California Schools Guide

Schools of choice

Within the Los Angeles Unified School District there are currently more than 320 magnet schools, magnet programs and charter schools offering parents a choice other than to their neighborhood schools.

Magnets, initially established to further integration, now include many of the district's highest performing schools.

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As reported in The Times, charter schools, which operate independently of school district control, have exploded in number and popularity in recent years, shaping the reform agenda of the nation’s second-largest school district. On average, they outperform nearby traditional schools.

Use the map to find these schools of choice and view their test scores.

KEY     Charter school      Magnet school

Magnet and charter school test results

Click the headers to rank schools by percent proficient and above on the 2009 California Standards Test.

New schools that have yet to the report test scores are listed without statistics.

School Math English
107th St. Math/Science/Technology Magnet 62.5% 42.9%
32nd St. USC Performing Arts Magnet 45.1% 52.4%
74th St. Gifted Magnet 90.0% 91.9%
Academia Avance Charter 24.9% 37.6%
Academia Moderna N/A N/A
Academia Semillas del Pueblo 38.4% 31.6%
Accelerated 28.1% 41.0%
Accelerated Elementary Charter 46.2% 34.0%
Adams Gifted Magnet 70.6% 76.3%
Alain Leroy Locke High 1.7% 9.8%
Allesandro Cooperative Learning Magnet 78.3% 71.1%
Alliance Christine O'Donovan Middle Academy 35.0% 38.5%
Alliance College-Ready Academy High No. 5 8.9% 18.8%
Alliance College-Ready Academy High No. 7 6.0% 21.0%
Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy No. 4 N/A N/A
Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy No. 5 N/A N/A
Alliance Dr. Olga Mohan High 53.6% 58.7%
Alliance Environmental Science and Technology High N/A N/A
Alliance Gertz-Ressler High 31.9% 58.6%
Alliance Health Services Academy High N/A N/A
Alliance Heritage College-Ready Academy High 5.2% 28.8%
Alliance Huntington Park College-Ready Academy High 26.1% 45.0%
Alliance Jack H. Skirball Middle 38.8% 37.3%
Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science 24.8% 48.6%
Alliance Media Arts and Entertainment Design High N/A N/A
Alliance Richard Merkin Middle 34.9% 37.0%
Alliance William and Carol Ouchi Academy High 22.7% 53.3%
Ambler Gifted Magnet 91.7% 93.1%
Amestoy Trilingual Magnet 57.5% 52.1%
Anahuacalmecac University Preparatory High 2.4% 47.6%
Animo Film and Theater Arts Charter High 14.7% 40.9%
Animo Jackie Robinson High 6.1% 22.5%
Animo Justice Charter High 5.1% 14.5%
Animo Locke ACE Academy N/A N/A
Animo Locke Charter High School #1 1.2% 11.2%
Animo Locke Charter High School #2 4.0% 15.8%
Animo Locke Charter High School #3 2.3% 11.0%
Animo Locke Technology High 4.5% 20.1%
Animo Oscar De La Hoya Charter High 15.6% 36.5%
Animo Pat Brown 29.8% 38.1%
Animo Ralph Bunche High 8.3% 21.8%
Animo South Los Angeles Charter 17.2% 39.8%
Animo Venice Charter High 25.1% 41.8%
Animo Watts Charter High 4.1% 15.6%
Arroyo Seco Museum Science Magnet 62.1% 62.5%
