The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Herrick Avenue Elementary
Herrick Avenue Elementary sits on the northern residential edge of Los Angeles, in Sylmar, a working-class San Fernando Valley community bordered by the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest. The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within Los Angeles Unified, and its student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, reflecting the surrounding neighborhood. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school squarely in an economically disadvantaged population context. Data on English learner enrollment and special education rates were not available in what we reviewed.
On state assessments, Herrick Avenue's results are below the midpoint relative to districts in Los Angeles County. Across tested grades in English language arts, roughly a third of students scored at or above the proficient standard, with the fifth grade showing the strongest reading results of the three tested grades and third grade the weakest. Math results run lower across the board, with the strongest performance in fourth grade and the weakest in fifth. Science, tested only at fifth grade through California's CAST assessment, came in well below the math and ELA figures. Only one year of data is available, so no trend line can be drawn. A parent interested in understanding how the school addresses these gaps would want to ask directly about its instructional support strategies, intervention programs, and how it tracks individual student progress over time.
The school is a neighborhood school of modest size for an elementary serving six grade levels. There is no information in the data about specialized programs, magnet designation, or charter status; Herrick Avenue is a straight regular public school.
Sylmar itself is a mostly auto-oriented, semi-rural residential community with a slower pace than much of the city. Publicly reported sources describe it as a stable, multigenerational place with agricultural roots and some remaining equestrian neighborhoods. Civic resources that matter for families include a large county park with recreational programming, the Sylmar Branch Library, which publicly reported sources say offers free after-school tutoring and student homework zones through high school, and Los Angeles Mission College nearby. The Metrolink station at the southern edge of the community links to downtown LA for commuting families. Health care is a major local employer through Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.
The housing market in Sylmar, like most of Los Angeles, is expensive relative to national norms. The neighborhood's typical home value runs well above the California statewide median and far above the national median, with estimated monthly ownership costs representing a substantial financial commitment at current mortgage rates. Rents are also high, with rental costs consuming a very large share of the median household income nationally, and recent rent trends in the zip code show continued upward movement. Families weighing a move into the district should also account for a voter-approved LAUSD facilities bond that will raise property taxes for years to come, as it is the largest such bond in the district's history.
At the district level, two changes affect daily life at Herrick Avenue and every other LAUSD campus. Beginning in early 2025, LAUSD implemented a full school-day ban on cellphones, smartwatches, and earbuds, including during lunch and breaks, with devices to be stored and turned off. Families accustomed to mid-day contact with children will need to adjust their routines. LAUSD also overhauled its Black Student Achievement Plan in 2024, expanding eligibility beyond race to cover a broader range of campuses, and the board added further funding for 2025-26. The program places counselors and support staff at priority schools; whether Herrick Avenue is among the targeted campuses was not available in the data we reviewed.
Program information for this school was not provided, so specifics about enrichment, arts, or after-school offerings cannot be assessed here. A parent would want to ask the school directly about what it provides beyond the core academic program.
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