21 Northridge, Chatsworth Schools Among Best For K-8: U.S. News

NORTHRIDGE-CHATSWORTH, CA — Several elementary and middle schools in Northridge and Chatsworth have been ranked among the best in California, according to a brand-new ranking released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

For the inaugural list, U.S. News published rankings and data on more than 80,000 public elementary and middle schools across the United States.

Schools are ranked at the state and district levels. The best charter schools and best magnet schools ranked as stand-alone categories.

U.S. News ranked Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary School as the highest in the state among schools in Northridge and Chatsworth, according to the new list. Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet was ranked 50.

Here’s a look at how other schools in Northridge and Chatsworth ranked compared with others in the state:

Elementary Schools:
50: Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary School, Los Angeles Unified School District
565: Beckford Charter for Enriched Studies, LAUSD
580: Superior Street Elementary, LAUSD
616: Our Community Charter, Our Community Charter District
851: Darby Avenue Elementary, LAUSD
900: Topeka Charter School for Advanced Studies, LAUSD
1239: Andasol Avenue Elementary, LAUSD
1338: Chatsworth Park ES Urban Planning/Community Development Magnet, LAUSD
1498: Germain Academy for Academic Achievement, LAUSD
1663: Dearborn Elementary Charter Academy, LAUSD
1740: Lorne Street Elementary, LAUSD
2193: Calahan Street Elementary, LAUSD
3118: Magnolia Science Academy 7, LAUSD

Middle Schools:
244: Alfred B. Nobel Charter Middle, LAUSD
490: OUr Community Charter, Our Community Charter District
492: Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle, LAUSD
586: Ernest Lawrence Middle, LAUSD

To determine the rankings, U.S. News used data from the U.S. Department of Education to analyze two areas at each school:

• Math and reading proficiency — or how well students perform on state assessments.
• Math and reading performance — or how well they perform compared with expectations.

The state assessment data used in the rankings is from the 2018-19 school year and, therefore, predates any effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on test-taking.

Schools were also ranked by district. Here’s how elementary and middle schools in LAUSD measured up:

Elementary Schools:

1. Canyon Charter Elementary, Santa Monica
2. Roscomare Road Elementary, Los Angeles
3. Wonderland Avenue Elementary, Los Angeles
4. Fairburn Avenue Elementary, Los Angeles
5. Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary, Northridge

Middle Schools:

1. Science Academy Stem Magnet, North Hollywood
2. Porter Ranch Community, Porter Ranch
3. Girls Academic Leadership Acad Dr. Michelle King School Stem, Los Angeles
4. Hesby Oaks Leadership Charter, Encino
5. Robert Frost Middle, Granada Hills

Nationally, California has 5,534 ranked elementary schools — the most of any state — followed by Texas at 4,446; New York at 2,211; Florida at 2,128; and Illinois at 2,038 schools.

California also has the most ranked middle schools with 2,319, followed by Texas at 1,942; Illinois at 1,243; New York at 1,219; and Florida at 997.

See the complete list of 2021’s Best K-8 Schools.