Paramount High

Summary:

Paramount High is a public high school located in Paramount, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 3,737 students. The school is part of the Paramount Unified School District, which is ranked 961 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Paramount High has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of California high schools, with a ranking between 1,016 and 1,349 over the past 7 years, and a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of that time period.

Paramount High has a relatively high 4-year graduation rate, ranging from 88.4% to 93.0% over the past 5 years, which is higher than the state and district averages. However, the school's dropout rates have been slightly higher than the state and district averages, ranging from 3.2% to 6.9% over the same period. Paramount High has also seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 8.1% in 2017-2018 to 32.7% in 2021-2022, which is much higher than the state and district averages. The school's test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are consistently lower than the state and district averages, with only 45.36% of students proficient or better in ELA and 13.59% proficient or better in Math for the 2023-2024 school year.

Compared to nearby schools, Paramount High's performance is generally lower than the Bellflower High and Manuel Dominguez High, which are in the Bellflower Unified and Compton Unified districts, respectively. These schools have higher graduation rates, lower dropout rates, and better test scores across the board. Additionally, the Paramount Unified Community Day, a continuation high school in the same district, has significantly worse performance than Paramount High.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 14429 South Downey Ave.
       Paramount, CA  90723-4378


(562) 602-6067

District: Paramount Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1322nd of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $3,807 Help


Feeder schools for Paramount High:

Elementary:    Abraham Lincoln
    Captain Raymond Collins
    Harry Wirtz Elementary
    Hollydale
    More...
Middle:    Alondra Middle
    Frank J. Zamboni
    Leona Jackson
    Paramount Park Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  20.4 Help
Number of students:  3,737

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
89.9%
African American:
6.7%
Asian:
1.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  94.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Paramount High ranks worse than 56.9% of high schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.46. (See more...)
Help
The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Paramount High freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
Help
Compare Details Paramount High has the largest high school student body size in the Paramount Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (89.9%), African American (6.7%), Asian (1.3%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 94.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Paramount Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Paramount High is 20.4, which is the highest among 3 high schools in the Paramount Unified School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Paramount High employs 182.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Paramount High is $3,807, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Paramount Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Paramount High:

SchoolDigger ranks Paramount High 1322nd of 2323 California public high schools. (See Paramount High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Paramount Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Paramount Unified 961st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Paramount High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 49.02 511th 1653 69.1%
2005 47.46 642nd 1901 66.2%
2006 46.50 703rd 1968 64.3%
2007 51.23 635th 2063 69.2%
2008 51.48 644th 2117 69.6%
2009 49.93 746th 2238 66.7%
2010 44.27 907th 2281 60.2%
2011 42.55 989th 2367 58.2%
2012 48.83 829th 2354 64.8%
2013 52.37 728th 2426 70.0%
2015 61.15 724th 1994 63.7%
2016 62.16 734th 2039 64.0%
2017 47.58 1080th 2021 46.6%
2018 50.00 1016th 2017 49.6%
2019 40.44 1199th 2133 43.8%
2021 49.31 617th 1290 52.2%
2022 35.88 1286th 2123 39.4%
2023 32.30 1349th 2348 42.5%
2024 33.46 1322nd 2323 43.1%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.81 518th 938 44.8%
2019 35.75 578th 941 38.6%
2021 28.59 356th 467 23.8%
2022 38.38 573rd 1044 45.1%
2023 32.06 721st 1323 45.5%
2024 35.85 606th 1350 55.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 29.27 1016th 1547 34.3%
2024 24.31 1196th 1534 22.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.19 767th 1862 58.8%
2019 48.91 959th 1937 50.5%
2021 57.12 435th 1126 61.4%
2022 42.48 1053rd 1943 45.8%
2023 39.05 1157th 2247 48.5%
2024 38.88 1172nd 2235 47.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 43.65 156th 290 46.2%
2023 52.86 154th 417 63.1%
2024 33.15 312th 451 30.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.70 930th 1760 47.2%
2019 37.92 1109th 1833 39.5%
2021 44.24 575th 1054 45.4%
2022 33.00 1204th 1858 35.2%
2023 34.59 1234th 2118 41.7%
2024 30.58 1336th 2098 36.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.19 641st 1052 39.1%
2019 25.92 856th 1117 23.4%
2021 31.81 380th 555 31.5%
2022 36.76 644th 1161 44.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.68 1011th 1834 44.9%
2019 37.56 1130th 1880 39.9%
2021 45.41 571st 1122 49.1%
2022 34.72 1178th 1916 38.5%
2023 27.77 1394th 2207 36.8%
2024 33.69 1222nd 2172 43.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 2.36 563rd 581 3.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.27 330th 582 43.3%
2019 32.51 384th 592 35.1%
2022 26.68 390th 522 25.3%
2023 37.94 412th 720 42.8%
2024 43.89 340th 721 52.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.34 649th 1742 62.7%
2019 53.68 785th 1814 56.7%
2022 45.27 947th 1861 49.1%
2023 39.86 1129th 2142 47.3%
2024 41.56 1075th 2125 49.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Paramount High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.70 791st 1173 32.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White 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.

