Alexandria Avenue Elementary vs Third Street Elementary

Alexandria Avenue Elementary and Third Street Elementary are both kindergarten-through-fifth-grade schools in Los Angeles, California, separated by 2.1 miles, but their state rankings reveal a significant performance gap. Third Street Elementary sits at #8 of 9,533 California elementary schools while Alexandria Avenue Elementary ranks #108 — still an elite position statewide, but 100 spots behind. The overall rating gap is just 0.4 points (9.2 vs. 9.6 out of 10), which understates how differently these two schools perform on individual dimensions.

The sharpest divide is in academic achievement. Third Street Elementary scores a perfect 10.0 out of 10 on academics compared to Alexandria Avenue Elementary's 8.3 — a 1.7-point gap that reflects meaningfully different proficiency outcomes. Growth scores, by contrast, are nearly identical: Alexandria Avenue Elementary earns a 9.7 and Third Street Elementary a 9.9, meaning both schools are accelerating student learning at an exceptional rate regardless of where students start. Alexandria Avenue Elementary's growth score is particularly notable given its student population.

The demographic profiles of these two schools differ substantially. Alexandria Avenue Elementary serves 503 students with 92% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a predominantly low-income population. Third Street Elementary enrolls 691 students with a 43% free/reduced lunch rate. The student-teacher ratio also diverges: Alexandria Avenue Elementary runs at 18.6 students per teacher versus Third Street Elementary's 22.3:1 — giving Alexandria Avenue families nearly four fewer students per classroom, which can translate to more individualized attention despite the school's higher poverty concentration.

Both schools serve the same grade span, KG–05, so families are not choosing between different academic levels or grade configurations. The distinction comes down to academic outcomes versus classroom size and community composition. Third Street Elementary's top-ten California rank and perfect academic score signal consistently high tested proficiency. Alexandria Avenue Elementary's near-perfect growth score alongside a high-need population signals a school that is moving students forward at an exceptional rate — a different but equally real form of excellence.