Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary vs Raymond Avenue Elementary

Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary and Raymond Avenue Elementary sit 2.9 miles apart in Los Angeles, but their overall ratings tell a clear story: Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary scores 9.4/10 against Raymond Avenue Elementary's 8.3/10 — a 1.1-point gap that translates to a meaningful difference in state standing. Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary ranks #66 of 9,533 California schools, placing it in the top 1% statewide, while Raymond Avenue Elementary ranks #1,101 of 9,533 — a strong result in its own right, but nearly 1,000 positions lower in a crowded field.

On academics, the delta is sharpest: Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary posts an 8.7/10 academic score versus Raymond Avenue Elementary's 7.0/10 — a 1.7-point difference that reflects consistently stronger tested proficiency. Both schools show exceptional student growth, but Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary edges ahead with a perfect 10.0/10 growth score compared to Raymond Avenue Elementary's 9.6/10. That combination — high baseline proficiency and maximum growth — is rare and difficult to achieve simultaneously.

The two schools serve nearly identical low-income populations — Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary at 94% free/reduced lunch, Raymond Avenue Elementary at 92% — so the academic gap is not explained by demographic advantage. The more telling structural difference is size and staffing: Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary enrolls 232 students at a 17.8:1 student-teacher ratio, while Raymond Avenue Elementary serves 465 students at a 21.1:1 ratio. That means Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary students have roughly one more adult per classroom worth of attention, which compounds over a school year.

One practical distinction beyond ratings: Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary serves grades KG–06, carrying students through sixth grade, while Raymond Avenue Elementary serves KG–05 only, requiring families to navigate a school transition one year earlier. For families who value continuity, Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary's extended grade span delays that disruption by a full year.