Forest Hill Elementary vs Los Arboles Literacy and Technology Academy

Forest Hill Elementary and Los Arboles Literacy and Technology Academy sit 8.3 miles apart in San Jose, California, but their state rankings tell a sharper story than their near-identical overall scores suggest. Los Arboles ranks #96 of 9,533 California schools versus Forest Hill's #141 — a 45-spot gap that positions Los Arboles in the top 1% statewide. Both are elite performers, yet they arrive at those rankings through completely different academic profiles.

The academic score delta is the most striking contrast in this comparison. Forest Hill Elementary scores 9.6/10 on academics versus Los Arboles Literacy and Technology Academy's 8.2 — a 1.4-point gap that reflects stronger current proficiency levels at Forest Hill. Los Arboles counters with a growth score of 9.9/10 against Forest Hill's 9.2, meaning Los Arboles students are improving at a faster rate relative to their starting points. Forest Hill is performing at a higher absolute bar today; Los Arboles is closing gaps faster.

The demographic and structural differences between the two schools are dramatic. Forest Hill Elementary enrolls 553 students with a 22.1:1 student-teacher ratio and 15% of students on free or reduced lunch. Los Arboles Literacy and Technology Academy serves 184 students at a 13.1:1 ratio — nearly half the class size per teacher — with 76% of its student body qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Los Arboles is achieving near-top-1% rankings while serving a predominantly low-income population at a teacher-to-student ratio that allows far more individual attention per child.

One structural constraint matters for longer-term planning: Los Arboles currently serves only grades KG–03, while Forest Hill covers the full elementary span through grade 5. Families choosing Los Arboles will need a plan for 4th and 5th grade, since the school does not yet extend there. Forest Hill, operating as a charter school, offers a complete KG–05 pathway without that transition gap.