Barack Obama Charter, Los Angeles CA

Original Research by School Decision on Barack Obama Charter

Barack Obama Charter is a small elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in south Los Angeles. The school has a student body that is predominantly Black and Latino, with a substantial majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic conditions of the neighborhood around South San Pedro Street.

The school's academic performance in the most recent testing year shows proficiency levels well below state averages across both English language arts and mathematics. In tested grades, ELA proficiency ranges in the low to mid-teens, with math proficiency similarly low. Science proficiency in fifth grade is also well below state benchmarks. When compared to other schools in Los Angeles County, Barack Obama Charter's overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile. This performance pattern suggests students are entering elementary grades with significant achievement gaps, and the school faces considerable instructional challenges in serving its population.

The data provided does not include information about the school's special education enrollment, English learner population, or chronic absenteeism rates, so parents may want to inquire directly with the school about how these populations are served and what support systems are in place. The school is a charter, which means it operates under a different governance model than traditional district schools, with its own authorizing entity and operational autonomy. District brief materials on any recent strategic changes or initiatives were not available.

The neighborhood of south Los Angeles where the school is located is diverse and working-class. Housing values in the zip code are substantially lower than the statewide median, and rental prices are accordingly lower as well. The area has seen ongoing development activity as the broader Los Angeles region addresses a statewide housing shortage, though growth in building has been uneven across neighborhoods.

For families considering Barack Obama Charter, the key question is what academic intervention and support services the school offers to address the wide proficiency gaps evident in its test results. The school's small size and elementary-only grade span create a contained, community-based setting. Parents should ask about curriculum approach, tutoring or remedial services, how progress is tracked, and what partnerships exist with the broader district or community to support student learning. Given the low proficiency rates, understanding the school's improvement plan and timeline would be critical in making a choice.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 313%

School 13% · district not reported

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Grade 417%

School 17% · district not reported

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 514%

School 14% · district not reported

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 313%

School 13% · district not reported

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 420%

School 20% · district not reported

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 514%

School 14% · district not reported

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Science

Grade 512%

School 12% · district not reported

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