Original Research by School Decision on Metropolitan Continuation
Metropolitan Continuation is an alternative school serving grades nine through twelve in Los Angeles, located in the downtown area near the civic center. The school serves a small enrollment concentrated heavily in the upper grades, with only a handful of ninth-graders but a substantial majority of twelfth-graders, a composition typical of continuation programs designed to help students complete high school through a nontraditional path.
The student population is predominantly Hispanic, and nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the high economic need in the school's footprint. Data on the share of English learners and students with disabilities was not available, though these are often large populations at continuation schools.
State assessment results show proficiency rates well below the state average across all tested subjects. In English language arts, math, and science, proficiency sits in the single digits. These numbers reflect the reality that continuation schools typically serve students facing substantial academic challenges, including those who have fallen significantly behind grade level, dropped out, faced behavioral issues, or struggled with attendance. The school's mission centers on credit recovery and graduation completion rather than advancement on standardized benchmarks. A parent considering Metropolitan should understand that the academic profile here differs fundamentally from comprehensive high schools. The question is not whether this school closes gaps quickly; it is whether the continuation model, with its smaller cohorts and individualized pacing, provides the structure and support a particular student needs to finish high school.
Graduation data specific to Metropolitan was not reported, so a parent may want to look into the school's completion and credit-recovery outcomes directly. Los Angeles Unified, the parent district, recently adopted a district-wide cellphone ban that took effect in February 2025, affecting all schools including this one. The district also approved Measure US, a major school facilities bond, which will increase property taxes on district residents over the coming decades to fund repairs and upgrades across aging school buildings.
The school sits in downtown Los Angeles, a neighborhood undergoing active transformation with major housing and mixed-use development ahead of the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, though the immediate area around the school remains primarily industrial and civic in character. Housing in the zip code is mid-range relative to Los Angeles County, and both home values and rents have remained relatively stable. Public transit options through the Metro system are accessible, with multiple bus and rail lines serving downtown.
For families considering this school, the central question is fit: whether the continuation model and smaller, credit-focused structure serve a student who has struggled in or dropped out of a traditional comprehensive high school setting.
See more original research from School Decision →