Norwalk-La Mirada Unified’s 16 public elementary schools run from the 20th to the 81st percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Elementary · 16 schools
from 20th to 81st · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Julia B. Morrison Elementary: 81st percentile, Strong
Escalona Elementary: 73rd percentile, Solid
Eastwood Elementary: 72nd percentile, Solid
D. D. Johnston Elementary: 68th percentile, Solid
Gardenhill Elementary: 66th percentile, Solid
John H. Nuffer Elementary: 56th percentile, Solid
Foster Road Elementary: 55th percentile, Solid
Anna M. Glazier Elementary: 50th percentile, Solid
La Pluma Elementary: 47th percentile, Developing
John Foster Dulles Elementary: 41st percentile, Developing
The average elementary school in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified had 17 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified score highest?
Arlie F. Hutchinson Middle is highest, at the 87th percentile.
That’s higher than 87 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean
The average middle school in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified had 15 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
High schools
Which high schools in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified score highest?
La Mirada High is highest, at the 74th percentile.
That’s higher than 74 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).
Highest in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
The average high school in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified had 20 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100.
Where does Norwalk-La Mirada Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Norwalk-La Mirada Unified spent $21,215 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 59 cents of every Norwalk-La Mirada Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction59%
Instruction support12%
Student services11%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance11%
Other1%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$197.4 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 35 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 62% of its $319.4 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 146 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 75% of the money; their titles are below. The plan itself puts 94% of it toward staff.
Expemplary Staff to Support Students $112.4 million
Action 2 $19.2 million
Maintaining and Increasing High Academic Achievement for all Students $16.5 million
32 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
4 of the plan’s 35 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name catch-up help or English learners
Catch-up help $8.5 million
English learners $6.3 million
Largest of these
Intervention and Support Staff$8.2 million
Additional Dual Language Support$3.9 million
Increased Instructional Supports for EL and LTEL Students$2.4 million
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $45.8 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $42.5 million and estimates it spent $44.9 million, $2.4 million (6%) more than planned (our arithmetic).
$44.9 million spent (estimated)$42.5 million planned
What changed
The total is $11.3 million (6%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Expemplary Staff to Support Students, which went from $107.9 million to $112.4 million.
Largest increases
Expemplary Staff to Support Students+$4.4 million
Classroom Environments and School Facilities that Promote a Safe and Positive Learning Environment+$1.2 million
Core Content Support+$1.1 million
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 2
50%
49%
down 1 pt
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 2
36%
36%
no change
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 1
20 in 100
19 in 100
1 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 1
2.2%
2.1%
down 0.1 pts
Goal 5 tracks named schools and Goals 3 and 4 track other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Expemplary Staff to Support Students · $112,361,374
Classroom Environments and School Facilities that Promote a Safe and Positive Learning Environment · $19,170,213
Maintaining and Increasing High Academic Achievement for all Students · $16,531,538
The full plan5 goals, 48 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($197.4 million).
Where does the money go?
59% to Goal 3, NLMUSD will provide exemplary staff across the district. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
small actions drawn together
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1NLMUSD will provide a safe, engaging, and responsive climate and culture to increase student engagement$27.0 million14% of action budgets
5 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $24.9 million (+$2.1 million) · p. 22 ↗
Largest funded actions
Classroom Environments and School Facilities that Promote a Safe and Positive Learning Environment$19.2 millionaction 1.5 · p. 102 ↗
Supporting Student Social-Emotional and Wellness Needs$4.8 millionaction 1.1 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Increased Safety and Social Emotional Support for LI Students$2.8 millionaction 1.4 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.5 million is state funding counted toward those services
Secondary School Engagement Programs$0.3 millionaction 1.2 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Peer Mentorship Programsunder $0.1 millionaction 1.3 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Classroom Environments and School Facilities that Promote a Safe and Positive Learning Environment+$1.2 million$18.0 million → $19.2 million · p. 102 ↗
Increased Safety and Social Emotional Support for LI Students+$0.5 million$2.2 million → $2.8 million · p. 102 ↗
Supporting Student Social-Emotional and Wellness Needs+$0.3 million$4.4 million → $4.8 million · p. 102 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Secondary School Engagement Programs · $224,330 → $278,278 · p. 102 ↗+$53,948
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 22 ↗.
