The L.A. Times reports:
Test scores released last week showed that students at L.A. Unified, the nation's second-largest school district, lag far behind the statewide average.
But the city's magnets soared far above other L.A. schools, according to new data obtained by The Times.
At traditional L.A. public schools, 35% of students met or exceeded English standards. Only 25% did the same for math.
At the city's magnets, the scores were nearly twice as high. For the same English exam, 61% of magnet students met or exceeded state standards. For math, the number was 48%.
There is an elite group of magnets :
The highest scores came from a small subset of magnets for gifted and talented students.
Rather than rely on a lottery like the rest of the city's magnets, about 40 schools demand applicants meet academic requirements, which can include how well they performed on state tests.
In total, 83% of students at L.A.'s gifted magnets met or exceeded English standards. For math, 75% did the same.
Separated from the rest of L.A. Unified, those gifted magnets rank close to some of the state's highest scoring districts, such as those found in the wealthy enclaves of Palo Alto and Laguna Beach.
But, not everyone is happy.
