Centinela Valley Independent Study

As an one-room-style senior high in Lawndale, California, Centinela Valley Independent Study teaches 62 students from grades 9 through 12, part of Centinela Valley Union High. By comparison, California's public schools average about 838 students each, so Centinela Valley Independent Study sits 93% leaner than that benchmark.

Across the 5 schools in Centinela Valley Union High (5,351 students total), Centinela Valley Independent Study accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, Centinela Valley Independent Study shows that Hispanic students make up the majority at 79%. The remainder breaks down as 8% Black, 5% Asian, 5% multiracial, 3% White. That is considerably more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 48%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Centinela Valley Independent Study has 2 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 29.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 18.2:1, putting Centinela Valley Independent Study higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 77% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

Across the wider county, census data for Los Angeles County shows the typical household earns roughly $90,112 per year, 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. Across Los Angeles County's 2244 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,265,907 students), Centinela Valley Independent Study is one campus in the mix.

R. K. Lloyde High is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in an outer-ring setting. Instruction is delivered virtually rather than at a physical campus, and enrollment crosses district lines.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Centinela Valley Independent Study has increased 88%, going from 33 students in 2018 to 62 in 2025. Over the same period, the Black share edged up from 3% to 8%. The student-to-teacher ratio rose from 16.5:1 in 2018 to 29.1:1 today.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.