If you live in Los Angeles and have a child who’s getting ready to start elementary school, many schools in the area provide students with excellent educations and great student-teacher ratios. During these formative years, it’s crucial that your child receives the knowledge and skills that will serve as the foundation for all future education.
When you’re searching for a high-quality school, you’ll discover that there are many options in and around Los Angeles. We’ve put together a guide on the best elementary schools in LA. Our criteria for evaluating schools include academic performance, student-teacher ratio, and reviews.
Top 10 Elementary Schools in Los Angeles
If your child is nearing the age when you need to start looking for schools, keep in mind that the Los Angeles Unified School District is comprised of 434 elementary schools. Below is a comprehensive guide on the top 10 elementary schools in Los Angeles.
Carpenter Community Charter School
Carpenter Community Charter School is a large charter school in Studio City, which is a neighborhood in Los Angeles. There are currently 887 students enrolled at this elementary school. It serves children in grades K-5. Nearly 70% of students have reached a proficient level in math. Almost 80% of students are proficient in reading. These percentages are around 20% higher than the state average. You’ll discover that 10% of the student population is comprised of economically disadvantaged students. The staff at Carpenter Community Charter consists of 37 full-time teachers.
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Rating: 10/10
- Reviews: 33
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 887
- Student-Teacher Ratio: Not specified
Valley View Elementary School
Valley View Elementary School is a public school in Redondo Beach with a student population of just 218. If you want your child to learn in a setting that allows for more personalized education, consider Valley View Elementary. Over 70% of students are proficient in math and reading. Around 19% of students are economically disadvantaged. Currently, the student population is almost evenly split between male and female students.
- Location: Redondo Beach, CA
- Rating: 10/10
- Reviews: 68
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 218
- Student-Teacher Ratio: Not specified
Point Vicente Elementary School
Point Vicente Elementary School is a well-rated elementary school that’s located in the Palos Verdes Peninsula. While many of the schools in this guide are found in large city settings, Point Vicente Elementary is part of a suburban environment. There are currently around 356 students enrolled at this school.
This is among the highest-rated schools in our guide because of the test scores and good student/teacher ratio. More than 80% of students have a proficient rating in math. Around 87% of these students have achieved the same level in reading. Keep in mind that the student/teacher ratio is 20:1. At the moment, 16 full-time teachers are employed at this school. According to the U.S. News Rankings of Best Elementary Schools, Point Vicente is #106 in California.
- Location: Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
- Rating: 4.89/5
- Reviews: 9
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 356
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 20:1
Tulita Elementary School
Tulita Elementary School is a public school in a suburban setting that enrolls 431 students. When looking at proficiency in reading and math, well over 80% of students have reached this level. The student population consists of 53% male students and 47% female students. While there are currently 19 full-time teachers at the school, the teacher/student ratio is 23:1.
- Location: Redondo Beach, CA
- Rating: 5/5
- Reviews: 2
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 431
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 23:1
Birney Elementary School
Birney Elementary School is a public school in Redondo Beach with a student population of 437. The student/teacher ratio is 26:1, which mirrors that of the district. Around 9% of the student population is economically disadvantaged. When considering the proficiency that students have in math and reading, Birney Elementary boasts percentages above 80% in both categories.
- Location: Redondo Beach, CA
- Rating: 5/5
- Reviews: 5
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 437
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 26:1
Clover Avenue Elementary School
Clover Avenue Elementary School is one of the highest-rated schools in California. This public school is located in the heart of the city, which means that it shouldn’t be too far away for anyone who lives in Los Angeles.
At Clover Avenue Elementary, more than 80% of students have a rating of at or above proficient in math. The same percentage of students have this rating in reading. In U.S. News Rankings, Clover Avenue Elementary School is #167 among all California elementary schools. The student population at the elementary school is evenly split among male and female students. Students have access to 20 equivalent full-time teachers.
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Rating: 9/10
- Reviews: 47
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 485
- Student-Teacher Ratio: Not specified
Community Magnet Charter Elementary School
Community Magnet Charter Elementary School is a specialized school that has a student population of 451. This school offers unique programming and can accept students from multiple districts. Around 79% of students are proficient in math, while 80% of the student body has scored at or above proficient in reading.
While the student/teacher ratio isn’t specified, there are currently 18 full-time teachers. Based on 29 reviews, this school has a 9/10 rating. Test scores, academic progress, and equity are above average when compared to all other California elementary schools. For example, only 30% of the students in California are proficient in science. Nearly 70% of students at Community Magnet Charter Elementary are proficient in this subject.
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Rating: 9/10
- Reviews: 29
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 451
- Student-Teacher Ratio: Not specified
Fairburn Avenue Elementary School
Fairburn Avenue Elementary School is a public school in Los Angeles with an enrollment of 436 students. This school has some of the best test scores in the state. Around 87% of the students at Fairburn Avenue Elementary are proficient in math. Over 90% of students have reached this same level in reading. There are around 19 full-time teachers employed at this school. The student population consists of 48% male students and 52% female students.
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
- Rating: 9/10
- Reviews: 18
- Grades: K-5
- Enrollment: 436
- Student-Teacher Ratio: Not specified
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary School
Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary School is a larger elementary school that aims to provide students with a high-quality learning experience that allows them to excel academically, socially, and emotionally. There are currently 712 students enrolled at this elementary school.
While most schools on this list offer classes for kindergarten students, Balboa is only available to students in grades one through five. Keep in mind that 88% of the student body is proficient in both math and reading. The student/teacher ratio is around 25:1, which is slightly worse than the rest of the district. There are a total of 27 full-time teachers who are employed at Balboa.
- Location: Northridge, CA
- Rating: 9/10
- Reviews: 33
- Grades: 1-5
- Enrollment: 712
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 25:1
Granada Hills Charter School
Granada Hills Charter School is a high-quality institution that began as a traditional school in 1960. It was eventually converted into an independent charter school in 2003. Since Granada Hills Charter has fiscal and governance independence, its curriculum is more specialized than traditional public schools in California. On Niche, Granada Hills is in the top 10 of all charter elementary schools in the U.S.
Keep in mind that Granada Hills Charter is open to K-12 students. With a student population of 5,869, it’s among the largest charter schools in the U.S. Its main campus is in Granada Hills. However, the school also offers an online learning program.
- Location: Granada Hills, CA
- Rating: 4.04/5
- Reviews: 1,566
- Grades: K-12
- Enrollment: 5,869
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 25:1
Conclusion
Los Angeles provides residents with a wide range of high-quality elementary schools, which include charter and magnet schools. Regardless of the type of education you’d like your child to receive, you should be able to find a school that meets your needs and allows your child to receive a stellar education.
While this guide to the best elementary schools in California can help you narrow your options, it’s important that you visit schools and consider all factors before enrollment. Use this list as a starting point in the school selection process.