The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Greenwood Elementary
Greenwood Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Montebello, a mid-sized Los Angeles County city with a strong residential character blended with light manufacturing and logistics. The school sits in a walkable community setting within a district that includes seventeen neighborhood elementary schools, and the broader city has a vibrant downtown corridor along Whittier Boulevard with active street life and frequent public transit.
The most immediate picture comes from state assessment results. Proficiency rates across math and English language arts are low. In math, proficiency ranges from the lower teens to around one in four students across grades three through five. English language arts results are similarly constrained, with proficiency sitting between roughly one in five and one in four students. Fifth grade science proficiency is in the low teens. These outcomes place the school in the bottom quartile of overall proficiency when compared to districts across Los Angeles County. A parent considering this school should understand that academic performance by state measures is materially below the county median, and would benefit from a direct conversation with school leadership about instructional approach, support systems for struggling learners, and specific strategies the school is employing to build proficiency.
The student population is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting the demographics of Montebello itself. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating economic need across the enrollment. Data on students with individualized education plans and English learners was not available, so a parent seeking information about how the school differentiates for those populations should ask the school directly.
The school's enrollment is stable and spreads fairly evenly across its six grade levels, with slightly higher counts in kindergarten and fourth grade. The total enrollment is typical for an elementary school serving this community.
Montebello Unified recently won a state Community Schools Partnership Program Implementation Grant, a multi-year initiative bringing extended learning time, integrated student supports, and culturally grounded instructional practice to several schools in the district. This represents a systemic shift in how the district approaches student support and teaching, though it is not yet clear which elementary schools beyond Greenwood stand to benefit. A parent would want to ask whether Greenwood is part of this initiative or whether the grant is concentrated elsewhere in the district.
The housing market in the Montebello zip code has appreciated modestly in the past year. Median home values are in the mid-range for the county, and monthly rents are moderate relative to regional standards. The area has seen recent mixed-income development, including the Metro Heights master-planned community, alongside its longstanding stock of postwar homes. This suggests a neighborhood undergoing gradual economic change but remaining accessible to working families.
Greenwood Elementary is a straightforward neighborhood school serving a largely Hispanic, economically working population. Its test results indicate a school where many students are not meeting proficiency benchmarks, which is a concern for families prioritizing measurable academic progress. The school would be worth visiting and discussing directly with administrators to understand what supports exist for students working below grade level and whether the school's instructional model and pace align with the family's expectations.
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