Goal 2NLMUSD will provide access to rigorous instruction and student supports with a focus on the whole child to…$53.5 million27% of action budgets
“NLMUSD will provide access to rigorous instruction and student supports with a focus on the whole child to increase student achievement” p. 33 ↗
19 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $50.1 million (+$3.4 million)
Largest funded actions
Maintaining and Increasing High Academic Achievement for all Students$16.5 millionaction 2.17 · p. 104 ↗
Intervention and Support Staff$8.2 millionaction 2.7 · p. 103 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $7.6 million is state funding counted toward those services
Additional Dual Language Support$3.9 millionaction 2.19 · p. 104 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
College and Career Preparedness for Students$3.3 millionaction 2.10 · p. 104 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Increased Instructional Supports for EL and LTEL Students$2.4 millionaction 2.14 · p. 104 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
14 more funded actions in this goal
Technology Support for Student Achievement · action 2.16 · p. 104 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$2.4 million
Technology Supports for Student Achievement · action 2.5 · p. 103 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$2.3 million
Specialized Support Services · action 2.15 · p. 104 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$2.2 million
Increased Student-to-Teacher Interaction and Support · action 2.2 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$2.2 million
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) and STEM Opportunities · action 2.6 · p. 103 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$1.8 million
Additional Supports for Students Through the Independent Studies Program · action 2.3 · p. 103 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$1.6 million
Enhanced VAPA Programs · action 2.12 · p. 104 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$1.4 million
Purchase Standards-Aligned Textbooks · action 2.18 · p. 104 ↗$1.2 million
AVID Program · action 2.9 · p. 103 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$1.1 million
Support for Professional Learning Communities · action 2.1 · p. 102 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$1.0 million
Supplemental Instructional Materials · action 2.8 · p. 103 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$1.0 million
Additional Learning Opportunities · action 2.13 · p. 104 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.8 million
Support for Early Learning · action 2.4 · p. 103 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.2 million
GATE Program Enrichment · action 2.11 · p. 104 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Increased Student-to-Teacher Interaction and Support+$0.9 million$1.4 million → $2.2 million · p. 102 ↗
Technology Supports for Student Achievement+$0.6 million$1.8 million → $2.3 million · p. 103 ↗
Additional Supports for Students Through the Independent Studies Program+$0.5 million$1.1 million → $1.6 million · p. 103 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Maintaining and Increasing High Academic Achievement for all Students · $16.1 million → $16.5 million · p. 104 ↗+$0.4 million
Intervention and Support Staff · $7.9 million → $8.2 million · p. 103 ↗+$0.2 million
Additional Dual Language Support · $3.7 million → $3.9 million · p. 104 ↗+$0.1 million
College and Career Preparedness for Students · $3.0 million → $3.3 million · p. 104 ↗+$0.3 million
Increased Instructional Supports for EL and LTEL Students · $2.5 million → $2.4 million · p. 104 ↗−$0.1 million
Technology Support for Student Achievement · $2.4 million → $2.4 million · p. 104 ↗+$0.1 million
Specialized Support Services · $2.0 million → $2.2 million · p. 104 ↗+$0.2 million
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) and STEM Opportunities · $1.7 million → $1.8 million · p. 103 ↗+$0.1 million
Enhanced VAPA Programs · $1.3 million → $1.4 million · p. 104 ↗+$0.1 million
Purchase Standards-Aligned Textbooks · $1.1 million → $1.2 million · p. 104 ↗+$0.1 million
AVID Program · $1.1 million → $1.1 million · p. 103 ↗−$0.1 million
Support for Professional Learning Communities · $1.0 million → $1.0 million · p. 102 ↗+$2,888
Supplemental Instructional Materials · $1.0 million → $1.0 million · p. 103 ↗−$0.1 million
Support for Early Learning · $209,195 → $206,574 · p. 103 ↗−$2,621
GATE Program Enrichment · $6,000 → $6,000 · p. 104 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 17 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 33 ↗.
