Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Q: Is Watts Learning Center Charter Middle a good school?

Watts Learning Center Charter Middle ranks 1465 th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Watts Learning Center Charter Middle is a public charter middle school in Los Angeles, CA, serving 399 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Watts Learning Center Charter Middle District, which is ranked 834 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Watts Learning Center Charter Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom half of California middle schools, with proficiency rates below the state average across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics were 41.97% and 20.9%, respectively, compared to the state averages of 47.04% and 35.54%. The school's performance is particularly low for 6th grade students, with proficiency rates of 25.42% in ELA and 11.86% in Math, compared to the state averages of 45.82% and 34.31%. However, the school performs better in certain subgroups, such as its African American and Hispanic students, as well as its special education and disabled student populations.

Compared to nearby charter schools, such as Animo Florence-Firestone Charter Middle and Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 4, Watts Learning Center Charter Middle performs similarly or slightly better in academic proficiency. But the school lags behind nearby traditional public schools, such as Samuel Gompers Middle and Mary McLeod Bethune Middle, which have higher proficiency rates in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. Additionally, Watts Learning Center Charter Middle has a relatively high student-teacher ratio, ranging from 22.9 to 24.6 over the past three school years, which is higher than the ratios of some nearby schools.

Detail:

Public, Charter 6-8

8800 South San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90003-3541

(323) 565-4800

District: Watts Learning Center Charter Middle District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1465^th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 24.6

Number of students: 399

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

80.7%

African American:

18.0%

White:

0.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Watts Learning Center Charter Middle ranks worse than 52.8% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.85. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Watts Learning Center Charter Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Watts Learning Center Charter Middle 1465^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Watts Learning Center Charter Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Watts Learning Center Charter Middle District:

SchoolDigger ranks Watts Learning Center Charter Middle District 834^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

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Rank History for all students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	41.33	1406^th	2715	48.2%
2022	31.01	1737^th	2740	36.6%
2023	35.35	1620^th	2802	42.2%
2024	39.85	1465^th	2777	47.2%

See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	48.02	468^th	1442	67.5%
2022	35.18	963^rd	1540	37.5%
2023	34.44	1010^th	1529	33.9%
2024	48.26	480^th	1477	67.5%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	65.77	326^th	1538	78.8%
2024	42.62	710^th	1550	54.2%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	58.04	787^th	2369	66.8%
2022	43.08	1229^th	2458	50.0%
2023	47.02	1124^th	2549	55.9%
2024	52.84	955^th	2575	62.9%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	43.36	1227^th	2380	48.4%
2022	28.40	1714^th	2509	31.7%
2023	28.14	1739^th	2547	31.7%
2024	33.83	1547^th	2546	39.2%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	67.75	303^rd	1491	79.7%
2022	56.96	447^th	1531	70.8%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	33.61	1505^th	2407	37.5%
2022	34.01	1508^th	2527	40.3%
2023	43.28	1253^rd	2558	51.0%
2024	45.27	1201^st	2547	52.8%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	56.93	238^th	643	63.0%
2022	44.46	310^th	637	51.3%
2023	56.73	220^th	614	64.2%
2024	60.16	193^rd	626	69.2%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	57.84	736^th	2213	66.7%
2022	44.34	1153^rd	2359	51.1%
2023	47.09	1068^th	2391	55.3%
2024	56.71	808^th	2383	66.1%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2019	0	52	346	1	0	0	399
2020	2	44	356	1	0	6	409
2021	3	56	344	0	0	1	404
2022	2	57	318	1	1	14	393
2023	2	72	322	1	2	0	399

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	399	18.1	22.0	96
2020	409	n/a	n/a	94.9
2021	404	17.6	22.9	97.5
2022	393	17.0	23.1	95.7
2023	399	16.1	24.6	98.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	399	18.1	22.0	96
2020	409	n/a	n/a	94.9
2021	404	17.6	22.9	97.5
2022	393	17.0	23.1	95.7
2023	399	16.1	24.6	98.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1406^th of 2715 Middle schools	Ranks 1620^th of 2802 Middle schools	6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Watts Learning Center Charter Middle)	29.4	44.4	15.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	48.5	44.2	4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Watts Learning Center Charter Middle)	26.1	15.6	10.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (California)	38.5	33.2	5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Watts Learning Center Charter Middle)	56.6	46.9	9.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	51.4	47.4	3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Watts Learning Center Charter Middle)	26.4	20.3	6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (California)	37.9	33.2	4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Watts Learning Center Charter Middle)	47.9	41.5	6.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	49.4	45.7	3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Watts Learning Center Charter Middle)	23.9	12.8	11.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (California)	36.6	29.9	6.7%
8th Grade Science (Watts Learning Center Charter Middle)	27.4	13.4	14%
8th Grade Science (California)	30.8	28.8	2.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	399	399
African American	52	72	38.5%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	346	322	6.9%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	0	2
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	96%	98.2%	2.3%

