Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary vs Sally Ride Elementary: A SMArT Academy

Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary holds a 0.9-point edge over Sally Ride Elementary: A SMArT Academy in overall rating — 9.4 versus 8.5 out of 10. That gap is even more pronounced in state rank: Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary sits at #66 of 9,533 California schools, placing it in the top 1% statewide, while Sally Ride Elementary: A SMArT Academy ranks #829 — still a strong top 9%, but a meaningful distance behind. Both schools serve the same Los Angeles communities, separated by 5.0 miles, making this a real choice for families in the area.

On academics, Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary scores 8.7 out of 10 versus Sally Ride Elementary: A SMArT Academy's 7.6 — a 1.1-point difference that signals consistently stronger tested proficiency. The growth gap is narrower but equally telling: Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary earns a perfect 10.0 growth score against Sally Ride's 9.5, meaning students at Fifty-Fourth Street are outpacing academic growth expectations at a rare rate. A perfect growth score at this scale is uncommon and suggests the instructional program is accelerating students from wherever they start.

The two schools differ meaningfully in size and staffing. Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary enrolls 232 students compared to Sally Ride Elementary: A SMArT Academy's 378 — 63% more students. That scale difference shows up in the classroom: Fifty-Fourth Street carries a student-teacher ratio of 17.8:1 versus Sally Ride's 22.2:1, a gap of more than four students per teacher. Both schools serve nearly identical high-need populations — 94% free and reduced-price lunch at Fifty-Fourth Street, 93% at Sally Ride — so the academic outcome difference is not a reflection of who each school serves but of how effectively it serves them.

Fifty-Fourth Street Elementary covers grades KG–06, extending one year beyond Sally Ride Elementary: A SMArT Academy, which runs KG–05. Families with children currently in kindergarten through fifth grade can access either school, but those planning ahead for sixth grade will find Fifty-Fourth Street keeps students in one building a year longer before middle school transition. Sally Ride's identity as a SMArT Academy — a Science, Math, Arts, and Technology designation — offers a distinct programmatic focus not present at Fifty-Fourth Street, which may matter to families seeking that structured theme.