Original Research by School Decision on Reid High
Reid High is a small alternative high school serving grades eleven and twelve in Long Beach. The school enrolls a very small student body, with the vast majority of students in the twelfth-grade cohort and a handful in eleventh grade. It serves a student population that is predominantly Hispanic, with meaningful representation of Black and Asian students and a smaller presence of white and multiracial students. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which speaks to the economic circumstances of the families the school serves.
Alternative high schools operate outside the traditional comprehensive track and typically serve students whose needs—whether academic, behavioral, or circumstantial—are not being met in regular settings. Reid's position as a grades-eleven-and-twelve program suggests it may serve students working toward completion of a high school credential, students re-engaging after prior disconnection, or those pursuing non-traditional pathways. Without additional detail on Reid's specific programs, entry requirements, or instructional model, the extent to which the school offers structured pathways toward graduation, career preparation, college placement, or credential completion is not clear from available data.
Academic performance data are extremely limited. State testing data for English language arts and mathematics show no reported results, which is typical for alternative schools either because those grades are not tested under state assessment systems or because students in those grades may not be tested through the standard protocol. Science proficiency appears at a very low level, though the small enrollment and the nature of alternative school populations—students often working to recover lost academic ground or addressing barriers to traditional learning—make direct comparison to regular high schools misleading. A parent considering Reid should ask the school directly about how it assesses progress, what supports it offers for students working to meet graduation requirements, and how it connects students to post-secondary outcomes such as college, vocational certification, or employment.
Long Beach itself is a large, diverse coastal city with a strong port economy, aerospace heritage, and increasingly mixed downtown residential and commercial life. The city has walkable neighborhoods alongside more suburban areas, excellent transit access via the Metro A Line light rail system, and major employers spanning health care, education, and logistics. Housing costs in the area are substantial, though various neighborhoods offer different price points and character. The city is in a significant growth phase, particularly downtown, with major new residential development underway.
Long Beach Unified, the district that operates Reid, has been managing a long-term enrollment decline from its peak size, and the board voted in late 2024 to close an elementary school, signaling possible further consolidations. The district is also implementing state-mandated ethnic studies courses as part of the graduation requirement, which reshapes the social studies pathway for all students. Voters approved a major school bond in 2022 for facility upgrades and repairs, raising local property taxes; that long-term cost burden is relevant for families planning to stay in or move to the area.
Reid High serves a specific and relatively small population. It is fundamentally different from a traditional comprehensive high school and may be exactly right for a student whose needs align with alternative programming, or it may signal a prior pathway interruption that families will want to understand fully before enrollment. Conversations directly with the school about its mission, outcomes, support systems, and how it measures success are essential.
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