Aspire Antonio Maria Lugo Academy 75.7% 55.5%
Aspire Centennial College Preparatory Academy 55.7% 45.6%
Aspire Huntington Park Charter 72.6% 46.8%
Aspire Junior Collegiate Academy 67.7% 45.9%
Aspire Titan Academy N/A N/A
Audubon Gifted Magnet 59.1% 73.7%
Balboa Gifted Magnet 96.9% 94.6%
Baldwin Hills Gifted Magnet 88.3% 84.1%
Bancroft Performing Arts Magnet 33.4% 49.9%
Banning College Incentive Program Magnet 22.9% 73.3%
Belvedere Latin Music Magnet 56.6% 56.0%
Belvedere Media Magnet 52.1% 50.6%
Bert Corona Charter 21.3% 26.9%
Bethune Math/Science/Technology Magnet 38.6% 50.2%
Braddock Gifted Magnet 94.0% 98.5%
Bradley Environmental Science/Humanities Magnet 48.4% 37.3%
Brentwood Science Magnet 73.5% 63.8%
Bright Star Secondary Charter Academy 35.2% 70.7%
Broadous Math/Science/Technology Magnet 76.0% 57.3%
Bryson Math/Science/Technology Magnet 86.3% 74.2%
Buchanan Math/Science/Technology Magnet 81.5% 75.0%
Burroughs Gifted Magnet 78.7% 87.5%
Byrd Math/Science/Technology Magnet 76.1% 71.7%
CA Academy for Liberal Studies Early College High 16.2% 43.5%
CHAMPS - Charter HS of Arts-Multimedia & Performing 43.5% 64.5%
CHIME Charter Middle 23.6% 61.5%
CHIME Institute's Schwarzenegger Community 60.1% 60.1%
CLAS Affirmation 43.1% 49.1%
California Academy for Liberal Studies 53.1% 43.4%
Camino Nuevo Charter Academy 67.9% 52.1%
Camino Nuevo Charter High 39.2% 42.5%
Canoga Park Environmental/Veterinary Science Magnet 17.5% 53.3%
Canterbury Gifted Magnet 93.8% 83.6%
Canyon Elementary 89.2% 89.6%
Celerity Dyad Charter 65.6% 44.0%
Celerity Nascent Charter 48.0% 40.3%
Celerity Troika Charter 89.5% 62.5%
Center for Advanced Learning 45.5% 34.3%
Central City Value 4.7% 23.9%
Cleveland Humanities Magnet 65.8% 88.8%
Colfax Charter Elementary 86.2% 77.3%
Columbus Medical/Math/Science Magnet 55.1% 61.5%
Community Charter Early College High 25.9% 33.4%
Community Charter Middle 29.2% 39.2%
Community Harvest Charter 14.7% 43.1%
Community Magnet Charter 88.5% 81.6%
Community Magnet Charter Elementary 89.0% 81.9%
Cornerstone Prep Charter 22.2% 17.3%
Crenshaw Arts-Technology Charter High 3.0% 24.8%
Crenshaw Gifted Magnet 18.0% 74.4%
Crenshaw Teacher Training Magnet 1.1% 28.6%
Crescendo Charter 68.0% 37.4%
Crescendo Charter Academy 74.3% 48.6%
Crescendo Charter Conservatory 81.0% 64.0%
Crescendo Charter Preparatory Central 77.0% 51.3%
Crescendo Charter Preparatory South 58.3% 46.0%
Crescendo Charter Preparatory West 72.0% 48.4%
Crescent Heights Language Arts/Social Justice Magnet 62.1% 49.6%
Curtiss Math/Science/Technology Magnet 20.2% 42.3%
Daniel Pearl Journalism & Communications Magnet 23.1% 66.7%
Daniel Pearl Journalism & Communications Magnet N/A N/A
Design High 6.3% 47.6%
Discovery Charter Preparatory No. 2 6.1% 25.2%
Dodson Gifted Magnet 87.1% 94.3%
Dorsey Law/Public Service Magnet 5.6% 36.6%
Dorsey Math/Science/Technology Magnet 4.4% 38.3%
Dorsey Police Academy Magnet 0.0% 16.3%
Downtown Business Magnet 20.5% 44.1%
Downtown Value 43.6% 36.6%
Dr. Theo. T. Alexander Jr., Science Center 61.5% 45.8%
Drew Gifted Magnet 47.3% 73.2%
Eagle Rock Gifted Elementary Magnet 96.7% 96.8%
Eagle Rock Gifted Secondary Magnet 61.9% 93.8%
