Eastside Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Eastside Union Elementary

Eastside Union Elementary School District serves kindergarten through eighth grade across the Antelope Valley area of Los Angeles County. The district encompasses about a half-dozen schools, including three elementary campuses, a middle school, and specialized programs. Students come from a community that is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with meaningful economic challenges reflected in both housing conditions and academic performance.

The most direct observation about this district is its academic performance. On California's standardized assessments in 2024-25, Eastside Union students scored well below the state norm across both English language arts and mathematics. In English language arts, proficiency rates ranged from the low teens in the upper elementary grades to nearly one in four students at grade eight. In mathematics, the picture is notably more difficult. Third grade showed the highest rate at roughly one in four students meeting proficiency benchmarks; by seventh and eighth grade, that fell to under one in ten. In science, proficiency at grade five was around one in seven, dropping to under one in ten by eighth grade. These results place the district in the bottom quartile among Los Angeles County's districts when it comes to overall proficiency across tested subjects.

The enrollment is substantial and stable, with roughly three thousand students spread fairly evenly across the grade span. The student population is economically disadvantaged; free-and-reduced-price lunch data was not available in the records reviewed, but the housing and income context of the service area, along with the composition of the student body, points to limited family resources overall. The community housing values are below state and national benchmarks, and rental costs are a significant portion of household budgets.

Chronic absenteeism is also a concern. The district's rate sits in the bottom quartile among county districts, well above the county median. This absence pattern often correlates with academic challenge and is worth exploring with school staff to understand whether barriers to attendance, family circumstances, or other factors are driving the numbers.

In 2022, voters approved a local school facilities bond, Measure ES, to address aging infrastructure. The district used the measure to fund repairs to roofs, plumbing, and electrical systems across its schools, along with upgrades to classrooms, labs, and instructional technology. This investment shapes the district's long-term capital position and tax structure for homeowners.

A parent or resident considering this district should recognize that it faces substantial academic headwinds. The proficiency rates reflect a student population with significant unmet learning needs, particularly in mathematics. The high absenteeism rate is another indicator that the district serves students dealing with real barriers to consistent school engagement. The recent bond investment signals intent to modernize facilities and technology, which may support instruction going forward, but the academic performance data indicates that facility and technology improvement alone will need to be paired with instructional strategy and support if student outcomes are to shift. A parent may want to look into the district's specific plans for addressing proficiency gaps and what resources are being deployed to support students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

3,114

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 68%

Black 22%

White 4%

Asian 1%

Two+ 4%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

22%

—

Gr 3

17%

39%

Gr 4

20%

23%

Gr 5

25%

43%

Gr 6

21%

35%

Gr 7

20%

25%

Gr 8

27%

17%

Math

Gr ALL

14%

—

Gr 3

25%

36%

Gr 4

17%

18%

Gr 5

14%

32%

Gr 6

14%

30%

Gr 7

Gr 8

Science

Gr 5

13%

29%

Gr 8

10%

Gr HS

12%

—

Schools in this District

6 schools are officially reported under this district.

Eastside Elementary

Tierra Bonita Elementary

Columbia Elementary

Gifford C. Cole Middle

Eastside Academy/Transitional Learning Center

Enterprise Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

26%

Grade 3

17%

Grade 4

16%

Grade 5

16%

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

19%

Grade 3

20%

Grade 4

27%

Grade 5

23%

Grade 6

21%

Grade 7

25%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

15%

Grade 5

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

29%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$432,646

Year-over-year change-2.2%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$386K to $499K

vs. state typical0.56x

vs. national typical1.18x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
93535	Lancaster	$430K	-2.3%	92.7%
93552	Palmdale	$499K	-1.0%	3.7%
93550	Palmdale	$451K	-1.5%	2.8%
93591	Palmdale	$386K	-0.9%	0.8%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,534/mo

Year-over-year change+0.3%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$2,454 to $2,536/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
93535	Lancaster	$2,536	+0.3%	92.7%
93550	Palmdale	$2,454	+0.4%	2.8%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,183/mo

Home price / national median income5.2x

Annual rent / national median income36.3%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$350/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.