Canfield Avenue Elementary vs Dr. Lawrence H. Moore Math Science Technology Academy

Canfield Avenue Elementary and Dr. Lawrence H. Moore Math Science Technology Academy are both Los Angeles elementary schools serving kindergarten through fifth grade, but their overall ratings differ by 0.8 points — Canfield at 9.5/10 versus Moore at 8.7/10. That gap is amplified by their state rankings: Canfield sits at #17 of 9,533 California elementary schools, placing it in the top 0.2% statewide, while Moore ranks #457, which is still a strong top-5% finish but a meaningful step down in the standings.

The sharpest measurable difference between the two schools is academic achievement. Canfield Avenue Elementary scores 9.7/10 academically against Dr. Lawrence H. Moore Math Science Technology Academy's 8.2/10 — a 1.5-point gap that reflects significantly stronger tested proficiency levels. Growth scores are closer but still favor Canfield: 9.8/10 versus Moore's 9.2/10, meaning students at Canfield are outpacing expected year-over-year progress at a slightly higher rate. Both numbers indicate strong instructional momentum at Moore, but Canfield's output on both dimensions remains higher.

The demographic contrast between the two schools is substantial. Canfield Avenue Elementary enrolls 296 students with 49% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch — a mixed-income population. Dr. Lawrence H. Moore Math Science Technology Academy serves 504 students, with 97% on free or reduced-price lunch, indicating it draws from a much higher-poverty community. Student-teacher ratios are similar — 21.1:1 at Canfield versus 21.9:1 at Moore — so class size is not a differentiating factor. Moore's higher enrollment means more students in each grade cohort and potentially broader extracurricular capacity.

Both schools cover the same grade span, KG–05, and sit 9.1 miles apart in Los Angeles. The distinction that may matter most to some families is Moore's identity as a dedicated Math Science Technology Academy — its name signals a programmatic focus on STEM that Canfield, as a traditional neighborhood elementary, does not carry. Canfield's academic and growth scores are among the highest in California, while Moore's STEM designation gives it a structured curricular lens that Canfield does not replicate.