Original Research by School Decision on Phoenix Continuation
Phoenix Continuation is a small alternative high school serving grades ten through twelve within Los Angeles Unified. Alternative schools like this typically serve students who have struggled in traditional settings—students managing significant life challenges, returning from suspension or expulsion, working while studying, or pursuing nontraditional pathways. The school's enrollment is very small, with the vast majority of its students in the twelfth grade, which is typical for continuation schools where students complete their final years before graduation.
The school serves a student population with acute economic need. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and white students. These demographics reflect both the neighborhood and the purpose of the school; continuation programs tend to enroll students experiencing poverty and other systemic barriers.
The available state testing data from the most recent year shows proficiency in English language arts at a low rate, essentially no students met proficiency in mathematics, and proficiency in science was also very low. These numbers are stark and warrant direct conversation with the school about context. Continuation schools serve students with interrupted education histories, students who have been out of school, and those managing crises—factors that depress test scores immediately and are not necessarily reflective of what the school is doing for its population. A parent or student considering Phoenix Continuation should ask the school directly what supports it provides for students re-entering or completing their education, how it approaches credit recovery, what counseling or wraparound services are in place, and what the actual graduation pathway looks like. The school's structure and daily practices matter more than a single year's test result when deciding whether it is a fit.
The school is located in Los Angeles at a street address in the 90066 zip code, in an area where median home values are substantial and median rents reflect the broader Los Angeles housing market—both well above national benchmarks. Families considering this school, whether as residents or newcomers to the area, should be aware that Los Angeles faces ongoing housing costs and that LAUSD recently passed a major bond measure for facilities repairs, which will increase property taxes for homeowners over many years.
State assessment data and several other metrics used to benchmark schools—such as graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, and overall proficiency indices—were not available for this school in the data provided, which is common for alternative or specialized schools that may not participate in the same accountability reporting as traditional high schools or that serve populations for whom standard metrics are not the primary measure of success.
Phoenix Continuation is designed for a specific student population: those completing high school outside the traditional path. If you are considering this school for a student, the conversation should focus on what the student needs to finish their education, whether the school's schedule and support structure match that student's life circumstances, and what happens after graduation. Test scores alone do not capture whether an alternative school is working for its students.
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