Duff Language Magnet Academy, Rosemead CA

Original Research by School Decision on Duff Language Magnet Academy

Duff Language Magnet Academy is a small, grade K-through-6 public school in Rosemead, serving a tightly defined population, almost exclusively Asian-American students, from a low-income area of the Los Angeles metro region.

The school's test performance reflects a pattern common to elementary schools serving younger students and lower-income families: strong math learning, middling English language arts, and modest science results. In math, students in grades three and five reach solid ground; grade four dips lower, and grade six falls notably below the school's other grades. English language arts proficiency is lower across the board, ranging from just above half of third-graders meeting the standard up to a stronger showing in fifth grade. Fifth-grade science results are in the mid-to-upper range. Overall, the school sits in the top quartile on a proficiency index when compared against other schools in Los Angeles County, a meaningful indicator that the school's results are holding up well relative to similar urban elementary settings in the region.

The name "Language Magnet" signals the school's enrollment draws families seeking language study; the data available does not specify which languages or at what intensity. The enrollment is small, around a level typical for a neighborhood elementary, and concentrated heavily in grades K through five with no reported sixth-grade students currently. About four-fifths of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Student composition is extremely homogeneous: nearly all students reported in the data are Asian-American, with a small number of Hispanic students and students identifying as multiracial. No specific English-learner or special education enrollment figures are available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly how it supports students who are not yet fluent in English, particularly given the magnet emphasis on language and the possible presence of newcomer families.

The school sits in Rosemead, a dense suburban city in the western San Gabriel Valley, known regionally for its Asian-American commercial and cultural life. The housing stock is mostly 1940s-50s single-family homes. Recent home values in the area reflect middle-tier Southern California pricing, with mortgages at current rates running well above median household income levels. Rents are moderately more affordable than purchase; many working families here are renters. The city's economy is anchored by Edison International and Panda Express, both headquartered locally, alongside healthcare and service sectors.

The school's neighborhood character is car-oriented strip commercial interspersed with older residential blocks. Parks, the county library, and Metro bus lines provide civic anchors. The area is not walkable to schools or shops for most families; most daily movement requires a car.

Data about the school's specific programs, staffing, attendance, or discipline were not available. The district serving Duff, Garvey Elementary, did not return public reporting on recent policy changes or growth plans, so the broader context of how this particular school may be shifting is not visible here. Parents considering the school should expect to get a more complete picture from a direct visit and conversation with school leadership, especially around the language program details, supports for students at the start of their English-language journey, and the school's approach to math intervention for grades four and six where proficiency softens.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 384%

School 84% · District 58% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 473%

School 73% · District 54% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 577%

School 77% · District 43% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 46 pts above state median · ▲ 43 pts above county median

Grade 660%

School 60% · District 53% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 351%

School 51% · District 46% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 459%

School 59% · District 52% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 579%

School 79% · District 54% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 677%

School 77% · District 61% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

Science

Grade 574%

School 74% · District 34% · ▲ 39 pts above district

▲ 45 pts above state median · ▲ 46 pts above county median

This schoolGarvey Elementary, 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.