Washington Elementary, Bellflower CA

Original Research by School Decision on Washington Elementary

Washington Elementary is a K-6 public school in Bellflower, a working-class residential suburb in southeast Los Angeles County where most residents rent and housing stock consists largely of midcentury ranch homes. The school sits within Bellflower Unified School District, which operates a free Expanded Learning Program at all elementary and middle schools offering before-school, after-school (with dismissal at 6:00 p.m.), and weekend enrichment with meals and homework help, a significant wraparound support for working families. The district also provides students free Metro bus and rail access through a GoPass program.

Washington Elementary's enrollment is small relative to a typical elementary school, drawn almost entirely from its immediate neighborhood. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial population of Black students and smaller Asian, white, and multiracial groups. An exceptionally high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting concentrated family economic hardship in the school's attendance zone.

State assessment results from the most recent test cycle show proficiency well below the state midpoint across all tested subjects and grades. In English Language Arts, proficiency ranges from low teen percentages in fourth and sixth grade to a higher outcome in fifth grade; across all grades tested, the school is in the bottom quartile among Los Angeles County districts. Mathematics proficiency is even lower, with most grades in the low-to-mid teens, also in the bottom quartile county-wide. Science proficiency, tested only in fifth grade, similarly falls well below county median. These results indicate students are not meeting grade-level standards in core academic areas at rates the school or district will need to address directly.

The data available does not report English learner or special education populations or whether the school carries Title I status, though the extremely high free-and-reduced-lunch rate suggests Title I eligibility. A 2022 state audit of Bellflower Unified found the district had accumulated substantial financial reserves while failing to deliver legally required services to students with disabilities, and it misrepresented finances to its board. The district has since adopted corrective practices and increased transparency, but a parent with a child who has an IEP or suspected learning needs may want to ask the school and district directly about how services are assessed and delivered.

The school occupies a residential neighborhood with a nearby mix of local parks and bike infrastructure connecting to the San Gabriel River Trail. The broader community benefits from recent downtown Bellflower revitalization along Bellflower Boulevard, though the school itself sits on a separate campus in the residential fabric. In-district students have access to free transit through the GoPass program.

Washington Elementary serves students who face considerable economic hardship and are not yet reaching proficiency benchmarks in tested subjects. The school's strength lies in being embedded in a district that has committed to district-wide free after-school care and transportation access. For families seeking a neighborhood elementary school in Bellflower with intensive academic support and clear performance gains, or those evaluating whether their child's learning needs can be met within the current system, a conversation with school leadership about intervention strategies and service delivery would help clarify the school's plans.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 325%

School 25% · District 45% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 33% · ▼ 16 pts below district

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

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 32% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 616%

School 16% · District 32% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 326%

School 26% · District 40% · ▼ 14 pts below district

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

Grade 414%

School 14% · District 36% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 47% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 48% · ▼ 20 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 26% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

This schoolBellflower Unified, 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.