Kelso (william H.) Elementary, Inglewood CA

Original Research by School Decision on Kelso (william H.) Elementary

Kelso Elementary in Inglewood serves kindergarten through sixth grade with a small enrollment concentrated in the elementary years. The school sits within the Inglewood Unified School District, which has been under state and county receivership since the early 2010s, the longest such intervention in California history. As of early 2026, the district is under state review for a potential return to local control in 2027, a transition that would restore decision-making authority to the elected board.

The student body at Kelso is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with roughly equal representation between the two groups. An overwhelming share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of Inglewood's families. Data on English learner enrollment and special education rates were not available.

Academic performance on the 2024-25 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress shows very low proficiency across tested grades and subjects. In math, third-grade students showed the highest proficiency rate at around one-third of grade level, while fourth, fifth, and sixth grades fell to single digits or near single digits. English language arts performance was similarly weak across all tested grades, ranging from the high teens to the low twenties. Science proficiency in fifth grade was below five percent. On the strength of these results alone, a parent would want to look closely at what supports the school is offering to help students catch up, what classroom experience looks like, and what the school's strategic response to these metrics is.

Kelso's proficiency overall places it in the bottom quartile among schools in Los Angeles County. Only one year of state testing data is available, so trend information is not yet possible. The school offers a standard regular public school program; specialized magnet or dual-credit programs were not identified.

The housing market in the 90301 zip code where the school is located reflects Inglewood's rapid transformation. Home values have climbed substantially and rent has ticked upward, though monthly rental costs remain below estimated mortgage payments. The area is experiencing active new development tied to the SoFi Stadium district and the Metro K Line, which opened in 2022 with three Inglewood stations. Transit-oriented housing projects are underway or planned, including multifamily buildings and mixed-use developments near the downtown stations. This growth is reshaping the neighborhood's composition and may be shifting the economic profile of families moving into the area.

The district faces broader structural pressures: declining enrollment, chronic absenteeism, and repayment of a state emergency loan. These financial headwinds have prompted school closures and consolidations. For families considering Kelso, the district's long period under receivership and its financial constraints are worth understanding as context for what the school can offer and how stable its operations are likely to be. The potential restoration of local control in 2027 could shift decision-making, though the district's underlying enrollment and attendance challenges would remain.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 332%

School 32% · District 34% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 414%

School 14% · District 22% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 57%

School 7% · District 20% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 67%

School 7% · District 14% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 79%

School 9% · District 15% · ▼ 6 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 318%

School 18% · District 31% · ▼ 13 pts below district

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

Grade 421%

School 21% · District 27% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 521%

School 21% · District 31% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 26 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 714%

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

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Science

Grade 54%

School 4% · District 14% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below 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.