The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in English language arts. The lowest is 51% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hugo Reid Elementary
Hugo Reid Elementary sits on Hugo Reid Drive in Arcadia, a San Gabriel Valley suburb about thirteen miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. The school is a regular public elementary serving kindergarten through fifth grade within the Arcadia Unified School District.
The enrollment is moderate for an elementary school of this grade span, spread fairly evenly across grade levels. The student body has a strong Asian majority, a sizable Hispanic population, and smaller shares of white, multiracial, and other students. Roughly a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a middle range on economic need for a Southern California elementary. Data on English learner enrollment and students with IEPs were not available in what we reviewed, so a parent curious about those programs and services would want to ask the school directly.
On the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, the academic picture is mixed and worth reading carefully. Third graders post strong proficiency rates in both English Language Arts and math, sitting well above what California typically sees in a given school year. Fourth and fifth grade results are more moderate, landing roughly around the midpoint or just above in ELA and math. Science results for fifth graders, reported through the California Science Test, come in near the midpoint. Across all tested grades and subjects combined, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Los Angeles County, which is a meaningful marker in a county as large and varied as LA. Trend data spans only a single reported year, so there is no multi-year trajectory to characterize.
A graduation rate is not applicable here because Hugo Reid serves only elementary grades. No course-access, discipline, or attendance data were available in what we reviewed.
The community context shapes the picture considerably. Arcadia's housing market is well above both the California statewide median and the national median, and the school's immediate ZIP code reflects that, with home values that put it among the higher-cost corners of an already expensive region. Rent-to-income ratios are strained by national standards. The market has seen modest year-over-year appreciation. Families renting or buying near Hugo Reid are entering one of the more expensive elementary-school zones in the county, and that price reflects both the broader Arcadia market and the school district's reputation.
Arcadia Unified passed a major facilities bond in late 2024, with voter approval, authorizing a substantial investment to repair and modernize campuses, many of which date to the 1950s. The funds are intended to address safety, security, technology, drinking water, and classroom infrastructure across the district. That bond is financed through a property tax assessment, so homeowners in the district will see a lasting addition to their tax bills while the bonds are outstanding. For a family weighing a move, this means both that the physical condition of schools like Hugo Reid should improve over the coming years and that carrying costs for homeowners include this levy.
Arcadia itself is a predominantly residential suburb with a large and long-established Asian community. Commercial life is concentrated along Huntington Drive and Baldwin Avenue, where restaurants and retail are dense. Walkability is real but uneven: the blocks near the downtown core and the Metro A Line station are genuinely walkable, while much of the single-family residential fabric is car-oriented. Major civic anchors include the Los Angeles County Arboretum, Arcadia County Park with its aquatic and recreation facilities, and Methodist Hospital of Southern California. Transit connects through the Metro A Line station and Arcadia's shuttle network.
Program offerings at Hugo Reid specifically were not described in the data we reviewed, so a parent interested in enrichment, intervention, or specialty programs would want to check directly with the school.
See more original research from School Decision →