Eagle Rock Highly Gifted Elementary Magnet 100.0% 100.0%
El Sereno Gifted Magnet 83.7% 87.8%
El Sereno Math/Science/Technology Magnet 43.0% 54.4%
Electronic Info/Multimedia Magnet 26.2% 59.6%
Endeavor College Preparatory Charter N/A N/A
Equitas Academy Charter N/A N/A
Euclid Gifted Bilingual Spanish/English Magnet 79.8% 68.2%
Excel Charter Academy 40.1% 48.6%
Fairfax Visual Arts Magnet 28.0% 66.9%
Fashion Careers Magnet 11.4% 52.6%
Fenton Avenue Charter 47.8% 38.2%
Fenton Primary Center N/A N/A
Fernando Pullum Performing Arts High School N/A N/A
Fleming Math/Science/Technology Magnet 49.5% 68.7%
Flournoy Math/Science/Technology Magnet 85.5% 71.1%
Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet 38.3% 65.2%
Franklin Math/Science/Technology Magnet 22.7% 64.0%
Frederick Douglass Academy Elementary N/A N/A
Frederick Douglass Academy High 5.6% 25.5%
Frederick Douglass Academy Middle 37.0% 43.0%
Fremont Math/Science/Technology Magnet 3.7% 39.8%
Frost Computer Science Magnet 62.1% 57.7%
Full Circle Learning Academy 40.3% 52.3%
Gabriella Charter 84.5% 58.6%
Gage Math/Science/Technology Magnet 49.8% 61.3%
Gardena Foreign Language Magnet 14.8% 37.9%
Garfield Computer Science Magnet 7.6% 37.0%
Garr Academy of Math and Entrepreneurial Studies 34.9% 31.5%
Gledhill Math/Science/Technology Magnet 84.9% 73.1%
Global Education Academy 88.5% 55.1%
Goethe International Charter N/A N/A
Granada Hills Charter High 36.9% 74.5%
Grant Communication Technology Magnet 16.1% 56.9%
Griffith Math/Science/Technology Magnet 55.0% 61.2%
Hamilton Humanities Magnet 39.1% 86.6%
Hamilton Music Academy Magnet 16.2% 64.0%
Harbor Gifted Math/Science Magnet 99.6% 96.2%
Haskell Math/Science/Technology Magnet 83.2% 80.1%
Henry Computer/Math/Science Magnet 67.9% 72.8%
High Tech LA 53.4% 73.9%
Hillcrest Music Magnet 49.6% 36.8%
Hollenbeck Math/Science/Technology Magnet 33.5% 50.2%
Hollywood Performing Arts Magnet 9.2% 42.7%
Holmes International Humanities Magnet 80.1% 81.8%
Hughes Math/Science/Technology Magnet 86.3% 73.4%
Humphreys Math/Science/Technology Magnet 77.8% 45.9%
ICEF Vista Elementary Academy 58.3% 48.3%
ICEF Vista Middle Academy 35.3% 38.9%
Independence Math/Science/Technology Magnet 80.9% 78.7%
Ivy Academia 56.9% 66.1%
Ivy Bound Academy of Math, Science, and Technology Charter Middle 72.9% 74.4%
James Jordan Middle 35.8% 39.9%
Jardin de la Infancia N/A N/A
Jordan Math/Science/Technology Magnet 4.9% 45.1%
KIPP Academy of Opportunity 50.4% 51.9%
KIPP Los Angeles College Preparatory 64.1% 57.1%
KIPP Raices Academy N/A N/A
Kennedy Architecture/Digital Arts Magnet 38.8% 65.3%
Kenter Canyon Elementary 88.8% 88.7%
Kester Gifted Magnet 100.0% 97.1%
King Gifted Magnet 77.5% 89.0%
King/Drew Medical Careers Magnet 11.4% 48.9%
LA Math/Science/Technology Magnet 13.5% 44.0%
LAUSD/USC Math/Science/Technology Magnet 17.9% 63.8%
Lakeview Charter Academy 62.7% 54.4%
Larchmont Charter 78.3% 76.8%
Larchmont Charter-West Hollywood N/A N/A
Lawrence Gifted Magnet 91.4% 96.1%
Le Conte International Humanities Magnet 59.3% 61.2%
Legacy Charter High School N/A N/A
Lincoln Math/Science/Technology Magnet 36.1% 62.9%
