Original Research by School Decision on Alliance Ted K. Tajima High
Alliance Ted K. Tajima High is a small charter high school in Los Angeles serving grades nine through twelve, located at the edge of downtown in a neighborhood of mixed residential and industrial zoning. The school enrolls about four hundred seventy students, with roughly equal numbers across each grade level.
The student body is almost entirely Latinx, and nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting both the demographics and economic circumstances of the neighborhoods the school draws from. The school's campus sits in a part of Los Angeles that is densely developed and transit-accessible, within reach of Metro bus and rail lines that connect to the wider city.
Tajima is part of the Alliance College-Ready network, a charter organization that operates schools across Los Angeles. The network has recently made several structural and curricular changes that directly affect this school. Beginning in the current school year, Tajima implemented a schedule redesign that roughly doubled the weekly planning time available to teachers and expanded time for student enrichment and intervention during the school day. The Alliance network also completed an audit of high school English texts and revised the curriculum to add representation of Latinx and Black authors, a shift addressing what the network identified as significant gaps in whose stories students encounter. More recently, the network launched a Community Schools Initiative providing family wellness supports, with Tajima among the schools receiving these resources.
On state assessments, the school shows a split picture. In English language arts, proficiency is strong, with roughly four of five students meeting or exceeding standards. In mathematics and science, proficiency is substantially lower, with roughly one in three students meeting the bar in each subject. These results reflect what appears to be a broader challenge in secondary mathematics and science instruction across many schools serving similar populations, though a parent may want to discuss with the school what supports are in place to build math competency and whether tutoring, after-school resources, or course sequencing choices might help a particular student.
The school's approach emphasizes college readiness within the Alliance framework. Housing in the surrounding zip code area is moderately priced relative to other parts of Los Angeles, though rents have risen modestly over the past year and mortgage rates remain elevated. Most families considering this school are likely to be local residents, given the school's location and enrollment composition.
The district brief notes no recent data on graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, or special education and English learner populations, so a prospective family would want to request those details directly from the school to understand completion, attendance, and support structures for students with specific needs. The school website was not available in the data, so visiting the campus or contacting the school directly would be the best way to learn about course offerings, clubs, athletics, and the day-to-day culture families can expect.
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