Rancho Dominguez Preparatory, Long Beach CA

Original Research by School Decision on Rancho Dominguez Preparatory

Rancho Dominguez Preparatory is a middle and high school in Long Beach serving grades six through twelve, with a student body of roughly mid-sized enrollment that is predominantly low-income and comprised mainly of Hispanic and Black students. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, marking it as a school serving a community with substantial economic need.

The school's state test results show academic performance well below proficiency. On California's standardized assessments in 2024-25, less than a quarter of students met proficiency in mathematics across middle grades; English language arts results were somewhat stronger in sixth and eighth grades but still substantially below proficiency for seventh graders; and science proficiency was low. When compared against other districts in Los Angeles County, Rancho Dominguez's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. These numbers reflect real learning gaps that merit attention, and a parent would want to understand the school's specific plans for academic intervention and support.

The school sits in Long Beach, a large coastal city with distinct neighborhoods ranging from beachfront districts to quieter suburban areas, and a diverse population with a significant immigrant presence. The city's economy is anchored by the Port of Long Beach, one of the nation's busiest ports, alongside aerospace, health care, financial services, and education. Long Beach itself is in a housing growth phase, with substantial new residential development especially downtown and many neighborhoods that are walkable and transit-connected via the Metro A Line and local bus service.

At the district level, families should be aware of two major changes. Los Angeles Unified voters approved a large school facilities bond in 2024, funded through a decades-long property tax increase, to repair and upgrade aging buildings—a commitment that translates to a tangible property tax impact for homeowners in the district. Additionally, in February 2025, LAUSD implemented a district-wide ban on student cellphone and smartwatch use throughout the entire school day, stored in lockable pouches at most middle and high schools, a daily cultural and logistical shift that affects how students and families communicate during school hours.

Data on the school's graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, discipline practices, staffing, or program offerings beyond the standard curriculum was not available, so a parent seeking more detail on those dimensions would need to connect directly with the school to understand the full scope of student support, pathways, and learning environment.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

85-89%Cohort of 107 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 624%

School 24% · District 35% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Grade 720%

School 20% · District 34% · ▼ 14 pts below district

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

Grade 816%

School 16% · District 32% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 640%

School 40% · District 46% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 46% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 45% · ▼ 6 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 27% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 835%

School 35% · District 43% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 13 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

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income20%Higher-income46%26 pp gap