Magnolia Science Academy 4 vs Boyle Heights Sci Tech Engr and Math Magnet

Boyle Heights Sci Tech Engr and Math Magnet ranks #21 of 9,533 schools in California, placing it in the top 0.2 percent statewide. Magnolia Science Academy 4 ranks #321 of 9,533 — still a strong top-4 percent finish, but 300 positions behind. The overall rating gap is 0.7 points, with Boyle Heights Sci Tech Engr and Math Magnet scoring 9.5/10 against Magnolia Science Academy 4's 8.8/10. That gap is driven almost entirely by academic proficiency, not by school culture or student demographics, which look nearly identical at both campuses.

On academics, Boyle Heights Sci Tech Engr and Math Magnet scores 9.0/10 versus Magnolia Science Academy 4's 7.1/10 — a 1.9-point delta that reflects measurably higher tested proficiency rates. Growth tells a different story: Magnolia Science Academy 4 posts a 9.9/10 growth score, edging Boyle Heights Sci Tech Engr and Math Magnet's 9.7/10. That near-perfect growth figure means students at Magnolia Science Academy 4 are making exceptional academic progress relative to similar peers, even if their absolute proficiency ceiling currently sits lower. Families weighing college-readiness benchmarks today against trajectory and momentum should weigh those two numbers carefully.

Both schools serve overwhelmingly high-need populations — free and reduced-price lunch rates are 96 percent at Magnolia Science Academy 4 and 98 percent at Boyle Heights Sci Tech Engr and Math Magnet, a negligible difference. Enrollment is similarly tight: 124 students at Magnolia Science Academy 4 versus 131 at Boyle Heights Sci Tech Engr and Math Magnet, making both genuinely small schools. The student-teacher ratio favors Boyle Heights Sci Tech Engr and Math Magnet at 14.6:1 compared to 17.7:1 at Magnolia Science Academy 4 — roughly three fewer students per teacher, which in a school this size translates to a noticeable difference in individualized attention.

Structurally, these schools differ in type and grade span. Magnolia Science Academy 4 is a charter school serving grades 6 through 12, meaning students can enter in middle school and remain through graduation. Boyle Heights Sci Tech Engr and Math Magnet is a regular public magnet focused on science, technology, engineering, and math across grades 9 through 12 only, requiring a separate middle school placement before entry. The two campuses sit 12.9 miles apart in Los Angeles, making them a realistic cross-town comparison for families in the eastern and central parts of the city.