Dahlia Heights Elementary vs Multnomah Street Elementary

Multnomah Street Elementary ranks #20 of 9,533 schools in California, placing it in the top 0.2% statewide. Dahlia Heights Elementary earns a strong #280 — top 3% — but the 260-position gap in state rank translates to a meaningful difference in overall rating: 9.5 vs. 8.9 out of 10, with Multnomah Street Elementary scoring 0.6 points higher. Both schools are high performers by any statewide measure, but that rank delta is substantial in practical terms when evaluating elite elementary options in Los Angeles.

Academically, Multnomah Street Elementary edges Dahlia Heights Elementary 9.3 to 9.1 on the academic score — a 0.2-point difference that reflects real proficiency gaps at the testing level. Growth scores are nearly identical: Multnomah Street Elementary at 9.8 vs. Dahlia Heights Elementary at 9.7, meaning both schools are adding comparable learning gains relative to student starting points. The distinction between these two schools lies less in how fast students grow and more in the overall academic ceiling Multnomah Street Elementary maintains.

Demographically, the two schools serve meaningfully different populations. Dahlia Heights Elementary enrolls 397 students compared to Multnomah Street Elementary's 336, and the free/reduced lunch rates diverge sharply — 25% at Dahlia Heights Elementary versus 71% at Multnomah Street Elementary. This means Multnomah Street Elementary achieves its #20 California ranking while serving a predominantly economically disadvantaged population, which makes its academic score particularly notable. The student-teacher ratio also favors Multnomah Street Elementary: 19.8:1 compared to 24.8:1 at Dahlia Heights Elementary — five fewer students per teacher, which compounds over a school year.

One structural difference affects families with older elementary-age children: Dahlia Heights Elementary serves grades KG through 6, while Multnomah Street Elementary tops out at grade 5. Families with a rising sixth-grader would need to plan for a middle school transition a year earlier at Multnomah Street Elementary. The two schools sit 4.9 miles apart within Los Angeles, making the choice primarily about fit rather than geography for most families in the area.