Located in Bell Gardens, CA. Serving grades KG through 05.
Garfield Elementary is a small public elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Bell Gardens, a densely populated residential city in southeastern Los Angeles County. The school sits within the Montebello Unified School District, a larger regional system that has recently secured funding for extended learning time, integrated student supports, and culturally relevant instruction across multiple schools, a multi-year shift that shapes the broader educational environment in which Garfield operates.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, drawn almost entirely from the immediate neighborhood. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of Bell Gardens, where most families rent their homes and the housing market is tight relative to regional income levels. The enrollment is small, roughly a few hundred students distributed across six grade levels, with kindergarten being the largest cohort.
State testing results reveal significant proficiency gaps across the school. In mathematics, proficiency rates range from the low twenties to mid-twenties across tested grades, with the highest performance in grade three and declining performance in grade five. English language arts shows somewhat better but still low results, ranging from the low twenties in grade three to the mid-thirties in grade four, then dipping to the low thirties in grade five. Science proficiency, measured only in grade five, is notably lower, in the mid-teens. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile when compared to other schools within Los Angeles County. These are areas where the school faces genuine instructional challenges; a parent weighing this school may want to understand what classroom and intervention practices the school is employing to address these gaps and what progress, if any, has been measured over time.
Bell Gardens itself is a small, walkable city built out over decades from agricultural land into a family-oriented, immigrant-heavy community. It has minimal housing growth, with a stable stock of single-family homes and modest rent increases. The city's civic anchors, including a library and John Anson Ford Park with its soccer fields and river-path access, are within walking distance along Garfield Avenue, the main corridor that also hosts the school. Employment in the area is concentrated in manufacturing, retail, and hospitality. The Parkwest Bicycle Casino is the city's largest employer and single largest source of public revenue.
Garfield Elementary's position as a small neighborhood elementary school in a tight-knit, predominantly renter community means it serves families with deep local roots and limited geographic mobility. The school's low state testing performance and small size are relevant data points a family should weigh carefully against any strengths, such as program breadth or support structures, that may not appear in the data provided here. Information about special education services, English learner supports, staff stability, and specific instructional initiatives at the school was not available in the provided materials, and may be worth exploring directly with the school.
Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.
Officially reported figures, 2024-25.
All reported measures, by topic.