Prepa Tec - Los Angeles, Walnut Park CA

Original Research by School Decision on Prepa Tec - Los Angeles

PREPA TEC Los Angeles is a middle school serving grades six through eight in the unincorporated community of Walnut Park, a densely populated neighborhood south of downtown Los Angeles. The school sits in a small, stable, tree-lined residential area of predominantly Hispanic, multicultural character. It is a charter school and part of the PREPA TEC Los Angeles District.

The school operates on an International Baccalaureate framework, one of the few middle schools in southeast Los Angeles to do so. This pedagogy emphasizes inquiry-based learning and remains an anchor feature of the program. Enrollment is small, around the mid-range for a middle school, drawn entirely from the local community.

State testing results from the most recent school year show serious academic struggles. In English language arts, proficiency across all grades stands at roughly a quarter of students. In mathematics, the picture is steeper: proficiency drops to a very small share across all three grades. Science proficiency at grade eight is likewise very low. When compared to other schools in Los Angeles County, this school's overall proficiency sits in the bottom quartile. A parent should examine these numbers closely with the school and seek to understand the underlying reasons and any targeted support or intervention underway.

The student body is almost entirely Hispanic, and a very substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic character of the neighborhood. English learner and special education enrollment data were not available.

Walnut Park itself is a built-out residential community where most housing stock predates recent decades. Single-family homes and small apartment buildings line tree-lined streets. The area is densely developed with little vacant land. A recent affordable housing project and a shopping center on formerly industrial land represent the main recent development. The community has invested in new park space, including Nogales Park, and is served by Metro bus routes and light rail nearby. Residents value walkability, and local commercial life centers on multicultural retail and gathering spaces, with the Huntington Park commercial district just north offering additional services.

The school faces a significant institutional challenge that overshadows all other considerations. In 2026, the Los Angeles Unified School District denied the school's charter renewal petition, and the Los Angeles County Superintendent recommended denial of the school's appeal. This puts the school at risk of closure. The final decision rests with the County Board of Education. If the school closes, its approximately three hundred students would need to find placements elsewhere. A parent or guardian considering this school should clarify the current status of the appeal and closure threat directly with the district and school administration before enrolling, since the school's continued operation is not assured.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 69%

School 9% · district not reported

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

Grade 78%

School 8% · district not reported

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 86%

School 6% · district not reported

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

English language arts

Grade 628%

School 28% · district not reported

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

Grade 729%

School 29% · district not reported

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

Grade 824%

School 24% · district not reported

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

Science

Grade 84%

School 4% · district not reported

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 20 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.