Paramount High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Open Quote If you do not go to the school then you can't say anything about it!
Paramount High School is a GREAT school.
The Staff are great and teachers are always helping us reach our highest pontential.
Staff, teachers, and people from the office do care about us and try to help us be the best we could be.
Paramount High gives everyone support and they try to make everyone pass thier classes.
Just because there has been some misunderstanding in things, it doesnt mean that Paramount High is a bad school.
I am a Senior at Paramount High & i am on my way to graduate. I am happy to have came to this school and wouldn't of had it any other way! Close Quote


by a parent
Saturday, May 22, 2010

Open Quote Race Riots, Gangs, Strippers, Fights near school or in school, Pants down to their knees, careless teachers, bad leadership and more!
I live in Paramount but will not send my kids to this high school. They have race riots, Gangs, students getting shot, and pants downs to their knees. They have a lot of staff and teachers their but they don't care about kids! They just get paid and leave. They let the kids do whatever they want to do. Kids do what they want at that school including fights and taking off their clothes. I have been in the school, have friends in the school and also know students in the school. I would never ever send any of kids to that school. Bad leadership, no challenging program, bad teachers, bad principal. Even when something happens in the school; no teachers or staff gets fired. The kids who gets into fights or do bad goes right back to school. The kids get rewarded for being bad. The good kids are drown out and not rewarded with a good education. I would never ever send my kids there period. The state needs to take over this high school! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Paramount High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 526 269 205 1787 24 n/a n/a 0 2811
1989 468 292 199 1832 14 n/a n/a 0 2805
1990 405 300 196 2001 17 n/a n/a 0 2919
1991 338 365 186 2062 13 n/a n/a 0 2964
1992 345 417 323 2167 11 n/a n/a 0 3263
1993 245 412 163 2203 5 n/a n/a 0 3028
1994 233 417 128 2318 7 n/a n/a 0 3103
1995 184 422 137 2524 4 n/a n/a 0 3271
1996 184 422 137 2524 4 n/a n/a 0 3271
1997 180 447 143 2641 10 n/a n/a 0 3421
1998 166 366 161 2699 9 n/a n/a 0 3401
1999 161 470 170 2811 9 n/a n/a 0 3621
2000 165 512 176 3006 11 n/a n/a 2 3872
2001 134 465 189 3012 12 n/a n/a 0 3812
2002 119 483 162 3140 6 n/a n/a 0 3910
2003 119 483 162 3140 6 n/a n/a 0 3910
2004 123 467 154 3191 2 n/a n/a 0 3937
2005 103 496 130 3345 5 n/a n/a 0 4079
2006 92 463 118 3359 12 n/a n/a 2 4046
2007 90 431 129 3515 8 n/a n/a 1 4174
2008 107 513 127 3708 15 n/a n/a 0 4470
2009 111 509 86 3757 4 43 23 0 4533
2010 112 515 80 4006 6 34 5 0 4758
2011 88 487 62 4237 1 34 13 0 4922
2012 82 470 60 4354 0 36 13 0 5015
2013 71 458 67 4348 1 32 14 0 4991
2014 58 419 64 4264 2 35 27 0 4869
2015 49 394 67 4240 1 37 26 0 4814
2016 49 391 71 4207 1 40 35 0 4794
2017 51 366 61 4206 1 35 42 0 4762
2018 52 365 63 4171 2 28 41 0 4722
2019 47 369 52 4061 4 30 39 0 4602
2020 39 334 45 3866 7 25 43 2 4361
2021 41 301 49 3757 6 21 33 3 4211
2022 39 281 39 3542 5 16 23 3 3948
2023 28 252 47 3361 4 11 28 6 3737

