Is Betty Plasencia Elementary a good school?

Betty Plasencia Elementary ranks 3795 th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Betty Plasencia Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 414 students attended Betty Plasencia Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Betty Plasencia Elementary?

Students at Betty Plasencia Elementary are 90% Hispanic, 4% African American, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 2% White.

What schools do graduates of Betty Plasencia Elementary attend?

Students who attend Betty Plasencia Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Sal Castro Middle High : Belmont Senior High High : Contreras Learning Center-Academic Leadership Community High : Contreras Learning Center-Los Angeles School of Global Studies High : Contreras Learning Center-School of Social Justice High : Edward R. Roybal Learning Center High : School of Business and Tourism at Contreras Learning Complex

Betty Plasencia Elementary

Summary:

Betty Plasencia Elementary is a public elementary school in Los Angeles, California, serving 441 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District, which is ranked 871 out of 1,568 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite being part of the same district, Betty Plasencia Elementary consistently underperforms nearby schools, including Union Avenue Elementary and Gratts Learning Academy for Young Scholars. The school has experienced high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 12.4% to 45.5% in recent years, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools. Academically, Betty Plasencia Elementary lags behind the district and state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics, with particularly low performance in 5th-grade Math.

Further analysis reveals that the school's student population faces significant socioeconomic challenges, with 94-96% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This high rate of poverty may be a contributing factor to the school's academic struggles. Interestingly, nearby charter schools like N.E.W. Academy of Science and Arts and Gabriella Charter tend to outperform Betty Plasencia Elementary, despite serving similar student populations. Addressing the issues of chronic absenteeism and socioeconomic factors will be crucial for improving the educational outcomes at Betty Plasencia Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-5

1321 Cortez St.
Los Angeles, CA 90026-5622

(213) 250-7450

District: Los Angeles Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
3795^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,222

Students who attend Betty Plasencia Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Sal Castro Middle
High:	Belmont Senior High
	Contreras Learning Center-Academic Leadership Community
	Contreras Learning Center-Los Angeles School of Global Studies
	Contreras Learning Center-School of Social Justice
	More...
	Edward R. Roybal Learning Center
	School of Business and Tourism at Contreras Learning Complex

Student/teacher ratio: 18.8

Number of students: 414

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

89.6%

African American:

3.6%

Two or more races:

2.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 93.5%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Betty Plasencia Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Betty Plasencia Elementary ranks worse than 64.7% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 320^th among 486 ranked elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.65. (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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (89.6%), African American (3.6%), two or more races (2.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 93.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Betty Plasencia Elementary is 18.8, which is the 148^th best among 486 elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Betty Plasencia Elementary employs 22 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Betty Plasencia Elementary is $13,222, which is the 122^nd highest among 486 elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Betty Plasencia Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Betty Plasencia Elementary 3795^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Betty Plasencia Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Los Angeles Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Los Angeles Unified 871^st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Betty Plasencia Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Betty Plasencia Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	36.30	2850^th	4809	40.7%
2005	37.77	2846^th	4822	41.0%
2006	32.71	3129^th	4818	35.1%
2007	27.39	3746^th	5113	26.7%
2008	30.74	3528^th	5113	31.0%
2009	30.80	3649^th	5193	29.7%
2010	27.46	4051^st	5314	23.8%
2011	20.86	4617^th	5377	14.1%
2012	21.65	4543^rd	5390	15.7%
2013	22.73	4550^th	5530	17.7%
2015	19.14	4716^th	5611	16.0%
2016	29.81	3789^th	5614	32.5%
2017	25.81	4185^th	5692	26.5%
2018	38.47	3250^th	5662	42.6%
2019	25.08	4352^nd	5789	24.8%
2022	26.42	4210^th	5883	28.4%
2023	26.80	4195^th	5874	28.6%
2024	31.65	3795^th	5862	35.3%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Betty Plasencia Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	33.41	2158^th	3246	33.5%
2019	35.85	2062^nd	3275	37.0%
2022	20.31	3187^th	3311	3.7%
2023	28.31	2649^th	3250	18.5%
2024	37.91	1961^st	3160	37.9%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Betty Plasencia Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	53.57	2135^th	5084	58.0%
2019	35.25	3488^th	5173	32.6%
2022	37.58	3213^th	5264	39.0%
2023	35.00	3483^rd	5374	35.2%
2024	39.76	3159^th	5511	42.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at Betty Plasencia Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	38.45	3179^th	5413	41.3%
2019	19.05	4705^th	5492	14.3%
2022	26.42	4083^rd	5635	27.5%
2023	25.91	4146^th	5617	26.2%
2024	27.03	4060^th	5605	27.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Betty Plasencia Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	39.01	3110^th	5431	42.7%
2019	32.19	3607^th	5510	34.5%
2022	27.48	4004^th	5663	29.3%
2023	28.87	3877^th	5650	31.4%
2024	36.66	3302^nd	5636	41.4%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Betty Plasencia Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	48.42	2327^th	4830	51.8%
2019	33.41	3431^st	4963	30.9%
2022	39.28	2953^rd	5084	41.9%
2023	40.04	2900^th	5098	43.1%
2024	43.25	2731^st	5102	46.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Monday, December 12, 2011

