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Very Good

#3182 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 33% in state

John Adams Elementary

Elementary School · Torrance Unified · Torrance, CA

A Torrance Unified elementary school where students score 8 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2121 238Th St., Torrance, CA 90501

  • Math 56% vs CA 39% (2024)
  • Reading 62% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 23.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.4Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.03 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics8.5Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency55.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency60.8% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+9.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+18 pts
Overall Proficiency58% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)50% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+8.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile78th
Resources & Environment4.5Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio23.8:1
District spending per student$15,134
Chronic Absenteeism23.4%

Students at John Adams Elementary score 58% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 50%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency56%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
39%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency62%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 17 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 59% recently.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
74%
ELA
78%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2011
Math
72%
ELA
62%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
67%
2014
Math
56%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
57%
ELA
62%
2016
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2017
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
59%
ELA
62%
2019
Math
59%
ELA
62%
2022
Math
60%
ELA
64%
2024
Math
56%
ELA
62%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

43.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where John Adams Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Los Angeles map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 76Very Walkable
  • Transit 34Some Transit
  • Bike 69Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,096/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Torrance), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$92,815

Median home value

$887,300

Median rent

$1,868/mo

College educated

38.7%

Homeownership

45.6%

Poverty rate

11.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 90501; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Howard Wood ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.0K–50.3 mi379Compare →
Lomita Math/science/technology MagnetEnrollment path unverified8.2K–50.6 mi852Compare →
Nishiyamato Academy of CaliforniaPrivate · tuition7.5privatePK–90.6 mi85Compare →
Torrance Montessori SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot ratedPK–K0.8 mi3Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Torrance Unified

Schools in district
32
Rank in district
#21 of 30
District spending per student
$15,134NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

John Adams Elementary is listed in Torrance Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About John Adams Elementary

John Adams Elementary is a public elementary school in Torrance, CA, part of Torrance Unified, serving approximately 333 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 23.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.2 out of 10 and ranks #3,182 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about John Adams Elementary

What grades does John Adams Elementary serve?

John Adams Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend John Adams Elementary?

John Adams Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 333 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at John Adams Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at John Adams Elementary is 23.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does John Adams Elementary rank in CA?

John Adams Elementary ranks #3,182 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is John Adams Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

John Adams Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at John Adams Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, John Adams Elementary has 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is John Adams Elementary a charter school?

No, John Adams Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is John Adams Elementary a Title I school?

No, John Adams Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for John Adams Elementary?

43.5% of students at John Adams Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
333
Student-Teacher Ratio
23.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
14
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Los Angeles County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
23.4%
Area population (ZIP 90501)
41,319
Area average commute
26.4 min
Area median age
38.8
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 90501; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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