The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in Math. The lowest is 27% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cantara Street Elementary
Cantara Street Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Reseda, a densely populated San Fernando Valley neighborhood of single-family homes, small apartment complexes, and commercial strips along Reseda Boulevard and Sherman Way. The school sits within Los Angeles Unified, the large urban district that covers the city and surrounding areas.
Cantara Street enrolls students from a highly economically disadvantaged community. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The enrollment is small for its grade band, with roughly equal numbers of students across the grades. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller representations of Asian, white, and multiracial students; there are few Black students. The district did not report English learner or special education enrollment data, so the scope of language services and support staffing cannot be described here.
The school's state test results in math and English language arts reflect below-midpoint proficiency among schools tested in Los Angeles County. In third grade, math proficiency sits in the low-to-middle range; by fifth grade it drops noticeably lower. English language arts shows a similar pattern, with third grade lower but fourth grade stronger, and fifth grade declining again. The school administered California's science assessment to fifth grade only, and proficiency there is notably lower than in the tested grades of math and ELA. When averaging across tested subjects and all tested grades, the school's overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint among county schools. A parent may want to look into this further with the school: the pattern of declining performance in older grades, particularly in math, and the low science results warrant discussion about curriculum, instruction, or other factors that might explain these trends.
Reseda itself is on a growth trajectory centered on its commercial core. Reseda Park and the West Valley Regional Branch Library serve the neighborhood. Metro G Line service connects the area to the broader city. A mixed-use residential development was completed nearby in recent years, and several mid-rise apartment projects and affordable housing buildings have opened or been proposed along the main boulevards. The Sherman Way corridor, which runs through the heart of the neighborhood, was designated a Great Street and has received pedestrian improvements including new trees, shade structures, and high-visibility crosswalks. Housing costs in the area are substantial relative to median income, with rents representing a significant monthly burden for households, and purchase prices considerably above the national benchmark.
Los Angeles Unified has implemented several district-wide changes recently. In February 2025, the district began enforcing an all-day cellphone ban for students, covering smartwatches and earbuds as well. This changes daily school culture and parent-student communication. Additionally, voters approved a major school facilities bond that will fund repairs and upgrades to aging school buildings across the district; families moving into LAUSD face a long-term property tax increase to repay this bond. The district has also boosted funding for its Black Student Achievement Plan, which provides culturally responsive curriculum and additional staffing at targeted schools.
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