Is Christopher Dena Elementary a good school?

Christopher Dena Elementary ranks 3273 rd of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Christopher Dena Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 337 students attended Christopher Dena Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Christopher Dena Elementary?

Students at Christopher Dena Elementary are 95% Hispanic, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of Christopher Dena Elementary attend?

Students who attend Christopher Dena Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Hollenbeck Middle Middle : Robert Louis Stevenson College and Career Preparatory High : Boyle Heights Sci Technical Engr and Math Magnet High : Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez High High : Theodore Roosevelt Senior High

Christopher Dena Elementary

Summary:

Christopher Dena Elementary is a public elementary school in Los Angeles, California, serving 384 students in grades K-6. 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.

While Christopher Dena Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of California elementary schools, its performance on standardized tests is generally below the district and state averages. For example, in 2023-2024, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy ranged from 32.31% to 43.33%, compared to the district average of 41.21% to 44.18% and the state average of 42.8% to 47.37%. In Mathematics, the school's proficiency rates ranged from 28.33% to 40.43%, compared to the district average of 30.09% to 45.44% and the state average of 34.31% to 45.64%. The school's performance in Science is particularly low, with only 10.64% of students proficient or better in 5th grade, compared to the district average of 27.35% and the state average of 32.68%. Additionally, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 8.4% in 2017-2018 to 19.1% in 2022-2023.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Lorena Street Elementary, Euclid Avenue Elementary, and Soto Street Elementary, Christopher Dena Elementary generally performs at a similar or slightly lower level. However, Soto Street Elementary stands out with higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics compared to Christopher Dena Elementary and the other nearby schools. The charter schools in the area, such as Extera Public School No. 2 and KIPP Endeavor College Preparatory Charter, have mixed performance, with some outperforming Christopher Dena Elementary and others performing at a similar or lower level.

Detail:

Public K-6

1314 Dacotah St.
Los Angeles, CA 90023-2707

(323) 269-9222

District: Los Angeles Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
3273^rd of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,346

Students who attend Christopher Dena Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Hollenbeck Middle
	Robert Louis Stevenson College and Career Preparatory
High:	Boyle Heights Sci Technical Engr and Math Magnet
	Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez High
	Theodore Roosevelt Senior High

Student/teacher ratio: 17.7

Number of students: 337

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

95.3%

African American:

2.7%

White:

0.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 93.8%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Christopher Dena Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Christopher Dena Elementary ranks worse than 55.8% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 252^nd among 486 ranked elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 38.4. (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 (95.3%), African American (2.7%), Asian (0.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 93.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Christopher Dena Elementary is 17.7, which is the 76^th best among 486 elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Christopher Dena Elementary employs 19 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Christopher Dena Elementary is $11,346. 255 elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Christopher Dena Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Christopher Dena Elementary 3273^rd of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Christopher Dena 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.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Christopher Dena Elementary?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Christopher Dena Elementary

Compare

Rank History for all students at Christopher Dena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	15.43	4314^th	4809	10.3%
2005	11.93	4533^rd	4822	6.0%
2006	15.70	4307^th	4818	10.6%
2007	11.27	4859^th	5113	5.0%
2008	15.96	4599^th	5113	10.1%
2009	13.34	4837^th	5193	6.9%
2010	11.36	5096^th	5314	4.1%
2011	11.90	5131^st	5377	4.6%
2012	13.69	5037^th	5390	6.5%
2013	18.27	4855^th	5530	12.2%
2015	17.65	4869^th	5611	13.2%
2016	24.44	4227^th	5614	24.7%
2017	27.66	4033^rd	5692	29.1%
2018	19.02	4760^th	5662	15.9%
2019	23.16	4527^th	5789	21.8%
2022	32.53	3650^th	5883	38.0%
2023	43.92	2892^nd	5874	50.8%
2024	38.40	3273^rd	5862	44.2%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Christopher Dena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	14.05	3237^th	3246	0.3%
2019	24.74	2886^th	3275	11.9%
2022	50.98	1143^rd	3311	65.5%
2023	32.54	2354^th	3250	27.6%
2024	65.45	528^th	3160	83.3%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Christopher Dena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	27.86	3920^th	5084	22.9%
2019	35.15	3496^th	5173	32.4%
2022	48.24	2383^rd	5264	54.7%
2023	58.40	1848^th	5374	65.6%
2024	49.59	2412^th	5511	56.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Christopher Dena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	23.28	4293^rd	5413	20.7%
2019	28.41	3947^th	5492	28.1%
2022	34.08	3408^th	5635	39.5%
2023	40.68	2981^st	5617	46.9%
2024	35.15	3391^st	5605	39.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Christopher Dena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	15.76	4910^th	5431	9.6%
2019	18.06	4814^th	5510	12.6%
2022	32.24	3593^rd	5663	36.6%
2023	46.39	2663^rd	5650	52.9%
2024	41.15	2989^th	5636	47.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Christopher Dena Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	27.17	3751^st	4830	22.3%
2019	33.20	3459^th	4963	30.3%
2022	46.82	2403^rd	5084	52.7%
2023	60.73	1626^th	5098	68.1%
2024	56.64	1859^th	5102	63.6%

