Northridge Elementary School Named No. 1 In LA County: New Ranking

NORTHRIDGE, CA — An elementary school in Northridge was named the very best in Los Angeles County, according to a new ranking Tuesday from U.S. News & World Report.

U.S. News researchers based the 2027 ranking of the nation's best public elementary schools on the latest publicly available data from state education agencies by RTI International, alongside data from the U.S. Department of Education. In the past, the state reports weren’t part of the methodology.

The data from the state agencies provides a more comprehensive assessment of student performance in reading and mathematics across all proficiency levels while continuing to account for student background and absolute performance on state assessments.

• SEE ALSO: 3 LA County High Schools Ranked Among Top 25 Nationally

"By incorporating direct state data across all proficiency levels, the 2027 rankings offer a richer, more complete picture of how elementary and middle schools are driving student growth," Eric Brooks, U.S. News director of education data analysis, said in a news release.

Elementary schools are those offering either pre-K-5 or pre-K-6 education. For schools that have a wider grade span, only tests through fifth grade were considered. The report includes 46,000 public elementary schools ranked at the state and district levels. Charter schools are a stand-alone category.

The top 10 public elementary schools in Los Angeles County, along with their statewide ranking are:

• Balboa Gifted/High Ability Magnet Elementary — Northridge (No. 15)
• Palm Crest Elementary — La Cañada Flintridge (No. 17)
• Wonderland Avenue Elementary — Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles (No. 18)
• Cornerstone at Pedregal Elementary — Rancho Palos Verdes (No. 23)
• Valentine Elementary — San Marino (No. 25)
• Third Street Elementary — Hancock Park, Los Angeles (No. 30)
• Rancho Vista Elementary — Rolling Hills Estates (No. 33)
• Carver Elementary — San Marino (No. 34)
• Marengo Elementary — South Pasadena (No. 39)
• Overland Avenue Elementary — Cheviot Hills, Los Angeles (No. 41)