The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Math. The lowest is 43% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Stella Elementary Charter Academy
Stella Elementary Charter Academy is a small charter school serving kindergarten through fourth grade in Los Angeles, located in a zip code where home values are elevated and rental costs are moderate relative to state and national benchmarks. The school enrolls approximately a small number of students across its five grades, with the largest cohorts in kindergarten and fourth grade. The enrollment is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black population and very small numbers of other racial and ethnic groups. The vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a community with significant economic need despite the higher housing values in the immediate area.
The school's academic performance shows a split profile. In math, students perform respectably, with a solid rate of proficiency in third grade and a considerably lower proficiency rate in fourth grade, marking a steep dropoff. English language arts shows weaker results across both tested grades, with proficiency rates in the low-to-mid range. When averaged across subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the charter and traditional public schools in Los Angeles County, a meaningful distinction in a county that spans schools from under-resourced to well-funded environments. However, parents may want to examine the fourth-grade math decline more closely with the school to understand whether it reflects a cohort-specific issue, instructional approach shifts, or a broader pattern that could affect their child's progression through the upper elementary years.
The school operates as part of the Stella Elementary Charter Academy District, its own single-school authorizing entity. Data on special education enrollment, English learner status, staffing, discipline, attendance, and other operational details were not available. The school website address was not provided, so families interested in program specifics, application procedures, or contact information would need to search directly or check the district's charter authorization records.
The neighborhood around the school is part of Los Angeles's diverse, polycentric landscape. The area has a longstanding mix of residential density and commercial corridors, with access to public transit options typical of the city, though the car remains the primary transportation mode for most households. The housing market in the zip code shows a year-over-year decline in home values and a slight uptick in rental costs, reflecting broader LA market dynamics shaped by high interest rates and construction costs. A family considering this school should weigh its academic profile, small size, charter governance structure, and student composition against their preferences for school setting and support systems. The school's strength in the broader county context is clear in the data, but the gap between third and fourth grade math performance warrants direct conversation with school leadership.
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