Dr. Lawrence H. Moore Math Science Technology Academy, Los Angeles CA

Original Research by School Decision on Dr. Lawrence H. Moore Math Science Technology Academy

Dr. Lawrence H. Moore Math Science Technology Academy sits in South Los Angeles, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The school itself is small, with enrollment clustered around a few classes per grade. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a small population of Black students and very few students of other backgrounds. English learner status and special education data were not available in the records reviewed.

State testing results from 2024-25 show proficiency rates that sit below the midpoint for schools across Los Angeles County. In English language arts, third graders reached proficiency at lower rates, while fourth graders performed similarly, but fifth graders showed stronger performance. In math, proficiency declined as students moved up grades, with fifth graders at the lowest point. In science, only fifth grade is tested, and results fell well below the proficiency benchmark. A parent may want to look into further detail with the school about how these patterns are being addressed, particularly the steeper math declines and the science performance gap.

The school's name references math and science, suggesting that focus is part of its identity, though the academic performance data do not yet reflect that emphasis translating into high achievement on state measures. The school has been operating within Los Angeles Unified, which in recent months has implemented a district-wide cellphone ban, overhauled its Black Student Achievement Plan to broaden eligibility criteria while increasing funding, and placed a major school facilities bond on the ballot to address aging buildings. Families in the area also live within a property-tax landscape shaped by that bond measure, which voters approved.

The neighborhood around East 61st Street in South Los Angeles is primarily residential, serving working families and communities with deep roots in the area. Housing costs in the zip code are substantial relative to median household income, and rent demands a significant portion of household budgets. The broader Los Angeles housing market remains active despite recent slowdowns, with ongoing development downtown and citywide zoning changes aimed at increasing supply.

For families choosing this school, the core decision centers on whether its small size, math and science orientation, and neighborhood identity fit their child's needs, and whether the current academic performance trajectory and the support structures within LAUSD align with their expectations for grade-level learning.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 341%

School 41% · District 48% · ▼ 6 pts below district

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

Grade 436%

School 36% · District 43% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 36% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 328%

School 28% · District 44% · ▼ 16 pts below district

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

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 45% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 47% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Science

Grade 530%

School 30% · District 29% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above 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-income22%Higher-income38%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income19%Higher-income38%19 pp gap