Commonwealth Avenue Elementary vs Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary

Commonwealth Avenue Elementary and Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary sit 6.3 miles apart in Los Angeles, but their state rankings tell a sharp story: Commonwealth Avenue Elementary ranks #110 of 9,533 schools in California while Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary ranks #18 of 9,533 — a gap that places Fifty-Fourth Street in the top 0.2 percent of all schools statewide. The overall rating difference is 0.3 points (9.2 vs. 9.5 out of 10), with Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary coming in higher, but that narrow margin obscures just how elite Fifty-Fourth Street's standing is at the state level.

On academic scores, the two schools are close: Commonwealth Avenue Elementary earns an 8.5/10 versus Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary's 8.7/10 — a 0.2-point difference. Growth is where the gap widens more meaningfully. Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary scores a perfect 10.0/10 on student growth, compared to Commonwealth Avenue Elementary's already-strong 9.5/10. That half-point difference on growth means Fifty-Fourth Street's students are outpacing their academic-progress benchmarks at a rate that tops virtually every school in the state.

Both schools serve high-need populations, but Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary's free and reduced-price lunch rate is 94%, compared to 87% at Commonwealth Avenue Elementary — meaning Fifty-Fourth Street is achieving its top-18 state ranking with a higher-poverty student body. Enrollment differs significantly: Commonwealth Avenue Elementary serves 506 students across KG–5, while Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary enrolls 232 students. Student-teacher ratios are nearly identical at 17.4:1 and 17.8:1 respectively, so class size is not a meaningful differentiator here.

One structural difference worth noting: Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary extends through 6th grade, giving families an additional year before the middle school transition, while Commonwealth Avenue Elementary caps at 5th grade. Both schools are traditional Los Angeles Unified elementary campuses, but families who value a combined K–6 model — keeping children in a familiar environment one year longer — will find only Fifty-Fourth Street offers that continuity.