Virginia Road Elementary vs Weigand Avenue Elementary

Virginia Road Elementary edges out Weigand Avenue Elementary by 0.4 points overall — 9.0 versus 8.6 out of 10 — but the state rank context makes that delta more meaningful than it first appears. Virginia Road Elementary sits at #288 of 9,533 schools in California, placing it in the top 3 percent statewide. Weigand Avenue Elementary ranks #699 of 9,533, which is still a strong top-8-percent finish. Both schools clear a high bar; the question for families is how much that 411-rank gap matters across 8.7 miles of Los Angeles.

The academic score is where the most concrete separation emerges. Virginia Road Elementary scores 8.4 out of 10 on academics versus Weigand Avenue Elementary's 7.0 — a 1.4-point gap that reflects measurable differences in proficiency outcomes on state assessments. Growth tells a nearly identical story at both schools: Virginia Road Elementary posts a 9.9 and Weigand Avenue Elementary a 9.8 out of 10, meaning both campuses are pushing students forward at exceptional rates relative to their peers statewide. A family weighing current achievement level against year-over-year momentum will find strong momentum at both, but a higher achievement floor at Virginia Road Elementary.

Demographically, both schools serve high-poverty populations, though Weigand Avenue Elementary goes slightly deeper: 99 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch compared to 94 percent at Virginia Road Elementary. Weigand Avenue Elementary also runs a larger campus — 309 students versus Virginia Road Elementary's 209 — and carries a noticeably higher student-teacher ratio of 22.1:1 against Virginia Road Elementary's 19.0:1. That three-student-per-teacher difference can affect individualized attention, particularly for early-elementary learners still building foundational literacy.

Both schools serve grades KG through 05, so neither offers an extended grade span advantage. The structural differences to weigh are size and classroom density: Weigand Avenue Elementary is roughly 48 percent larger by enrollment with larger average class sections, while Virginia Road Elementary runs smaller and posts the higher academic score. For families specifically prioritizing academic proficiency benchmarks, Virginia Road Elementary's 1.4-point academic advantage is the clearest differentiator between two otherwise high-performing Los Angeles elementary schools.