Gerald A. Lawson Acad of the Arts Math and Sci, Los Angeles CA

Original Research by School Decision on Gerald A. Lawson Acad of the Arts Math and Sci

Gerald A. Lawson Academy of the Arts, Math and Science is a public elementary school located in South Los Angeles serving kindergarten through sixth grade. The school enrolls a small student body with a composition that is predominantly Hispanic and Black, and nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a low-income community. The academy sits within Los Angeles Unified School District, a sprawling system serving a diverse, polycentric city where schools are dispersed across neighborhood centers rather than concentrated around a central campus.

Academically, the school faces substantial challenges. On California's 2024-25 state assessments, overall proficiency in English language arts across grades three through six sits in the low range, while mathematics proficiency is considerably lower. Performance varies by grade: fourth grade shows the school's strongest results in both subjects, while sixth grade shows the weakest, particularly in math. When compared to schools across Los Angeles County, the school's proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile, meaning a large majority of schools in the county demonstrate higher proficiency rates. Science proficiency, measured in grade five, is also quite low. The school has only one year of assessment data available, so whether performance is trending up, down, or stable cannot be determined from the available information.

The school is new to having current test data publicly reported, which itself signals the timing of recent state assessment implementation at this grade level rather than any prior underperformance. A parent may want to look into further with the school what instructional strategies are in place to address these proficiency gaps, particularly in mathematics, and what support systems exist for students working below grade level.

The school's identity centers on the arts and mathematics and science. While program details beyond this curricular focus were not available in the data provided, the school's name and foundational mission suggest an integrated approach to STEM and creative learning. This dual focus may appeal to families seeking an elementary experience that balances analytical and creative thinking, though a conversation with the school about how that integration plays out in daily instruction and student experience would help clarify what this looks like in practice.

The neighborhood where the school sits reflects a dense, working-class South Los Angeles community. Housing in the area is more affordable than much of Los Angeles County, though it remains a challenging market; monthly rent and mortgage costs are elevated relative to household income in the area. The broader Los Angeles economy is anchored by county government, LAUSD itself, UCLA, and major sectors including aerospace, healthcare, entertainment, and fashion, with metro transit providing connections across the sprawling city.

At the district level, LAUSD has recently undergone significant changes. Voters approved a large school facilities bond to address aging buildings, which will increase property taxes for families over a long repayment period. The district implemented a districtwide cellphone ban in February 2025, affecting daily school culture and parent-student communication. Additionally, the Black Student Achievement Plan, which funds culturally responsive curriculum and added staffing at targeted schools, was revised in 2024 and received increased funding in 2025, shaping support and curriculum at many district campuses.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 313%

School 13% · District 48% · ▼ 34 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Grade 427%

School 27% · District 43% · ▼ 16 pts below district

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

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 36% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 66%

School 6% · District 35% · ▼ 29 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 320%

School 20% · District 44% · ▼ 24 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 431%

School 31% · District 45% · ▼ 14 pts below district

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

Grade 531%

School 31% · District 47% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 619%

School 19% · District 46% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Science

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 29% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 16 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.