Original Research by School Decision on Oscar De La Hoya Animo Charter High
Oscar De La Hoya Animo Charter High is a charter high school serving grades nine through twelve in Los Angeles, located in the 90023 zip code area. The school enrolls a modest number of students, the vast majority of whom are Latinx, with nearly all qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a school serving a deeply economically disadvantaged population in one of the city's central neighborhoods.
The most recent state assessment results available show meaningful academic challenges. Across all tested students, just under half meet proficiency in English language arts. Mathematics proficiency is substantially lower, around one in six students. Science proficiency sits between those two, with roughly one in four students meeting the standard. These results reflect a student population facing significant learning gaps. For context, the school serves students in a neighborhood where the housing market has seen modest decline, and where the economic pressures of the broader Los Angeles region—high rents, competitive labor markets, and limited affordable housing options—are felt acutely.
The school is a charter, meaning it operates under a contract with an authorization (in this case the Oscar De La Hoya Animo Charter High District) rather than as part of the Los Angeles Unified School District proper. As a charter, it has autonomy in some operational and curricular decisions, though it must still meet California's state testing and accountability standards.
The data does not include information about the school's graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, course offerings, extracurricular programs, staffing, or the share of students receiving special education or English learner services. These are gaps worth exploring directly with the school if you are considering enrollment. The school's website may provide clarity on its pedagogical approach, any career or college-readiness pathways, and how it supports students working below grade level in core subjects.
A parent evaluating this school should weigh its location and community connection against the current academic performance. The school serves a neighborhood in central Los Angeles with limited resources and high poverty. If your family is in this area and seeks a school with local roots and an explicit charter mission, the school may be worth investigating further. If your priority is choosing among schools primarily based on test results and graduation outcomes, a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand its trajectory, improvement strategies, and what support systems exist for students entering below grade level in math and ELA.
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