Puc Cals Middle School and Early College High, Los Angeles CA

Original Research by School Decision on Puc Cals Middle School and Early College High

PUC CALS Middle School and Early College High is a charter school serving grades six through twelve in Los Angeles, with enrollment of about three hundred students. The school draws a student body that is overwhelmingly Hispanic and economically disadvantaged, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school's location on North Figueroa Street places it in the Highland Park area of northeast Los Angeles.

The school's recent state testing results show proficiency levels that warrant attention. In English language arts, performance varies by grade. Sixth graders show moderate proficiency, while seventh graders drop substantially, then eighth graders recover somewhat. In mathematics, proficiency is lower across the board, with sixth graders showing notably low performance, seventh graders improving to roughly a third, and eighth graders declining slightly. Science proficiency, measured at the eighth grade, aligns with math performance. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Los Angeles County.

The school's design as an integrated middle and early college high school suggests a pathway intended to accelerate students toward post-secondary credentials. This structure allows younger and older students to share a building, and the "early college" designation typically indicates dual-credit or college-partnership programming. However, the data provided does not detail what specific college or technical partnerships exist, what dual-credit courses are offered, or completion rates for those programs, so a parent interested in that pathway would want to ask the school directly about how students move through those opportunities and what outcomes have been documented.

The demographic makeup is distinctive. Almost all students are Hispanic, and the vast majority are economically disadvantaged. This concentration shapes peer experience and the school's likely academic focus. The school is small enough that peer groups are intimate and faculty may know students well, which can support individualized attention. It also means less inherent demographic diversity than many larger schools in the county.

The civil rights data provided did not include rates for students with disabilities or English learners, so those details remain unclear. A parent with a child who has an IEP or who is learning English as a second language may want to contact the school to understand how those services are staffed and structured.

The school sits in a neighborhood undergoing growth and change as Los Angeles addresses its housing shortage through new development and rezoning. Housing values in the area are moderate compared to many Los Angeles neighborhoods, and rents have remained relatively stable. The Highland Park area has a longstanding working-class character and has seen some commercial investment and cultural activity in recent years, though it remains less directly connected to downtown amenities than some central locations.

For a family considering this school, the central question is whether the early college model and charter structure align with their academic goals, and whether the current proficiency levels reflect a school in transition or one where a parent would want to look for alternatives. The school's small size and concentrated demographics create a specific peer environment and likely set of school-culture priorities. A visit and conversation with leadership about the college-pathway outcomes, remediation approach for students below grade level, and the school's recent academic trajectory would help clarify fit.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

90-94%Cohort of 72 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 618%

School 18% · district not reported

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 733%

School 33% · district not reported

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 829%

School 29% · district not reported

▲ 1 pts above state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 653%

School 53% · district not reported

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 730%

School 30% · district not reported

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 847%

School 47% · district not reported

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Science

Grade 829%

School 29% · district not reported

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

This schoolDistrict average, 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.