La Canada High, La Canada CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on La Canada High

La Canada High serves grades seven through twelve and sits in an affluent, primarily residential community in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, adjacent to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The school draws from a town that was built out long ago and now functions as a well-established family-centered enclave with high home values and strong schools as a central draw.

The school's academic performance is notably strong across core subjects. English language arts proficiency sits at a high level, with seventh and eighth graders both demonstrating mastery at rates well above many peer schools. Mathematics proficiency is also solid, though slightly lower than ELA, with seventh graders performing somewhat higher than eighth graders. Science proficiency represents a relative soft spot, and a parent may want to look further into science instruction and resources at the school, as proficiency there lags behind both ELA and math. Overall proficiency across tested subjects places the school in the top tier among secondary schools across Los Angeles County.

Enrollment at the school is substantial, distributed fairly evenly across grades seven through twelve. The student population is predominantly white and Asian, with smaller Hispanic and multiracial populations and very few Black students. A small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the surrounding community. Data on special education enrollment and English learner populations was not available, so a family with a student in either category would benefit from asking the school directly about how those services are supported.

The school sits in a car-oriented town with limited public transit infrastructure, though Metro bus service runs along Foothill Boulevard. The community itself is spread out, with no traditional downtown; commercial activity concentrates along the Foothill corridor in strip-retail centers. Schools sit on dispersed campuses rather than at a civic center. The dominant local employer is JPL, which draws a knowledge-based workforce, and many residents work from home. Housing in the area carries values well above state and national medians, and monthly rents are substantial as well, making affordability a real constraint for renters relative to local incomes.

The district has undergone recent curriculum changes notably affecting secondary students. Math pathways were restructured to return to traditional course names (Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II/Trigonometry) instead of numbered LC Math courses, with each course receiving a full year of instruction. An AP Precalculus course was added. Placement test procedures and parental waiver policies were also revised. These changes attempt to reduce pacing stress while maintaining rigor.

A new school bond measure is before voters in June 2026 that would fund facility upgrades including replacement of aging portables. Additionally, an ongoing parcel tax (Measure LC) funds advanced academic programs and specialized staffing. For younger grades, third graders now attend full-day school beginning in the 2025-26 school year, a schedule change relevant to family routines.

The school operates as a regular public school within the La Canada Unified School District and does not have magnet or charter status. Graduates exit into a competitive university-preparation context typical of well-resourced suburban schools in greater Los Angeles.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=99%Cohort of 319 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 786%

School 86% · District 86%

▲ 55 pts above state median · ▲ 55 pts above county median

Grade 883%

School 83% · District 83% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 55 pts above state median · ▲ 54 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 790%

School 90% · District 90%

▲ 45 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

Grade 890%

School 90% · District 90%

▲ 46 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

Science

Grade 884%

School 84% · District 83%

▲ 58 pts above state median · ▲ 59 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 890%

School 90% · District 90%

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

This schoolLa Canada 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 7Lower-income69%Higher-income91%23 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income89%Higher-income90%1 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 7Lower-income56%Higher-income87%31 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income79%Higher-income84%5 pp gap