Ynez Elementary, Monterey Park CA

Original Research by School Decision on Ynez Elementary

Ynez Elementary is a kindergarten through eighth-grade school in Monterey Park serving a student body that is predominantly Asian American, with a substantial share of Hispanic students as well. The school enrolls a modest population, spread across nine grade levels, with kindergarten as the largest cohort and enrollment tapering in the upper elementary grades before increasing again in middle school.

The student population reflects both the demographic character of Monterey Park and broader economic patterns: a substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that many families experience economic strain. The school sits within a residential neighborhood about eight miles east of Downtown Los Angeles, in a city known since the 1990s as the first continental U.S. city with an Asian-majority population.

Academically, Ynez's performance shows a mixed picture across subjects and grades. In English language arts, proficiency rates are stronger in the middle grades, with sixth and eighth grade students performing notably better than those in third through fifth grade. Math performance is weaker overall, with proficiency rates in the elementary grades dropping as students progress from third through fifth grade, then stabilizing in the middle grades. Science proficiency, measured in fifth and eighth grade, leans toward the lower end, particularly in fifth grade. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index positions it above the midpoint among districts in Los Angeles County, a positioning that reflects uneven but measurable achievement across the student population.

The proficiency pattern suggests that students engage more successfully with reading and language development than with mathematics, and that performance challenges are most pronounced in the earlier grades. Upper elementary and early middle school represent transition points where both strengths and gaps become visible. Parents may want to look into further detail with the school regarding the specific math support and interventions available for students in grades three through five, where proficiency rates dip noticeably.

Alhambra Unified, the district serving Ynez, operates two elementary dual language immersion programs within its schools: Mandarin immersion at Northrup Elementary and Spanish immersion at Fremont Elementary. Ynez itself does not offer a dual language program, but these options exist elsewhere in the district for families prioritizing multilingual education. The district has also committed to implementing ethnic studies coursework at the high school level, moving forward with the requirement even as state funding for this mandate has paused. These represent sustained, district-wide commitments that shape the educational landscape for families considering Alhambra Unified schools.

Monterey Park itself is an active, mixed-use community. Residential neighborhoods blend with commercial corridors on Atlantic Boulevard and Garvey Avenue, which are densely developed with Asian restaurants, markets, and shops. Downtown Monterey Park around the Garvey/Garfield intersection is highly walkable, with parks, the city library, and civic facilities nearby. The city is undergoing renewed development with mixed-use housing projects, new hotels, and commercial centers in the pipeline. Housing values in the zipcode reflect the greater Los Angeles market and lie well above national benchmarks, placing homeownership beyond reach for many households; rental costs, too, consume a substantial share of household income. The economic context includes healthcare, hospitality, and retail as primary employment sectors for residents, alongside the presence of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department headquarters and regional employers in office parks.

Ynez serves the community as a neighborhood elementary and middle school without specialized programs or alternative pedagogy. It is a regular public school with straightforward grade progression, open to any student in the district's attendance zone. Parents considering this school should evaluate the math support available, compare the English language arts strengths against their child's needs, and weigh whether the community context and peer group align with their family priorities.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 368%

School 68% · District 60% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 451%

School 51% · District 57% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 47%

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 657%

School 57% · District 54% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 750%

School 50% · District 54% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 847%

School 47% · District 58% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 353%

School 53% · District 56% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 61% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 57% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 666%

School 66% · District 64% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 763%

School 63% · District 66% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 73% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Science

Grade 532%

School 32% · District 39% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 847%

School 47% · District 52% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 859%

School 59% · District 59%

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

This schoolAlhambra Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income50%Higher-income59%9 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income52%Higher-income56%4 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income61%Higher-income76%15 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income56%Higher-income78%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income62%Higher-income75%13 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income67%Higher-income70%3 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income43%Higher-income91%48 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income47%Higher-income48%1 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income55%Higher-income60%5 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income47%Higher-income57%11 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income45%Higher-income50%5 pp gap