Original Research by School Decision on Diego Rivera Learning Complex Green Design Steam Academy
Diego Rivera Learning Complex Green Design STEAM Academy is a public high school in Los Angeles serving students in grades nine through twelve. The school is part of Los Angeles Unified, the nation's second-largest school district. It sits in the South Los Angeles neighborhood, a densely urban area marked by commercial corridors, residential blocks, and a mix of light industrial and community services typical of the city's working and middle-income neighborhoods.
The student body is very small for a high school, with enrollment distributed across all four grades. The population is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of South Los Angeles. No data was available on the school's enrollment of students with disabilities or English learners, nor on attendance or discipline patterns.
Academic performance across the school is low. In the most recent year reported, roughly half of students achieved proficiency in English language arts. In mathematics, proficiency fell to under one-fifth of students. In science, proficiency was in the single digits. These are the only test results available; no trend data exists to show whether performance has been improving or declining. Graduation rates and chronic absenteeism metrics were not reported, so a parent cannot assess how many students complete the program on time or how attendance patterns affect learning. The school's name highlights a focus on green design and STEAM coursework, though the course catalog was not accessible in the data provided. A parent may want to contact the school directly to learn about the specific design of its STEAM program, project-based learning opportunities, and how coursework connects to post-secondary or career pathways.
The broader Los Angeles Unified district faces pressing challenges that affect all its schools. Voters recently approved a major school facilities bond to repair aging buildings, a decision that will raise property taxes on families for decades. The district also implemented an all-day cellphone and smartwatch ban starting in February 2025, a daily shift in school culture and student-parent communication that affects how students interact during lunch, breaks, and class time. Additionally, the district's Black Student Achievement Plan, which funds culturally responsive curriculum and support staff at many schools, was restructured in 2024 and received increased funding for 2025-26, shaping curriculum and staffing decisions across the system.
South Los Angeles itself sits within a broader city landscape. Los Angeles is in an active phase of housing development and rezoning, driven partly by a statewide housing shortage. The neighborhood around this school, like much of Los Angeles, is car-dependent, though bus and Metro transit connections exist. Home values in the zip code are moderate compared to many parts of the region, though they have shifted slightly downward year over year. Rental costs are substantial relative to median household income, a pressure that affects many families in the area.
For a family considering this school, the core question is what the low proficiency numbers mean in practice and whether the school's STEAM and green design focus translates into real engagement and learning gains for its particular student population. The absence of graduation rate data, trend information, and detailed program specifics limits what a parent can assess from public records alone. Direct conversations with school leadership about curriculum design, student support structures, the quality and accessibility of STEAM coursework, and post-secondary outcomes would be essential steps before deciding.
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