Lomita Math/Science/Technology Magnet 71.7% 65.2%
Lorne Math/Science/Technology Magnet 77.8% 67.6%
Los Angeles Academy of Arts & Enterprise Charter 15.8% 27.9%
Los Angeles Center For Enriched Studies 50.7% 80.1%
Los Angeles Educational Achievement Partnership N/A N/A
Los Angeles International Charter High 1.8% 29.9%
Los Angeles Leadership Academy 17.8% 33.2%
Los Feliz Charter School for the Arts 72.0% 65.1%
Lou Dantzler Preparatory Charter Elementary N/A N/A
Lou Dantzler Preparatory Charter High 10.9% 39.4%
Lou Dantzler Preparatory Charter Middle 33.6% 53.4%
Loyola Performing Arts Magnet 71.3% 59.9%
Madison Medical/Math/Science Magnet 55.3% 67.0%
Magnolia Science Academy 48.7% 51.5%
Magnolia Science Academy 2 42.3% 38.6%
Magnolia Science Academy 3 41.5% 41.5%
Magnolia Science Academy 4 44.4% 42.9%
Magnolia Science Academy 5 46.3% 55.2%
Magnolia Science Academy 6 N/A N/A
Manual Arts College Prep Magnet 7.0% 30.9%
Marina del Rey Performing Arts Magnet 19.2% 44.0%
Markham Health Careers Magnet 24.1% 28.3%
Marquez Avenue Elementary 86.1% 78.3%
Marshall Gifted Magnet 49.6% 87.7%
Marvin Dual Language Magnet 79.4% 64.1%
Mid City (College Incentive) Magnet 54.2% 43.1%
Milagro Charter 86.6% 80.6%
Miles Math/Science/Technology Magnet 86.1% 60.4%
Millikan Performing Arts Magnet 78.0% 75.8%
Monlux Math/Science/Technology Magnet 76.5% 71.5%
Monroe Law/Government Magnet 50.0% 69.5%
Monroe Police Academy Magnet 35.3% 43.4%
Monsenor Oscar Romero Charter Middle 21.2% 37.0%
Montague Charter Academy 63.8% 41.4%
Montara Math/Science/Technology Magnet 61.6% 51.4%
Muir Math/Science/Technology Magnet 49.2% 50.8%
Multicultural Learning Center 56.2% 34.1%
Multnomah Environmental Science Magnet 74.2% 55.1%
Multnomah Highly Gifted Magnet 98.5% 100.0%
N.E.W. Academy Canoga Park 53.0% 37.5%
N.E.W. Academy of Science and Arts 60.5% 38.0%
Narbonne Math/Science/Technology Magnet 40.3% 73.7%
New Designs Charter 37.1% 27.8%
New Designs Charter School-Watts N/A N/A
New Heights Charter 54.1% 37.4%
New Los Angeles Charter 42.7% 64.0%
New Millennium Secondary 4.9% 33.3%
New Village Charter High 0.0% 13.1%
New West Charter Middle 60.4% 80.9%
Nobel Math/Science/Technology Magnet 67.2% 77.7%
North Hollywood Highly Gifted Magnet 84.8% 100.0%
North Hollywood Zoo Magnet 39.1% 78.6%
North Valley Charter Academy 10.4% 32.7%
Nueva Esperanza Charter Academy N/A N/A
Nueva Vista Performing/Visual Arts Magnet 76.0% 53.4%
Ocean Charter 71.1% 84.1%
Open Charter Magnet 81.9% 72.9%
Opportunities Unlimited Charter High 1.6% 9.6%
Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet 15.2% 48.9%
Our Community Charter 70.7% 67.0%
Pacoima Charter Elementary 46.9% 34.6%
Pacoima Computer/Math/Science Magnet 48.5% 49.7%
Pacoima TV/Fine Arts Magnet 41.0% 55.1%
Palisades Charter Elementary 84.7% 86.0%
Palisades Charter High 48.6% 69.5%
Palisades Math/Science/Technology Magnet 49.2% 71.6%
Palms Gifted Magnet 80.1% 91.6%
Para Los Ninos Charter 41.1% 28.3%
Para Los Ninos Middle 23.7% 25.4%
Paseo del Rey Natural Science Magnet 69.4% 65.0%
Paul Revere Middle 60.3% 70.9%
Peary Math/Science/Technology Magnet 47.6% 59.5%
Plasencia Math/Science Magnet 86.5% 78.6%
