The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in Math. The lowest is 6% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Barton Hill Elementary
Barton Hill Elementary is a small school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in San Pedro, a port-rooted neighborhood on the southern fringe of Los Angeles. The school enrolls a modest size for its grade band, with the largest cohort in fifth grade and the smallest in fourth. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black enrollment and very small populations of other races. An overwhelming share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the community.
The school sits in San Pedro proper, a working-class, multi-generational neighborhood shaped by maritime history and port employment. The area mixes hillside residential zones with dense rental housing and a walkable downtown core around Pacific Avenue. It is a place of long-standing immigrant roots and strong community ties, now on a development trajectory: West Harbor, a waterfront food hall and park, is under construction on the former Ports O' Call site, and the Ponte Vista master-planned housing development is expanding single-family homes across the old naval base. Housing costs in the zip code are moderate relative to broader Los Angeles, and rents have shifted slightly downward, though both purchase and rental remain significant by national standards.
State assessment results show persistent challenges in reading and math proficiency. In the most recent year, math proficiency across tested grades sits well below the midpoint for schools countywide, with fourth grade performing least poorly at around half of students meeting proficiency and third grade near a third, but fifth grade dropping sharply. English language arts proficiency is similarly low, clustered in the mid-to-high twenties across grades three and four, and dipping further in fifth grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade is extremely low, a bright outlier in terms of struggle. The school reports only a single year of test results; prior-year data was not available to assess trend. These numbers place Barton Hill solidly in the bottom quartile of schools across Los Angeles County when measuring overall proficiency. A parent would want to understand from the school itself what learning supports and interventions are in place, what recent shifts in instruction or staffing may bear on these results, and what the school's own read is on where students need most support.
The school operates within Los Angeles Unified, a very large district currently navigating several system-wide changes that touch family life. The district passed a major school facilities bond that will increase property taxes over a long period, a consideration for families moving to the area. A new all-day cellphone ban took effect district-wide in February, affecting student communication and school culture. The district also boosted funding for culturally responsive curriculum and staffing through its Black Student Achievement Plan.
Barton Hill Elementary serves a community with high economic need and offers the traditional neighborhood elementary experience. The school's academic results sit well below county norms and merit direct conversation with school leadership about instructional approach, student support, and recent or planned changes. For families considering San Pedro, the broader area offers strong neighborhood identity, port-adjacent employment and cultural anchors, and proximity to the waterfront, though the school's test results indicate significant academic work ahead.
See more original research from School Decision →