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 Paramount High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2811 105.1 26.7 n/a
1989 2805 103.4 27.1 n/a
1990 2919 105.9 27.5 n/a
1991 2964 115.6 25.6 n/a
1992 3263 117.5 27.7 8
1993 3028 114.7 26.4 9
1994 3103 120.9 25.7 7.3
1995 3271 118.0 27.7 12.3
1996 3271 118.0 27.7 12.3
1997 3421 120.1 28.5 19
1998 3401 147.5 23.1 17.2
1999 3621 149.9 24.2 40.8
2000 3872 177.5 21.8 44.6
2001 3812 171.9 22.2 70.9
2002 3910 171.2 22.8 84.7
2003 3910 171.2 22.8 84.7
2004 3937 177.4 22.2 86.9
2005 4079 194.7 21.0 0
2006 4046 191.8 21.1 85.8
2007 4174 191.2 21.8 85
2008 4470 230.4 19.4 68.2
2009 4533 195.8 20.7 92.5
2010 4758 192.4 24.7 95.8
2011 4922 n/a n/a 89.6
2012 5015 189.5 26.4 n/a
2013 4991 187.6 26.6 19.4
2014 4869 153.1 31.7 80.3
2015 4814 174.0 27.6 91.8
2016 4794 184.0 26.0 91.2
2017 4762 189.1 25.1 92.3
2018 4722 181.3 26.0 91.7
2019 4602 182.6 25.1 95.8
2020 4361 n/a n/a 95.1
2021 4211 191.9 21.9 93.7
2022 3948 192.4 20.5 95.2
2023 3737 182.8 20.4 94.1

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 Paramount High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2811 105.1 26.7 n/a
1989 2805 103.4 27.1 n/a
1990 2919 105.9 27.5 n/a
1991 2964 115.6 25.6 n/a
1992 3263 117.5 27.7 8
1993 3028 114.7 26.4 9
1994 3103 120.9 25.7 7.3
1995 3271 118.0 27.7 12.3
1996 3271 118.0 27.7 12.3
1997 3421 120.1 28.5 19
1998 3401 147.5 23.1 17.2
1999 3621 149.9 24.2 40.8
2000 3872 177.5 21.8 44.6
2001 3812 171.9 22.2 70.9
2002 3910 171.2 22.8 84.7
2003 3910 171.2 22.8 84.7
2004 3937 177.4 22.2 86.9
2005 4079 194.7 21.0 0
2006 4046 191.8 21.1 85.8
2007 4174 191.2 21.8 85
2008 4470 230.4 19.4 68.2
2009 4533 195.8 20.7 92.5
2010 4758 192.4 24.7 95.8
2011 4922 n/a n/a 89.6
2012 5015 189.5 26.4 n/a
2013 4991 187.6 26.6 19.4
2014 4869 153.1 31.7 80.3
2015 4814 174.0 27.6 91.8
2016 4794 184.0 26.0 91.2
2017 4762 189.1 25.1 92.3
2018 4722 181.3 26.0 91.7
2019 4602 182.6 25.1 95.8
2020 4361 n/a n/a 95.1
2021 4211 191.9 21.9 93.7
2022 3948 192.4 20.5 95.2
2023 3737 182.8 20.4 94.1

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.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Paramount High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $3,807

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Paramount High

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 1199th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 1349th of 2348 High schools
 1.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Paramount High)4247.4
 5.5%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Paramount Unified)39.246.6
 7.4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Paramount High)20.212.2
 8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Paramount Unified)18.711.8
 7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Paramount High)19.712
 7.6%
   11th Grade Science (Paramount Unified)18.314.2
 4.1%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Paramount High)14.212.6
 1.6%
   12th Grade Science (Paramount Unified)13.515.2
 1.7%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students46023737
 18.8%
African American369252
 31.7%
American Indian44
Asian5247
 9.6%
Hispanic40613361
 17.2%
Pacific Islander3011
 63.3%
White4728
 40.4%
Two or More Races3928
 28.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients95.8%94.1%
 1.6%


Schools Near Paramount High









Frequently Asked Questions about Paramount High

Paramount High ranks 1322nd of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 3,737 students attended Paramount High.

Students at Paramount High are 90% Hispanic, 7% African American, 1% Asian.

Paramount High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Abraham Lincoln
Elementary : Captain Raymond Collins
Elementary : Harry Wirtz Elementary
Elementary : Hollydale
Elementary : Howard Tanner
Elementary : Jefferson Elementary
Elementary : Los Cerritos
Elementary : Major Lynn Mokler
Elementary : Mark Keppel
Elementary : Theodore Roosevelt
Elementary : Wesley Gaines
Middle : Alondra Middle
Middle : Frank J. Zamboni
Middle : Leona Jackson
Middle : Paramount Park Middle


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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.





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