New Designs Charter School-Watts District

The New Designs Charter School-Watts, the sole school in the New Designs Charter School-Watts District, is a public charter high school serving grades 6-12 with a total enrollment of 255 students. While the school maintains a relatively high four-year graduation rate of 88.2%, it consistently underperforms the state-wide averages in California on standardized tests across multiple grade levels and subject areas.

The data shows that only 44.44% of 11th-grade students at the school were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy in 2023-2024, compared to 55.73% statewide. In Mathematics, only 25% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better, compared to 27.9% statewide. Additionally, the school had a 1.1% chronic absenteeism rate for the 2022-2023 school year, suggesting potential issues with student engagement.

Despite these academic challenges, the school serves a predominantly low-income student population, with over 63% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. This high poverty level could be a contributing factor to the school's performance, as students from low-income backgrounds often face additional barriers to educational success. The school's relatively high graduation rate, however, suggests that it may be effective in supporting students to complete their high school education, even if they are not achieving proficiency on standardized tests.