Original Research by School Decision on Stoney Point Continuation
Stoney Point Continuation is an alternative public high school in Chatsworth serving students in grades nine through twelve. It operates within Los Angeles Unified, a massive urban district where a voter-approved bond will fund aging school building repairs and upgrades through property tax increases, and where cellphone and smartwatch use are banned from the entire school day as of early this year.
The school itself is very small, with just over a hundred students. Nearly all of them qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic strain. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller numbers of white, Asian, and multiracial students; the data on English learners and special education enrollment is not available.
State testing results, available only for the 2024-25 school year, show proficiency rates that are markedly low. In English language arts, about a small fraction of students met the state's performance standard. In math, that fraction was smaller still. In science, it fell between those two. These numbers reflect the reality of a continuation school, which serves students who have experienced course failure, chronic absences, or other academic disruption at their home campuses. The school appears designed to offer them a re-engagement pathway, not a college-prep track. Data on graduation rates, attendance patterns, course offerings, discipline, and staffing were not available to assess how well the school supports completion or what learning models and supports it uses.
Chatsworth itself is a suburban, car-dependent San Fernando Valley neighborhood with winding streets, equestrian properties, and a strong manufacturing and industrial base. Civic anchors cluster near the Devonshire Street Metrolink station rather than in a walkable downtown core. Housing values are above the state median, and rents have ticked upward; both ownership and renting present affordability challenges for many households. The neighborhood is experiencing infill and transit-oriented development around the Metrolink station and a major mixed-use project anchored by a new toy company headquarters, though the housing market remains very tight. A parent considering a move into the area should account for the long-term property tax increase tied to the school bond and the reality that finding housing at accessible prices is competitive.
A parent whose student is enrolled at or considering Stoney Point Continuation should speak directly with the school about what academic recovery and diploma pathways it offers, what counseling or support services are available, and how it approaches credit recovery and re-engagement. The low proficiency numbers are consistent with the school's purpose, but the parent may want to understand the school's concrete completion and college-readiness outcomes, any career or dual-credit pathways, and how the district's cellphone ban affects communication and class time.
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