Carthay Elementary Of Environmental Studies Magnet vs Hoover Street Elementary

Hoover Street Elementary holds a clear edge in overall rating, scoring 9.5 out of 10 against Carthay Elementary Of Environmental Studies Magnet's 9.0 — a half-point gap that translates to a dramatic difference in statewide standing. Hoover Street Elementary ranks #19 of 9,533 California schools, placing it in the top 0.2 percent of the state. Carthay Elementary Of Environmental Studies Magnet ranks #217 of 9,533, which is still an exceptional result, but Hoover Street's position is nearly twelve times higher in the state rankings.

The academic and growth scores reinforce that gap at every level. Hoover Street Elementary posts a 9.5 academic score versus Carthay Elementary Of Environmental Studies Magnet's 9.0 — a half-point advantage that reflects consistently stronger tested proficiency. Growth scores tell the same story: Hoover Street Elementary earns a 9.8 out of 10 compared to Carthay's 9.5, meaning students at Hoover Street are making faster academic progress relative to similar peers statewide, not just arriving at a higher baseline.

The two schools differ substantially in enrollment, classroom density, and student demographics. Hoover Street Elementary serves 579 students with a 20.0:1 student-teacher ratio, while Carthay Elementary Of Environmental Studies Magnet enrolls 364 students at a 22.8:1 ratio — meaning Carthay students face a slightly larger class size despite the smaller school. The most striking contrast is economic: Hoover Street Elementary qualifies 97 percent of its students for free or reduced lunch versus 67 percent at Carthay, indicating Hoover Street is producing its elite academic outcomes from a far more economically disadvantaged population.

Both schools serve kindergarten through fifth grade across 4.8 miles of Los Angeles. The defining programmatic difference is Carthay's identity as a magnet school focused on environmental studies, offering a themed curriculum that families must actively apply to access. Hoover Street Elementary operates as a neighborhood school with no application barrier. Carthay's magnet designation draws students from across the district, which accounts in part for its smaller, more curated enrollment and slightly higher free-lunch rate than might otherwise be expected from an application-based program.