Hillside Elementary vs Sierra Vista Elementary

Sierra Vista Elementary holds the top position in California — ranked #1 of 9,533 schools statewide — while Hillside Elementary sits at #219, itself a strong showing but 218 places behind. That gap translates to a 0.8-point overall rating difference: Sierra Vista at 9.8/10 against Hillside at 9.0/10. Both schools are within 3.2 miles of each other in Los Angeles, making this a meaningful crossroads for families who could plausibly enroll at either.

The academic score tells the sharpest story: Sierra Vista Elementary scores 9.5/10 versus Hillside Elementary's 7.0/10 — a 2.5-point delta that reflects measurable differences in tested proficiency levels. Growth scores are nearly identical, with Hillside at 9.8/10 and Sierra Vista at 10.0/10, meaning both schools do an exceptional job accelerating student progress regardless of where kids start. Sierra Vista's academic lead comes from higher baseline proficiency, not faster growth.

Hillside Elementary enrolls 101 students compared to Sierra Vista Elementary's 151, giving it a smaller-school feel. Hillside's student-teacher ratio of 14.4:1 is tighter than Sierra Vista's 16.8:1 — roughly two fewer students per teacher. Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility runs at 91% at Hillside versus 84% at Sierra Vista, meaning Hillside serves a higher-poverty population by seven percentage points. Both schools carry high FRL rates that reflect the economic realities of their Los Angeles neighborhoods.

One structural difference separates them at the grade level: Sierra Vista Elementary serves students through sixth grade (KG–06), while Hillside Elementary tops out at fifth grade (KG–05). Families with a rising sixth-grader face a mandatory school transition at Hillside one year earlier than they would at Sierra Vista. For parents planning multiple years of enrollment continuity, that single extra grade at Sierra Vista reduces transition disruption.