Goal 3NLMUSD will provide exemplary staff across the district$115.6 million59% of action budgets
6 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $110.1 million (+$5.5 million) · p. 55 ↗
Largest funded actions
Expemplary Staff to Support Students$112.4 millionaction 3.6 · p. 105 ↗
Core Content Support$1.9 millionaction 3.3 · p. 105 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.1 million is state funding counted toward those services
Wrap-Around Support and Services$0.9 millionaction 3.4 · p. 105 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $731,104 is state funding counted toward those services
Enrichment Experiences for Students$0.2 millionaction 3.5 · p. 105 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
NGSS Training/Teaching and Learning$0.2 millionaction 3.2 · p. 105 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
1 more funded action in this goal
Professional Learning Communities Across Sites · action 3.1 · p. 105 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Expemplary Staff to Support Students+$4.4 million$107.9 million → $112.4 million · p. 105 ↗
Core Content Support+$1.1 million$0.7 million → $1.9 million · p. 105 ↗
NGSS Training/Teaching and Learning−$100,313$324,600 → $224,287 · p. 105 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Wrap-Around Support and Services · $880,618 → $900,481 · p. 105 ↗+$19,863
Enrichment Experiences for Students · $239,832 → $248,384 · p. 105 ↗+$8,552
Professional Learning Communities Across Sites · $11,075 → $11,075 · p. 105 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 3 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 55 ↗.
Goal 4NLMUSD will foster family and community engagement$663,080under 1% of action budgets
Parent Involvement and Parent Learning$355,963action 4.1 · p. 105 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Educational Partner Communication$307,117action 4.2 · p. 105 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Parent Involvement and Parent Learning+$108,619$247,344 → $355,963 · p. 105 ↗
Educational Partner Communication+$9,558$297,559 → $307,117 · p. 105 ↗
How the plan measures it · 6 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 62 ↗.
Goal 5 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalBy June, 2027, ECHS will continue to increase the percentage of All Students, HI, HOM, and SED students…$556,413under 1% of action budgets
“By June, 2027, ECHS will continue to increase the percentage of All Students, HI, HOM, and SED students showing "as prepared" for college and career as measured by the CCI indicator on the CA Dashboard. In addition, ECHS will increase CAASPP ELA results for all students by reducing distance from standard (DFS) and/or increasing performance level on CA Dashboard. Also, ECHS will increase CAASPP Math, CAASPP ELA, and Science CAST results for all students, SED students, and HI by reducing distance from the standard (DFS) and/or increasing performance level on CA Dashboard. Additionally, ECHS will improve the ELP as measured by the CA dashboard for all students, English Learners, and Long-term English Learners” p. 68 ↗
3 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Supplemental Academic Support for Students$355,219action 5.3 · p. 105 ↗
Additional Supports for Staff and Students and Professional Development$197,194action 5.1 · p. 105 ↗
Supplemental Materials and Supplies$4,000action 5.2 · p. 105 ↗
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Supplemental Academic Support for Students+$255,219$100,000 → $355,219 · p. 105 ↗
Supplemental Materials and Supplies−$85,707$89,707 → $4,000 · p. 105 ↗
Additional Supports for Staff and Students and Professional Development−$2,806$200,000 → $197,194 · p. 105 ↗
How the plan measures it · 6 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 68 ↗.
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 14,577 students
1Hispanic or Latino82%
2White6%
3Asian4%
4Filipino3%
5Black or African American3%
6Two or more races2%
7Not reported<1%
8Pacific Islander<1%
9American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools. Rounded labels may not total 100%; segments use the original shares.
Free or reduced-price meals
70%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 10,169 of 14,560 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
Norwalk-La Mirada Unified isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 44% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (666 of 1,530 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
2 schools getting state support, 2025–26
John H. Nuffer Elementary (Targeted support) · Loretta Lampton Elementary (Targeted support)
This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.
Which public schools in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Julia B. Morrison Elementary, 81st percentile (Strong). Middle: Arlie F. Hutchinson Middle, 87th percentile (Strong). High: La Mirada High, 74th percentile (Solid). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)
Are the public schools in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified good?
Norwalk-La Mirada Unified’s 16 public elementary schools run from the 20th to the 81st percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 7 Solid, 6 Developing and 2 Needs Support. Norwalk-La Mirada Unified’s 5 public middle schools run from the 37th to the 87th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 2 Solid and 2 Developing. Norwalk-La Mirada Unified’s 3 public high schools run from the 24th to the 74th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 2 Solid and 1 Needs Support. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How does chronic absence in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified compare with California?
The average elementary school in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified had 17 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified had 15 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. The average high school in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified had 20 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does Norwalk-La Mirada Unified spend per student?
Norwalk-La Mirada Unified spent $21,215 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 59 cents of every Norwalk-La Mirada Unified dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $197.4 million into 35 funded actions in 5 goals, 62% of its $319.4 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $115.6 million, 59% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Norwalk-La Mirada Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.