Best Schools in Lakewood, California

Lakewood's public school system spans 15 ranked schools, with an average score of 6.9 out of 10 — a solid baseline that compares well against similarly sized California cities. Nearly half the system clears the high-performance threshold: 7 of 15 schools, or 47%, score 7 or above. That means parents aren't hunting for a single standout in an otherwise flat landscape — meaningful choices exist across multiple performance tiers.

The elementary level is where Lakewood concentrates its strongest results. Cleveland Elementary leads the entire city with a 9.0 out of 10, the top score among all 15 ranked schools. Holmes Elementary and Riley Elementary each score 8.4, and Aloha Elementary rounds out the upper tier at 8.0. Four of Lakewood's five top-performing schools are elementary campuses. Families entering the system at kindergarten have the widest selection of high-rated options — a clear advantage for parents who can plan ahead on enrollment.

At the secondary level, Odyssey STEM Academy is the anchor. It matches Cleveland's 9.0 rating, making it the only high school in Lakewood's top tier. Families with a STEM focus have a well-defined first-look option. The city's other high schools fall below the top cluster, so secondary-level parents should compare their neighborhood assignment against Odyssey's enrollment requirements early — the gap between the top-rated high school and the rest is more pronounced than it is at the elementary level.

With a 6.9 system average and 47% of schools scoring 7 or above, Lakewood delivers a two-speed experience: strong at the entry level, more selective at the top for older students. Parents prioritizing elementary placement are best positioned — the concentration of 8-plus schools at that level is the city's clearest asset. For secondary families, research boundaries and magnet eligibility before committing to a neighborhood. Use Cleveland Elementary and Odyssey STEM Academy as the performance benchmarks, then map nearby options by score to get a fast, accurate read on what's realistically available.