Polytechnic Math/Science/Technology Magnet 39.1% 69.1%
Port of Los Angeles High 11.6% 49.3%
Porter Gifted Magnet 93.3% 95.8%
Portola Highly Gifted Magnet 96.8% 98.6%
Puente Charter N/A N/A
Purche Science/Technology Magnet 68.1% 69.2%
Renaissance Arts Academy 57.5% 80.0%
Reseda Math/Science Magnet 58.4% 86.7%
Reseda Police Academy Magnet 18.4% 54.4%
Revere Math/Science/Technology Magnet 53.3% 65.9%
Roosevelt Math/Science/Technology Magnet 10.0% 37.9%
Russell Gifted Magnet 96.7% 87.8%
San Antonio Math/Science/Technology Magnet 82.1% 83.3%
San Fernando Math/Science Magnet 21.0% 61.8%
San Jose Highly Gifted Magnet 98.6% 98.6%
San Miguel Math/Science/Technology Magnet 86.6% 70.1%
San Pedro Marine/Math/Science/Technology Magnet 38.1% 81.3%
San Pedro Police Academy Magnet 14.1% 50.0%
Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter 53.6% 37.6%
Santa Rosa Charter Academy N/A N/A
Sepulveda Gifted Magnet 90.3% 92.4%
Sherman Oaks Center For Enriched Studies 59.5% 74.3%
South Gate Math/Science/Technology Magnet 68.0% 61.6%
South Shores Performing Arts Magnet 82.9% 75.1%
Stella Middle Charter Academy 53.8% 54.2%
Stevenson Gifted Magnet 50.6% 59.8%
Sunland Gifted Magnet 92.2% 89.9%
Sylmar Math/Science/Technology Magnet 19.3% 63.6%
Synergy Charter Academy 86.9% 69.4%
Synergy Kinetic Academy 50.6% 43.8%
Taper Technology Magnet 88.0% 78.3%
Thurgood Marshall Charter Middle 24.2% 32.0%
Today's Fresh Start Charter 38.3% 32.7%
Topanga Learn-Charter Elementary 87.7% 80.7%
Triumph Academy 36.6% 20.8%
Valley Alternative Magnet 49.6% 60.7%
Valor Academy Charter N/A N/A
Van Nuys Math/Science/Technology High School Magnet 64.4% 83.5%
Van Nuys Math/Science/Technology Middle School Magnet 59.4% 72.4%
Van Nuys Medical Magnet 48.5% 85.7%
Van Nuys Performing Arts Magnet 25.0% 59.8%
Vaughn Next Century Learning Center 39.3% 41.7%
Vena Gifted Magnet 92.5% 89.4%
Venice Foreign Language Magnet 66.3% 78.1%
Verdugo Hills Multimedia/Technology Magnet 26.1% 59.1%
View Park Preparatory Accelerated Charter 66.1% 66.6%
View Park Preparatory Accelerated Charter Middle 57.0% 57.1%
View Park Preparatory Accelerated High 18.8% 47.0%
Vintage Math/Science/Technology Magnet 77.6% 67.2%
Wallis Annenberg High 11.1% 41.4%
Washington Communication Arts Magnet 0.0% 29.8%
Washington Math/Science/Technology Magnet 2.1% 36.5%
Washington Music Academy Magnet 1.2% 45.5%
Watts Learning Center 67.5% 49.2%
Watts Learning Center Charter Middle N/A N/A
Welby Way Gifted Magnet 97.3% 96.8%
Westchester Math/Science/Aerospace Magnet 13.1% 49.4%
Westminster Computer/Math/Science Magnet 61.6% 48.8%
Westside Leadership Magnet 29.6% 35.8%
Westwood Elementary 84.0% 85.6%
Wilson Administrative Law Magnet 7.5% 44.9%
Wilson Police Academy Magnet 5.0% 25.0%
Windsor Hills Math/Science/Aerospace Magnet 50.3% 45.1%
Wisdom Academy for Young Scientists 80.7% 52.6%
Wonderland Gifted Magnet 97.1% 96.1%
Wright Math/Science/Aerospace Magnet 43.4% 56.0%

Sources: Los Angeles Unified School District
Credits: Howard Blume, Thomas Suh Lauder, Sandra Poindexter, Doug Smith, Ben Welsh
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