Christopher Dena Elementary vs Sierra Vista Elementary

Sierra Vista Elementary holds a 9.8/10 overall rating against Christopher Dena Elementary's 8.9/10 — a 0.9-point gap that maps onto a striking difference in California standing. Sierra Vista Elementary ranks #1 of 9,533 California elementary schools, placing it at the very top of the state. Christopher Dena Elementary ranks #279 of 9,533, still a top-3% result in a highly competitive pool. Both schools serve kindergarten through sixth grade and sit 5.9 miles apart in Los Angeles, making this a genuine same-city comparison for families who have flexibility on location.

The academic score gap is the sharpest numerical divide between the two schools. Sierra Vista Elementary scores 9.5/10 in academics versus Christopher Dena Elementary's 7.6/10 — a 1.9-point difference reflecting meaningfully higher proficiency outcomes. On growth, Christopher Dena nearly closes the gap: its 9.5/10 growth score trails Sierra Vista Elementary's 10.0/10 by only half a point. That near-perfect growth number at Christopher Dena signals that the school is moving students forward at an exceptional rate relative to where they begin, even while raw proficiency sits lower.

Christopher Dena Elementary enrolls 337 students, more than double Sierra Vista Elementary's 151. The schools also differ in economic profile: 94% of Christopher Dena's students qualify for free or reduced lunch compared to 84% at Sierra Vista Elementary. Student-teacher ratios are close — 17.7:1 at Christopher Dena versus 16.8:1 at Sierra Vista — so instructional access per student is roughly equivalent despite the enrollment gap. Christopher Dena's 9.5 growth score within a 94%-FRL population reflects instructional effectiveness that the raw rating alone understates.

Because both schools cover the same KG–06 grade span, neither has a structural advantage in continuity. The practical distinction is size and academic output: Sierra Vista Elementary's 151-student campus is markedly smaller, which can mean tighter staff familiarity with individual students. Christopher Dena Elementary's larger enrollment provides a broader peer community. For families in between the two campuses, the 5.9-mile gap is manageable, making the academic and demographic profile differences — rather than geography — the primary deciding factor.