Raymond Avenue Elementary vs Charles H. Kim Elementary

Raymond Avenue Elementary ranks #548 of 9,533 California elementary schools while Charles H. Kim Elementary ranks #9 of 9,533 — a gap that reflects far more than the 1.0-point overall rating difference (8.6 vs 9.6 out of 10) suggests on its face. Charles H. Kim Elementary sits in the top 0.1 percent of all California elementary schools, making it one of the most exceptional public schools in the state, not just in Los Angeles.

The sharpest divide between the two schools is academic performance. Charles H. Kim Elementary scores 9.5 out of 10 on academics compared to Raymond Avenue Elementary's 7.0 — a 2.5-point gap that signals meaningfully different proficiency levels in core subjects. Growth tells a different story: Raymond Avenue Elementary earns a 9.6 growth score versus Charles H. Kim Elementary's 9.8, meaning both schools are driving strong student progress relative to peers, nearly identically. Raymond Avenue's students are advancing fast; they are just starting from a lower baseline of prior achievement.

Both schools serve economically similar populations — Raymond Avenue Elementary at 92% free and reduced lunch, Charles H. Kim Elementary at 88% — so the academic gap is not primarily explained by family income. The classroom experience does differ: Charles H. Kim Elementary's 18.2-to-1 student-teacher ratio gives it a measurable staffing advantage over Raymond Avenue Elementary's 21.1-to-1 ratio, roughly three fewer students per teacher. Enrollment is nearly identical at 465 and 472 students respectively, so the ratio difference reflects staffing decisions, not school size.

Both campuses serve kindergarten through fifth grade, and at 6.8 miles apart, they occupy distinct Los Angeles neighborhoods while operating under the same district umbrella. For families who can navigate the district's school choice process, the choice hinges on whether the demonstrated academic ceiling at Charles H. Kim Elementary — among the top ten elementary schools in a state of 9,533 — outweighs proximity or other neighborhood considerations.