solid
66/100
6Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
36.0%Solid
65/100
7Paul Revere Charter Middle
Los Angeles Unified Solid Base
42.7%Solid
64/100
8Rudecinda Sepulveda Dodson Middle
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
35.7%Solid
61/100
9ICEF Vista Middle Academy
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
25.8%Solid
59/100
10Walter Reed Middle
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
36.3%Solid
59/100
11Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
31.8%Solid
58/100
12George K. Porter Middle
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
31.1%Solid
58/100
13KIPP Los Angeles College Preparatory
Los Angeles Unified Culture First
30.1%Solid
57/100
14George Ellery Hale Charter Academy
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
30.9%Solid
56/100
15Washington Irving Middle School Math, Music and En
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
33.6%Solid
55/100
16Mark Twain Middle
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
29.7%Solid
53/100
17Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
Los Angeles Unified Culture First
33.8%Solid
53/100
18PUC Community Charter Middle and PUC Community Cha
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
21.5%Solid
53/100
19John Burroughs Middle
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
28.8%Solid
52/100
20Alliance Marine - Innovation and Technology 6-12 C
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
20.0%Solid
51/100
21Patrick Henry Middle
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
20.1%Solid
50/100
22Magnolia Science Academy 6
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
22.9%Developing
50/100
23Emerson Community Charter
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
26.8%Developing
49/100
24Luther Burbank Middle
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
17.6%Developing
48/100
25Maywood Center for Enriched Studies
Los Angeles Unified On the Rise
20.1%Developing
48/100
26Thomas Starr King Middle School Film and Media Mag
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
27.1%Developing
48/100
27International Studies Learning Center at Legacy Hi
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
16.8%Developing
47/100
28Mt. Gleason Middle
Los Angeles Unified Growth Engine
18.4%Developing
46/100
29Palms Middle
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
26.0%Developing
46/100
30James Jordan Middle
Los Angeles Unified On the Rise
18.5%Developing
46/100

High Schools (194)

#SchoolExceededScore
1Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation
Los Angeles Unified High Ceiling
61.1%Strong
94/100
2Middle College High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
42.9%Strong
77/100
3Downtown Business High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
43.7%Strong
75/100
4Valley International Preparatory High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
35.7%Strong
75/100
5Palisades Charter High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
35.9%Strong
73/100
6Math, Science, & Technology Magnet Academy at Roos
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
31.7%Strong
73/100
7Alliance Leichtman-Levine Family Foundation Enviro
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
32.3%Strong
72/100
8Orthopaedic Hospital
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
24.1%Strong
71/100
9Ednovate - USC Hybrid High College Prep
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
28.4%Strong
71/100
10Ednovate - Esperanza College Prep
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
24.8%Strong
71/100
11CATCH Prep Charter High, Inc.
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
20.7%Strong
71/100
12North Hollywood Senior High
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
36.2%Solid
70/100
13Iovine and Young Center
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
30.8%Solid
70/100
14Alliance Ted K. Tajima High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
26.4%Solid
69/100
15Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
26.6%Solid
69/100
16Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
28.8%Solid
68/100
17King/Drew Medical Magnet High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
24.4%Solid
68/100
18Taft Charter High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
28.4%Solid
68/100
19Alliance Patti And Peter Neuwirth Leadership Acade
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
20.1%Solid
68/100
20Port of Los Angeles High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
35.8%Solid
67/100
21Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
26.6%Solid
67/100
22Venice Senior High
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
27.3%Solid
67/100
23Alliance Judy Ivie Burton Technology Academy High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
24.7%Solid
66/100
24John Marshall Senior High
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
28.1%Solid
66/100
25Ednovate - Brio College Prep
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
22.6%Solid
65/100
26PUC Lakeview Charter High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
23.8%Solid
65/100
27Math and Science College Preparatory
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
16.3%Solid
65/100
28Alliance Susan and Eric Smidt Technology High
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
25.5%Solid
65/100
29El Camino Real Charter High
Los Angeles Unified Building Momentum
27.4%Solid
65/100
30WISH Academy High
Los Angeles Unified Strong All-Around
26.4%Solid
65/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 936 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools · Download this data (CSV)

Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology

Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.

What Scope Scores can't tell you about Los Angeles Unified

Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Is Los Angeles Unified a good school district?
Los Angeles Unified has 936 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 41.1/100, which is 2.2 points above the state average. 18.1% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across seven dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in Los Angeles Unified?
The highest-scoring school in Los Angeles Unified is Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation with a Scope Score of 94/100 and 61.1% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does Los Angeles Unified spend per student?
Los Angeles Unified spends $18,180 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,491. Spending data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data Fiscal Survey (F-33). Higher spending does not automatically mean better outcomes — the Scope Score measures what happens in the classroom regardless of budget.
What is the teacher salary range in Los Angeles Unified?
Teacher salaries in Los Angeles Unified range from $60,420–$122,706 based on the district's salary schedule (CDE Form J-90). The California statewide median teacher salary is approximately $98,000.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Full methodology and weights.