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

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Christopher Dena Elementary.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Christopher Dena Elementary, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Christopher Dena Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	2	9	15	1029	0	n/a	n/a	0	1055
1989	4	5	14	1049	0	n/a	n/a	0	1072
1990	4	3	10	1056	0	n/a	n/a	0	1073
1991	7	6	12	1034	0	n/a	n/a	0	1059
1992	3	5	14	1045	0	n/a	n/a	0	1067
1993	3	7	13	1031	0	n/a	n/a	0	1054
1994	3	6	12	1019	0	n/a	n/a	0	1040
1995	1	3	6	975	1	n/a	n/a	0	986
1996	1	3	6	975	1	n/a	n/a	0	986
1997	0	3	3	1026	0	n/a	n/a	0	1032
1998	0	4	1	1031	1	n/a	n/a	0	1037
1999	0	3	1	972	1	n/a	n/a	0	977
2000	1	2	1	964	1	n/a	n/a	0	969
2001	1	0	2	1014	1	n/a	n/a	0	1018
2002	3	12	2	956	2	n/a	n/a	0	975
2003	3	12	2	956	2	n/a	n/a	0	975
2004	3	4	1	981	1	n/a	n/a	0	990
2005	2	1	1	937	0	n/a	n/a	0	941
2006	0	0	3	736	0	n/a	n/a	0	739
2007	0	0	1	626	0	n/a	n/a	0	627
2008	1	n/a	2	587	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	590
2009	1	0	3	646	2	0	0	0	652
2010	1	2	3	559	0	0	1	0	566
2011	3	3	2	509	0	0	1	0	518
2012	2	3	1	474	0	0	2	0	482
2013	1	4	1	439	0	0	0	0	445
2014	2	5	1	455	0	0	0	0	463
2015	3	15	1	465	0	0	0	0	484
2016	4	11	1	457	0	0	1	0	474
2017	4	9	1	463	0	0	0	0	477
2018	6	6	3	438	0	0	0	0	453
2019	3	10	2	433	0	0	0	0	448
2020	6	8	3	414	0	0	2	0	433
2021	4	5	2	401	0	0	0	0	412
2022	4	7	2	361	0	0	1	0	375
2023	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	384	384
2024	3	9	3	321	0	0	1	0	337

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 Christopher Dena Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1055	44.0	23.9	n/a
1989	1072	44.0	24.3	n/a
1990	1073	44.0	24.3	n/a
1991	1059	44.0	24.0	n/a
1992	1067	44.7	23.8	87.3
1993	1054	43.0	24.5	95
1994	1040	39.5	26.3	95
1995	986	38.2	25.8	94.9
1996	986	38.2	25.8	94.9
1997	1032	42.5	24.3	95
1998	1037	50.5	20.5	94.9
1999	977	52.0	18.8	95
2000	969	48.0	20.2	99.7
2001	1018	52.5	19.4	97.5
2002	975	51.0	19.1	96
2003	975	51.0	19.1	96
2004	990	49.0	20.2	92
2005	941	49.0	19.2	92.2
2006	739	38.0	19.4	92.3
2007	627	33.0	19.0	96
2008	590	31.6	18.7	47.3
2009	652	32.0	18.6	95.9
2010	566	27.0	20.9	94.2
2011	518	n/a	n/a	46.5
2012	482	20.0	24.1	n/a
2013	445	17.0	26.1	53.5
2014	463	19.0	24.3	91.8
2015	484	20.0	24.2	87.2
2016	474	20.0	23.7	96.2
2017	477	21.0	22.7	94.3
2018	453	20.0	22.6	96.7
2019	448	20.0	22.4	94.2
2020	433	n/a	n/a	96.5
2021	412	19.0	21.6	98.1
2022	375	20.0	18.7	98.1
2023	384	20.0	19.2	97.9
2024	337	19.0	17.7	93.8

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 Christopher Dena Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1055	44.0	23.9	n/a
1989	1072	44.0	24.3	n/a
1990	1073	44.0	24.3	n/a
1991	1059	44.0	24.0	n/a
1992	1067	44.7	23.8	87.3
1993	1054	43.0	24.5	95
1994	1040	39.5	26.3	95
1995	986	38.2	25.8	94.9
1996	986	38.2	25.8	94.9
1997	1032	42.5	24.3	95
1998	1037	50.5	20.5	94.9
1999	977	52.0	18.8	95
2000	969	48.0	20.2	99.7
2001	1018	52.5	19.4	97.5
2002	975	51.0	19.1	96
2003	975	51.0	19.1	96
2004	990	49.0	20.2	92
2005	941	49.0	19.2	92.2
2006	739	38.0	19.4	92.3
2007	627	33.0	19.0	96
2008	590	31.6	18.7	47.3
2009	652	32.0	18.6	95.9
2010	566	27.0	20.9	94.2
2011	518	n/a	n/a	46.5
2012	482	20.0	24.1	n/a
2013	445	17.0	26.1	53.5
2014	463	19.0	24.3	91.8
2015	484	20.0	24.2	87.2
2016	474	20.0	23.7	96.2
2017	477	21.0	22.7	94.3
2018	453	20.0	22.6	96.7
2019	448	20.0	22.4	94.2
2020	433	n/a	n/a	96.5
2021	412	19.0	21.6	98.1
2022	375	20.0	18.7	98.1
2023	384	20.0	19.2	97.9
2024	337	19.0	17.7	93.8

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates