Castle Heights Elementary vs Sierra Vista Elementary
Castle Heights Elementary and Sierra Vista Elementary are very closely rated, both scoring around 9.2 out of 10. Castle Heights Elementary is significantly larger with 513 students, about 3.4× the size of Sierra Vista Elementary (151). In math proficiency, Castle Heights Elementary leads at 76.0%.
Castle Heights Elementary
Los Angeles, CA
513 students
Sierra Vista Elementary
Los Angeles, CA
151 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Castle Heights Elementary | Sierra Vista Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.2 / 10 | 9.0 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 9.8 | 9.4 |
| Growth Score | 9.2 | 8.7 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 30.2% | 84.1% |
| Environment Score | 8.2 | 9.2 |
| State Rank | #145 of 9,539 | #301 of 9,539 |
| State Percentile | 99th | 97th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Castle Heights Elementary | Sierra Vista Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 76.0% | 57.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 73.0% | 47.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Castle Heights Elementary | Sierra Vista Elementary |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Kindergarten – 5th | Kindergarten – 6th |
| Enrollment | 513 | 151 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 23.3:1 | 16.8:1 |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 30.2% | 84.1% |
| Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23) | 17.0% | 39.7% |
| District | Los Angeles Unified | Los Angeles Unified |
| City | Los Angeles | Los Angeles |
Neighborhood
| Metric | Los Angeles (90034) | Los Angeles (90032) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $103,082 | $81,563 |
| Median Home Value | $1,395,000 | $780,100 |
| Median Rent | $2,180 | $1,571 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 64.3% | 24.8% |
| Poverty Rate | 9.2% | 14.2% |
| Avg Commute | 27 min | 31 min |
The data story: Castle Heights Elementary vs Sierra Vista Elementary
Castle Heights Elementary and Sierra Vista Elementary sit 14.2 miles apart in Los Angeles, yet land in dramatically different positions on California's school rankings. Sierra Vista Elementary earns a 9.8/10 overall rating and holds the #1 rank among 9,533 California schools. Castle Heights Elementary scores 9.3/10 and ranks #68 of 9,533 — still elite, but 0.5 points and 67 positions behind. Both schools clear the bar most parents would consider exceptional; the question is which trade-offs matter most to a given family.
On academic and growth measures, the two schools are separated by narrow but concrete margins. Castle Heights Elementary edges Sierra Vista Elementary on academic score, 9.7 versus 9.5. Sierra Vista Elementary flips the result on growth, posting a perfect 10.0 compared to Castle Heights Elementary's 9.8. In practical terms, Sierra Vista's students are gaining ground at an exceptional rate relative to their starting points, while Castle Heights slightly outperforms on raw proficiency — a distinction worth weighing depending on where a child enters.
The demographic picture separates these schools more sharply than the ratings do. Sierra Vista Elementary enrolls 151 students against Castle Heights Elementary's 513, giving it a far more intimate campus. The student-teacher ratio at Sierra Vista is 16.8:1 versus 23.3:1 at Castle Heights — meaning Sierra Vista averages roughly six fewer students per classroom. Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility stands at 84% at Sierra Vista Elementary compared to 30% at Castle Heights Elementary, reflecting substantial differences in the income profiles of the communities each school serves.
One structural difference concerns grade span. Castle Heights Elementary runs kindergarten through fifth grade, while Sierra Vista Elementary extends through sixth grade, keeping students on campus one additional year before the transition to middle school. Enrollment at Sierra Vista is more than three times smaller than Castle Heights, which shapes everything from classroom dynamics to how well teachers can know individual students. Families weighing school size, classroom density, and grade continuity will find these two schools pulling in opposite directions even though both rank among California's very best.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Castle Heights Elementary
Castle Heights Elementary suits families who prioritize slightly higher academic proficiency scores and are comfortable with a larger school environment. At 513 students and a 23.3:1 student-teacher ratio, it functions more like a traditional mid-size elementary. Its 30% free and reduced lunch rate reflects a more economically mixed but less high-need population, and its KG–05 structure matches the standard elementary footprint most families expect.
Sierra Vista Elementary
Sierra Vista Elementary is the stronger fit for families who want the smallest possible classroom setting — 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio across just 151 students — and who value a school's ability to drive measurable growth (10.0/10). Its KG–06 grade span delays the middle school transition by a year. At 84% free and reduced lunch eligibility, it demonstrates top-tier outcomes in a high-need community, which signals exceptional instructional quality relative to what the student population brings in.