The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on State Street Elementary
State Street Elementary sits on Santa Ana Street in South Gate, a predominantly Latino city in southeastern Los Angeles County, roughly seven miles southeast of downtown L.A. The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade within Los Angeles Unified and draws from a neighborhood that is densely residential, older in its built form, and economically working class. Nearly the entire student body identifies as Hispanic, and the vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic character of the surrounding community. Data on English learner rates and special education enrollment were not available in the records reviewed.
Academically, the picture is mixed and warrants honest attention. California's CAASPP assessment, which tests grades three through five in English language arts and math, shows that well under half of students at each grade level score at or above proficiency in both subjects, with math rates in the lower grades running particularly low. The fifth-grade ELA result is notably higher than the other grade-level results, which is an encouraging data point within an otherwise modest set of scores. Science proficiency for fifth graders, measured by the state's CAST assessment, falls roughly in the same range as math. Across all tested grades combined, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Los Angeles County. These are real gaps, and a parent evaluating academic fit should ask the school directly what instructional supports and interventions are in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level expectations.
Trend data is limited to a single year of reporting, so it is not possible from this record to say whether scores are improving, holding steady, or declining. That context matters, and it is worth asking the school or district for multi-year campus-level data.
Because the school only serves kindergarten through fifth grade, graduation rates do not apply here.
The school is part of Los Angeles Unified, and a few district-level changes are worth knowing. Voters recently approved a large school facilities bond, repaid through a property tax increase that could run for decades, which will fund repairs and upgrades to aging buildings across the district. LAUSD also implemented a full-school-day ban on cellphone, smartwatch, and earbud use beginning in early 2025, affecting how students and parents communicate during the day. Separately, the district's Black Student Achievement Plan, which funds culturally responsive curriculum and additional counseling staff at targeted campuses, was restructured and received additional funding for the coming school year.
South Gate itself is a walkable, family-oriented city with a strong Latino community identity. Tweedy Boulevard, the city's main commercial corridor, is the practical and historic center of daily life, lined with shops, markets, and restaurants. The city has an extensive park system, including parks along the Los Angeles River, a county library branch on Tweedy, and bus transit service. Publicly reported, the city is also in the early stages of a significant transit-oriented development push, including planning for a light rail line through the Southeast Gateway corridor and a Frank Gehry-designed cultural center along the Los Angeles River that has secured state funding but has no firm completion date.
Housing in the zip code runs well above the national median and modestly below the California statewide benchmark. Rents have climbed year over year, and the rent-to-income burden is steep by conventional measures, reflecting the broader affordability pressure across Los Angeles County. Property owners here also face the long-term tax increment tied to the recently passed district bond.
Program offerings specific to State Street Elementary were not available in the data reviewed, so it is not possible to characterize any enrichment, arts, or specialty programming. That is a question worth raising directly with the school.
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