The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in English language arts. The lowest is 61% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Westlake Elementary
Westlake Elementary sits in an affluent, planned suburban community in the Conejo Valley, serving a school population that mirrors the neighborhood's relative economic and demographic homogeneity. The school enrolls a small-to-mid-sized cohort across kindergarten through fifth grade, with about seven in ten students white, and a modest share of Hispanic, multiracial, Asian, and Black students. Very few families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing Westlake substantially below the county average in economic need.
On California's state assessments for 2024-25, the school shows mixed academic standing. In English language arts, proficiency improves noticeably across grades: third-graders are at about two-thirds proficient, fourth-graders approach that same level, but fifth-graders reach a notably higher proficiency. In mathematics, the picture is flatter and below ELA: third-graders sit above two-thirds proficient, but fourth-graders dip below three-fifths, and fifth-graders recover slightly. In fifth-grade science, proficiency lands just above three-fifths. Across all tested subjects and grades, Westlake's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile when compared to other tested schools across Ventura County's districts, a meaningful distinction that reflects strength relative to the broader county footprint.
The trajectory within the school matters: fourth grade appears to be a soft spot academically, particularly in math. A parent considering Westlake may want to understand what instructional approaches the school uses in that grade band and whether classroom placements or tutoring support are available if a child struggles there.
The community itself is a 1960s-onward master-planned development organized into twenty distinct neighborhoods, each with its own homeowners' association. The lakeside area, built in the 1960s and 1970s, has a more walkable character centered around the lake, local shopping, and restaurants; North Ranch holds the most substantial estate-level properties. Housing values in the zip code are well above state and national medians, and monthly rents are also substantially elevated. The city maintains its own library, parks system, and a Civic Center, and daily life centers on neighborhood-based parks and small commercial zones rather than a traditional downtown.
Conejo Valley Unified, the district serving Westlake Elementary, has navigated two significant curriculum-related issues that merit parental awareness. The district adopted a one-semester ethnic studies course as a new graduation requirement starting with the class of 2030, beginning instruction in the 2025-26 school year. That curriculum decision affects every student's diploma path. Separately, a lawsuit filed in late 2022 by parents alleging age-inappropriate health and sex education and deficient parental notification remained active through appellate proceedings into 2025. The litigation reflects an ongoing disagreement about instructional content and parental communication in the district, the kind of sustained contestation a family deciding to enroll in Conejo Valley schools should weigh directly with the district.
The broader housing market context shows values significantly above state benchmarks and rents representing a substantial share of household income. The area's unemployment rate sits modestly above the national rate, though median household income is above the national average. For families drawn to a stable, affluent planned community with strong neighborhood cohesion and above-average academic proficiency in the upper elementary grades, Westlake Elementary offers that setting; parents should clarify the school's approach to fourth-grade math instruction and have a clear conversation with the district about curriculum and communication practices that matter to them.
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