The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Magnolia Avenue Elementary
Magnolia Avenue Elementary sits in a dense, predominantly Hispanic neighborhood in Los Angeles, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The school's enrollment is small relative to district size, and the student body is overwhelmingly low-income; nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The racial and ethnic composition reflects the neighborhood's character: the vast majority of students identify as Hispanic, with smaller numbers of Black, Asian, and multiracial students.
Academic performance at the school is below the midpoint when measured against other elementary schools across Los Angeles County. In English language arts, results vary by grade. Fourth-graders showed stronger proficiency than third and fifth graders. In mathematics, proficiency is consistently below half across all tested grades, with fourth grade performing somewhat better than third and fifth. In fifth-grade science, less than one in three students reached proficiency. These patterns suggest that older elementary grades, particularly fourth grade, perform better on the state assessment than third and fifth grades, though overall the school is not meeting state standards at rates comparable to stronger-performing schools in the county.
The school operates within Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second-largest district by enrollment. LAUSD has recently implemented two policy changes that will affect families: a district-wide cellphone ban that went into effect in February 2025, covering all school hours including lunch and breaks, and a ban on smartwatches and earbuds; and an overhaul of the Black Student Achievement Plan in 2024, which now funds culturally responsive curriculum and additional support staff. Additionally, voters approved Measure US, a major school facilities bond that will result in property tax increases lasting many years for families living in the district. These changes shape the district environment any family entering LAUSD would encounter.
The zip code surrounding the school reflects a tight housing market. Median home values are substantial, and monthly rents suggest that housing costs consume a significant share of household income. The housing affordability gap is steep: monthly mortgage payments far exceed typical monthly rent for the area. This context helps explain the school's student composition; the neighborhood is densely populated with families, including many immigrants and immigrant-heritage households, working in service and labor industries throughout the city.
The school serves an early elementary population in an urban neighborhood where walkability, density, and transit access are defining characteristics. Los Angeles broadly has a reputation for car dependence, but the dense neighborhoods of central Los Angeles, including areas like this, offer more walkable street life and access to Metro bus and rail lines. Families in this area rely heavily on public transit, schools, parks, and neighborhood commercial corridors for daily life.
State assessment data covers only three grades at this school, and trend data across multiple years is not available, so a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand whether performance has been stable, improving, or declining. The school's performance in mathematics is a particular area to explore with staff: understanding what instruction looks like in math classes, what support systems exist for students who are behind, and what progress the school is making would help a parent decide whether this is the right fit for their child.
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