Roy Romer Middle, North Hollywood CA

Original Research by School Decision on Roy Romer Middle

Roy Romer Middle serves a student body that is overwhelmingly economically disadvantaged and predominantly Latino, drawn from the North Hollywood area of Los Angeles. The school enrolls a mid-sized population of students in grades six through eight, with roughly equal distribution across the three grades.

State assessment data shows the school is struggling academically. In English language arts, proficiency sits in the low-to-mid range across all three grade levels, hovering around a third of students meeting grade-level standards. Mathematics proficiency is substantially lower, with roughly one in five students demonstrating proficiency. Science proficiency is notably weak, with only a small fraction of eighth-graders meeting standards. These results place Roy Romer in the bottom quartile when compared against other schools serving its county.

The student population reflects significant economic pressure on families. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that most households are at or near the poverty line. English learner and special education enrollment data were not available in the provided information. The racial composition is heavily concentrated, with students who identify as Hispanic making up the vast majority, and other groups representing only small populations.

Roy Romer is located in North Hollywood, a neighborhood undergoing substantial transformation. The area centers on the NoHo Arts District, a walkable cultural core anchored by the North Hollywood Metro station, with more than a dozen theaters, recording studios, galleries, and small businesses concentrated around Lankershim and Magnolia Boulevards. The neighborhood extends outward into quieter residential blocks of single-family homes and apartments. Housing values in the zip code are at a mid-to-high level for the region, and rents have been edging downward slightly. The neighborhood is experiencing significant growth, including a large Metro-backed residential development near the station that will add hundreds of housing units over the next several years, plus a major redevelopment of the former Laurel Plaza mall into mixed-use space. This development trajectory suggests continued demographic and economic shifts in the area.

The school's parent district, Los Angeles Unified, has implemented several changes relevant to families. A district-wide cellphone ban took effect in February 2025, affecting how students stay connected during the school day. Voters also approved a major school facilities bond, which will increase property taxes for homeowners and renters over decades as the district repairs and upgrades aging buildings. Additionally, the district has expanded and reformed its Black Student Achievement Plan to fund culturally responsive curriculum and added counseling and support staff at many campuses.

Roy Romer faces real academic headwinds, with proficiency rates substantially below county average performance. For families considering the school, the fundamental question is what interventions or supports the school is pursuing to address the gap. That information was not provided in the available data, so a parent may want to look directly into the school's response plans and what specific changes it is making to improve outcomes, particularly in mathematics and science where results are lowest.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 625%

School 25% · District 35% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 721%

School 21% · District 34% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 32% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 635%

School 35% · District 46% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 735%

School 35% · District 46% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 45% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Science

Grade 812%

School 12% · District 27% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 43% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

This schoolLos Angeles Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income34%Higher-income46%11 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income35%Higher-income39%3 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income36%Higher-income37%1 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income25%Higher-income18%7 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income22%Higher-income13%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income22%Higher-income25%3 pp gap