Kinetic Academy, Huntington Beach CA

Original Research by School Decision on Kinetic Academy

Kinetic Academy is a public charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Huntington Beach. The school operates as a directly funded, independent charter authorized by Huntington Beach City Elementary School District, with its charter reauthorized in fall 2021. It maintains two campuses a short distance apart, including a dedicated middle school building leased from the district, allowing families to keep students enrolled in the same learning model through eighth grade rather than transitioning elsewhere.

The school currently serves a small enrollment, with the grade distribution showing stronger numbers in the primary grades and notably smaller cohorts in the middle school years. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation of multiracial students and Hispanic students, while Asian, Black, and other groups form smaller shares.

On state assessments in 2024-25, Kinetic Academy's performance shows a pattern: stronger results in English language arts, particularly in the middle grades, where proficiency rates reach high levels, and more moderate performance in mathematics across most tested grades. Science proficiency is uneven, with a notably low result in fifth grade but stronger performance by eighth grade. Overall, the school's combined proficiency index places it above the midpoint among districts in Orange County.

English language arts emerges as a relative strength. By seventh grade, students are proficient at rates well above the median, and the trend continues through eighth grade. In fourth and fifth grade, results are solid. Third grade shows more moderate attainment, suggesting that proficiency builds as students move through the school.

Mathematics is softer. Fourth grade shows the strongest result, while performance dips in fifth grade and remains flat through eighth grade, hovering around the low to mid-range. This pattern warrants direct conversation with the school about instructional strategy and support systems for students who need help reaching proficiency.

Science is sparsely tested in the school's configuration. Fifth grade students showed low proficiency on the California Science Test, but eighth graders performed near or above the county median. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly whether science instruction changes notably between those grades or whether students showing low results in fifth grade benefit from subsequent support.

Huntington Beach itself is a coastal Orange County city shaped by beach culture and distinct neighborhoods ranging from waterfront estates in Huntington Harbour to inland tract residential areas. Single-family detached homes remain the dominant housing type, though the city is allocating units for new multifamily development under state housing mandates. Downtown Huntington Beach centers on Main Street and the pier, a walkable enclave with shops, restaurants, and patios, while civic anchors like the Central Library and recreation facilities sit in Huntington Central Park, set apart from downtown. The area has a significant aerospace and defense presence, anchored historically by Boeing, though the company has conducted layoffs in recent years. Housing values are high, reflecting broader Orange County market pressures, and new residential construction has been constrained by zoning, cost, and community opposition, though several large redevelopment projects are advancing.

The school's model centers on project-based learning and STEAM. It operates tuition-free as a public charter, making it accessible to families across the economic spectrum, though the residential setting and charter status mean families self-select for this approach. With proficiency tracking strongest in language arts and more variable in mathematics and science, the school suits families who value collaborative, project-centered learning and can also support students who may need targeted help in core subjects, particularly math.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 363%

School 63% · district not reported

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

Grade 468%

School 68% · district not reported

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

Grade 555%

School 55% · district not reported

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

Grade 661%

School 61% · district not reported

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 756%

School 56% · district not reported

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

Grade 855%

School 55% · district not reported

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

English language arts

Grade 359%

School 59% · district not reported

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

Grade 465%

School 65% · district not reported

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

Grade 573%

School 73% · district not reported

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 678%

School 78% · district not reported

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

Grade 789%

School 89% · district not reported

▲ 43 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 879%

School 79% · district not reported

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

Science

Grade 539%

School 39% · district not reported

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 860%

School 60% · district not reported

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 16 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income62%Higher-income58%4 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income36%Higher-income78%42 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income67%Higher-income76%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income77%Higher-income78%1 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income100%Higher-income80%20 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income62%Higher-income64%2 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income46%Higher-income78%33 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income50%Higher-income57%7 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income46%Higher-income70%23 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income67%Higher-income47%20 pp gap