I attended Betty Plasencia Elementary back when it was Cortez Elementary and those were the best that I can remember in my child hood my 5th grade teacher Mrs Pollacheck and my 6th grade teacher Mr.Fitz again they brought something to me to were I am 42 years old and because of them I am who I am today and saw life different in general. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Betty Plasencia Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	11	10	341	1202	1	n/a	n/a	0	1565
1989	10	13	362	1285	0	n/a	n/a	0	1670
1990	12	29	368	1310	2	n/a	n/a	0	1721
1991	34	16	376	1357	8	n/a	n/a	0	1791
1992	37	19	349	1304	6	n/a	n/a	0	1715
1993	48	17	318	1344	1	n/a	n/a	0	1728
1994	56	11	323	1269	1	n/a	n/a	0	1660
1995	57	15	249	1275	12	n/a	n/a	0	1608
1996	57	15	249	1275	12	n/a	n/a	0	1608
1997	58	16	211	1096	8	n/a	n/a	0	1389
1998	59	16	184	1123	6	n/a	n/a	0	1388
1999	55	12	163	1146	4	n/a	n/a	0	1380
2000	55	10	151	1129	6	n/a	n/a	0	1351
2001	53	50	149	1251	0	n/a	n/a	0	1503
2002	55	45	115	1163	3	n/a	n/a	0	1381
2003	55	45	115	1163	3	n/a	n/a	0	1381
2004	55	30	102	1103	2	n/a	n/a	0	1292
2005	47	39	105	1069	2	n/a	n/a	0	1262
2006	51	29	104	1015	0	n/a	n/a	0	1199
2007	45	27	92	925	0	n/a	n/a	9	1098
2008	39	34	81	868	3	n/a	n/a	0	1025
2009	43	26	71	778	1	1	4	0	924
2010	34	20	52	842	1	1	4	0	954
2011	40	31	42	855	3	2	2	0	975
2012	28	22	24	710	1	4	1	0	790
2013	24	42	36	693	1	1	0	0	797
2014	21	13	34	639	1	0	0	0	708
2015	21	12	31	606	1	0	1	0	672
2016	21	12	32	587	2	0	5	0	659
2017	25	11	27	588	1	0	3	0	655
2018	14	18	29	554	1	0	1	0	617
2019	10	21	26	513	1	0	0	0	571
2020	9	23	25	498	1	0	2	0	558
2021	7	17	23	475	1	0	4	0	527
2022	4	15	19	414	0	0	5	0	457
2023	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	441	441
2024	7	15	10	371	0	0	11	0	414

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 Betty Plasencia Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1565	74.0	21.1	n/a
1989	1670	73.0	22.8	n/a
1990	1721	74.0	23.2	n/a
1991	1791	69.6	25.7	n/a
1992	1715	70.7	24.2	95
1993	1728	69.0	25.0	81.8
1994	1660	62.0	26.8	95
1995	1608	65.0	24.7	92.9
1996	1608	65.0	24.7	92.9
1997	1389	57.5	24.2	85.7
1998	1388	66.0	21.0	91.9
1999	1380	77.5	17.8	93.3
2000	1351	73.3	18.4	91.4
2001	1503	74.0	20.3	88.9
2002	1381	77.0	17.9	91.9
2003	1381	77.0	17.9	91.9
2004	1292	66.5	19.4	86.8
2005	1262	65.5	19.3	85.8
2006	1199	64.0	18.7	88.2
2007	1098	54.0	20.3	85.5
2008	1025	59.0	17.4	75.3
2009	924	50.0	16.8	88.6
2010	954	45.0	21.2	91.5
2011	975	n/a	n/a	53.8
2012	790	34.0	23.2	n/a
2013	797	34.0	23.4	55.7
2014	708	31.0	22.8	88.3
2015	672	30.0	22.4	81.4
2016	659	31.0	21.2	88.5
2017	655	30.0	21.8	85
2018	617	29.5	20.9	91.2
2019	571	27.0	21.1	90.4
2020	558	n/a	n/a	93.7
2021	527	25.5	20.6	94.1
2022	457	26.0	17.5	95
2023	441	23.5	18.7	95.7
2024	414	22.0	18.8	93.5

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 Betty Plasencia Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1565	74.0	21.1	n/a
1989	1670	73.0	22.8	n/a
1990	1721	74.0	23.2	n/a
1991	1791	69.6	25.7	n/a
1992	1715	70.7	24.2	95
1993	1728	69.0	25.0	81.8
1994	1660	62.0	26.8	95
1995	1608	65.0	24.7	92.9
1996	1608	65.0	24.7	92.9
1997	1389	57.5	24.2	85.7
1998	1388	66.0	21.0	91.9
1999	1380	77.5	17.8	93.3
2000	1351	73.3	18.4	91.4
2001	1503	74.0	20.3	88.9
2002	1381	77.0	17.9	91.9
2003	1381	77.0	17.9	91.9
2004	1292	66.5	19.4	86.8
2005	1262	65.5	19.3	85.8
2006	1199	64.0	18.7	88.2
2007	1098	54.0	20.3	85.5
2008	1025	59.0	17.4	75.3
2009	924	50.0	16.8	88.6
2010	954	45.0	21.2	91.5
2011	975	n/a	n/a	53.8
2012	790	34.0	23.2	n/a
2013	797	34.0	23.4	55.7
2014	708	31.0	22.8	88.3
2015	672	30.0	22.4	81.4
2016	659	31.0	21.2	88.5
2017	655	30.0	21.8	85
2018	617	29.5	20.9	91.2
2019	571	27.0	21.1	90.4
2020	558	n/a	n/a	93.7
2021	527	25.5	20.6	94.1
2022	457	26.0	17.5	95
2023	441	23.5	18.7	95.7
2024	414	22.0	18.8	93.5

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.

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