Original Research by School Decision on Harold Mcalister High (opportunity)
Harold McAlister High (Opportunity) is an alternative school serving grades six through twelve in central Los Angeles, located in a mixed commercial and residential area near downtown. The school serves a very small enrollment, concentrated almost entirely in grades nine through twelve, with only a handful of students in grade eight.
The student body is predominantly Latino, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Enrollment data does not indicate the share of English learners or students with disabilities; a parent may want to ask the school directly about the composition of those populations and the supports available.
State testing data for this school are suppressed for grades eight through twelve in English language arts and mathematics, and are either missing or suppressed for science and social studies. This suppression typically reflects the small number of test-takers, which is consistent with the school's overall enrollment. Because the school's charter status shows as non-charter but it operates as an alternative school within the Los Angeles Unified district, its academic profile sits outside the standard district accountability measures. A parent considering this school should request recent assessment results directly from the school and ask about how proficiency is tracked and communicated.
The alternative school designation signals that Harold McAlister serves a student population whose needs may not fit a traditional comprehensive high school. Alternative schools in California often serve students who are recovering from academic setbacks, managing health or personal circumstances, working, or pursuing accelerated or self-paced paths. The school's existence and small enrollment suggest it fills a distinct role within LAUSD. A parent would benefit from a conversation with the school about its mission, whether the program emphasizes credit recovery, competency-based progression, flexible scheduling, work-based learning, or another pathway, and how it measures and supports student progress toward graduation.
The neighborhood around Carondelet Street in downtown-adjacent Los Angeles has moderate housing costs relative to broader Los Angeles County, though affordability remains a significant factor in the area. Renters face a substantial cost burden relative to income, and buying a home in the area carries a substantial price relative to median household income in the region.
LAUSD has recently implemented a district-wide cellphone ban throughout the school day, effective in early 2025, and passed Measure US, a major bond for school facilities repair and upgrades funded through long-term property tax increases. Both are active, district-level changes that affect any school within the district. The district also expanded its Black Student Achievement Plan funding in the 2025-26 budget, which may affect curriculum and staffing at eligible schools. A parent should ask whether Harold McAlister participates in that program and how it shapes classroom offerings and student support.
For families considering this school, the key questions are the school's specific program model, how it tracks student progress given the absence of public proficiency data, the type of students it enrolls and why, the flexibility or structure of its schedule, and what pathways it offers toward graduation or further education. An alternative school can be precisely right for a student whose circumstances or learning style require a different approach than a traditional comprehensive high school, but the fit depends entirely on how well the school's design matches that student's needs and circumstances.
See more original research from School Decision →