Schools Near Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts (2024)				CAST Science (2024)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts End of Course	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Watts Learning Center Charter Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	8800 South San Pedro St.	Los Angeles	90003	Los Angeles County	Watts Learning Center Charter Middle District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 565-4800	399	16	24.6	98.2%	2 (0.5%)	72 (18.0%)	322 (80.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	39.9	1465^th of 2777 public middle schools	47.2%		35.4	1620^th of 2802 public middle schools	42.2%	155						24.2	24.2		25.4	38.5	52.0	42.0		11.9	23.0	22.5	20.9
Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 4	Public, Charter	6-8	9719 South Main St.	Los Angeles	90003	Los Angeles County	Alliance College-Ready Middle Academy 4 District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 451-3009	460	22	20.8	98.9%	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.0%)	448 (97.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	49.8	1175^th of 2777 public middle schools	57.7%		39.6	1473^rd of 2802 public middle schools	47.4%	298						32.4	32.4		43.6	42.0	49.6	44.9		30.7	20.4	34.6	28.3
KIPP Academy of Opportunity	Public, Charter	5-8	8500 South Figueroa St.	Los Angeles	90003	Los Angeles County	KIPP Academy of Opportunity District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 778-0125	472	16	29.5	94.7%	0 (0.0%)	212 (44.9%)	255 (54.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.1%)	24.9	2032^nd of 2777 public middle schools	26.8%		21.3	2207^th of 2802 public middle schools	21.2%	175					14.9	9.6	12.4	25.9	28.1	32.1	37.5	30.7	16.7	21.1	10.8	17.3	16.5
Bret Harte Preparatory Middle	Public	6-8	9301 South Hoover St.	Los Angeles	90044	Los Angeles County	Los Angeles Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 242-5400	435	26	16.9	97.5%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10.6	2642^nd of 2777 public middle schools	4.9%		6.5	2769^th of 2802 public middle schools	1.2%	127	0.0			0.0		6.9	6.9		15.8	17.8	15.0	16.2		5.1	8.3	7.5	7.0	$13,492
Charles Drew Middle	Public	7-8	8511 Compton Ave.	Los Angeles	90001	Los Angeles County	Los Angeles Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 826-1700	681	36	18.7	99.0%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14	2507^th of 2777 public middle schools	9.7%		14.6	2529^th of 2802 public middle schools	9.7%	22		0.0	0.0	0.0		9.9	9.9			21.8	21.4	21.6			10.4	5.7	7.9	$12,951
Vox Collegiate of Los Angeles	Public, Charter	6-10	1100 West Manchester Ave.	Los Angeles	90044	Los Angeles County	Vox Collegiate of Los Angeles District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 902-7133	182	7	26.1	96.2%	1 (0.5%)	32 (17.6%)	149 (81.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48.9	1196^th of 2777 public middle schools	56.9%		38.4	1517^th of 2802 public middle schools	45.9%	321						21.0	21.0		22.9	47.6	50.0	42.9		21.3	31.7	40.2	32.7
Mary McLeod Bethune Middle	Public	6-8	155 West 69th St.	Los Angeles	90003	Los Angeles County	Los Angeles Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 541-1800	858	48	17.8	98.5%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19	2292^nd of 2777 public middle schools	17.5%		22.1	2170^th of 2802 public middle schools	22.6%	122		0.0	0.0	0.0		12.4	12.4		37.5	21.5	22.7	22.5		25.0	16.0	14.4	15.4	$10,902
Animo Florence-Firestone Charter Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	8255 Beach St.	Los Angeles	90001	Los Angeles County	Animo Florence-Firestone Charter Middle District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 565-3280	443	20	21.8	98.2%	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.1%)	437 (98.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42.1	1388^th of 2777 public middle schools	50.0%		34.8	1639^th of 2802 public middle schools	41.5%	251						26.8	26.8		29.6	45.6	42.6	39.6		21.2	21.8	34.0	25.7
Animo James B. Taylor Charter Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	810 East 111th Pl.	Los Angeles	90059	Los Angeles County	Animo James B. Taylor Charter Middle District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 568-8613	518	19	27.5	97.1%	3 (0.6%)	71 (13.7%)	442 (85.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22.7	2136^th of 2777 public middle schools	23.1%		20.3	2255^th of 2802 public middle schools	19.5%	119						14.3	14.3		26.0	25.5	33.8	28.6		18.0	16.3	12.7	15.5
Samuel Gompers Middle	Public	6-8	234 East 112th St.	Los Angeles	90061	Los Angeles County	Los Angeles Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(323) 241-4000	443	30	15.0	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11.6	2600^th of 2777 public middle schools	6.4%		15	2509^th of 2802 public middle schools	10.5%	91	0.0	0.0		0.0		3.1	3.1		16.8	16.8	9.3	14.1		10.5	13.0	11.0	11.6	$19,668

Frequently Asked Questions about Watts Learning Center Charter Middle

Is Watts Learning Center Charter Middle a good school?

Watts Learning Center Charter Middle ranks 1465^th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Watts Learning Center Charter Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 399 students attended Watts Learning Center Charter Middle.

What district is Watts Learning Center Charter Middle in?

Watts Learning Center Charter Middle District

What is the racial makeup of Watts Learning Center Charter Middle?

Students at Watts Learning Center Charter Middle are 81% Hispanic, 18% African American.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.