The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in Math. The lowest is 13% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Fifty-second Street Elementary
Fifty-Second Street Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in South Los Angeles, in a neighborhood where the student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits in a dense urban residential area with a mix of single-family homes and smaller apartment buildings, part of the broader Los Angeles Unified School District.
The school's academic performance is weak across all tested subjects and grades. In English language arts, proficiency rates range across the tested grades in the lower range; in math, they range similarly low; in fifth-grade science, proficiency is also quite low. Across all tested grades and subjects combined, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile compared to other schools across Los Angeles County districts, meaning the vast majority of schools in the county report higher achievement. A parent should understand that this school is not yet meeting the proficiency bar for most of its students in reading, writing, and math.
The school has an enrollment of about six hundred students distributed across six grade levels, with relatively even cohorts in each grade. The demographic profile is highly concentrated: roughly four-fifths of students are Hispanic, about an eighth are Black, and the remainder are White, multiracial, or other. Virtually all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the neighborhood. Data on special education enrollment and English learner status were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the scope and nature of English learner and special education services.
South Los Angeles, where this school is located, is a historically working-class residential neighborhood with a long urban character. The immediate surroundings are walkable to some degree, though the broader region remains car-dependent, as is typical of Los Angeles. The housing market in the 90037 zip code where the school sits shows moderate home values, with rents representing a substantial portion of household income, reflecting the affordability pressures across the city. The area has deep community roots and serves families with long tenure in the neighborhood.
As part of LAUSD, this school operates under recent district-wide policies that any family should weigh. Most notably, LAUSD implemented a district-wide ban on student cellphone and earbud use throughout the entire school day as of February 2025, a daily change to school culture and communication. Additionally, LAUSD voters approved a major school facilities bond in 2024, which will raise property taxes over a long period to fund repairs and upgrades to aging school buildings district-wide. The district also operates the Black Student Achievement Plan, which provides culturally responsive curriculum and added counseling and support staff at targeted schools.
For a family considering this school, the key fact is that academic proficiency is low across the board. The school serves a stable, predominantly Hispanic and Black community with very high poverty rates. Whether this school is the right fit depends on whether a family seeks additional academic support elsewhere, what they value in a neighborhood school environment, and how they assess the school's instructional approach and staff. A parent interested in this school should visit, meet with staff, and ask specifically about reading and math interventions, the composition of the teaching team, and how the school is working to move proficiency rates upward.
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