Bennett/kew P-8 Leadership Academy of Excellence, Inglewood CA

Original Research by School Decision on Bennett/kew P-8 Leadership Academy of Excellence

Bennett/Kew P-8 Leadership Academy of Excellence is a small school in Inglewood serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The enrollment is modest, with roughly equal numbers of students spread across all nine grade bands, with slightly larger primary grades. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic and African American.

The school's most recent state test results show consistent and substantial challenges across all tested subjects and grades. In English language arts, performance ranges from low proficiency in the early and middle grades to stronger results by eighth grade. Mathematics proficiency is weaker, declining notably through the upper elementary and middle school grades. Science proficiency, measured in grades five and eight, sits well below state benchmarks at both levels. Across the tested grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile of schools in Los Angeles County.

The pattern of results deserves a parent's careful attention. Strength in eighth-grade English does not offset the flat or declining trajectory through earlier grades, and the sharp drop in math proficiency from fourth to fifth grade and again through sixth grade suggests students encounter increasing difficulty with content complexity. A parent considering this school would want to discuss with the staff what interventions or supports the school has in place for the grade spans where learning gains slow, and what changes, if any, are planned in light of the most recent results.

Bennett/Kew is part of Inglewood Unified School District, which has been operating under state and county receivership since the mid-2010s, longer than any other district in California. This means the elected school board has no decision-making authority over matters from campus safety to teacher pay to budgets. The district continues to carry a large state emergency loan and faces declining enrollment and chronic absenteeism. A state review expected in early 2026 will determine whether the district can return to local control, a transition that could happen as early as 2027. For families, this receivership context matters because operational decisions remain with an outside administrator rather than elected trustees, and the district's budget pressures have driven school closures and consolidations. A parent should view the school within this broader stability question.

The school's location in Inglewood places it in a neighborhood undergoing rapid change. The city has emerged as a major sports and entertainment hub anchored by SoFi Stadium and the Kia Forum, driving new mixed-use development and housing construction, especially near the Metro K Line stations that opened in 2022. This growth is generating jobs in hospitality, guest services, and retail, but also raising concerns about displacement and affordability. Housing costs in the area are substantial, though rental options exist and the city has become a draw for renters in smaller apartments. Public amenities include Edward Vincent Jr. Park, a large central park with recreational facilities, and improved pedestrian infrastructure along Market Street in the historic downtown core.

The school itself is located on South Cherry Avenue in a residential neighborhood, and music is listed among its program offerings. Beyond that, limited data on special programs, staffing, discipline, or detailed course access is available. The state has not disclosed enrollment rates for English learners or students with individualized education plans, though these are aspects a parent would reasonably want to understand. A visit to the school or a conversation with staff would help clarify the school's approach to literacy and mathematics instruction, how it identifies and supports struggling learners, and what the eighth-grade strength in English reflects about the student population or instructional approach.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 34% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Grade 451%

School 51% · District 22% · ▲ 28 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 20% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 616%

School 16% · District 14% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 718%

School 18% · District 15% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 20% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 321%

School 21% · District 31% · ▼ 10 pts below district

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

Grade 447%

School 47% · District 27% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 31% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 622%

School 22% · District 25% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 731%

School 31% · District 36% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 858%

School 58% · District 45% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Science

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 14%

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 24% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

This schoolInglewood 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.