Los Angeles County Students by the Numbers

Los Angeles County public schools enrolled 1,242,816 students in 2025-26^[1]. In the class of 2024-25, 87.6 percent of LA County students graduated from high school in four years^[2], compared with 87.5 percent statewide^[3]. Statewide, only 53.9 percent of 2024-25 graduates finished the A-G courses that the University of California and California State University require^[3], and 65 percent of LA County high school completers in 2022-23 enrolled in college within a year^[6]. This page collects the official figures in one place, explains what each one measures, and lists practical steps families can take.

Last updated October 24, 2026. Every figure below links to the public source it came from. See the methods note at the end of the page.

The numbers at a glance

Measure	Figure
Students enrolled in LA County public schools, 2025-26[1]	1,242,816
LA County students meeting or exceeding the state standard in English language arts, 2024-25 (California: 48.8%)[16]	50.5%
LA County students meeting or exceeding the state standard in math, 2024-25 (California: 37.3%)[16]	39.3%
LA County four-year graduation rate, class of 2024-25[2]	87.6%
California four-year graduation rate, 2024-25[3] and 2025-26[5]	87.5% and 87.9%
California graduates who met UC/CSU (A-G) requirements, 2024-25[3]	53.9%
California four-year cohort dropout rate, 2024-25[4]	8.0%
LA County high school completers enrolled in college within 12 months, 2022-23[6]	65%
LAUSD students in grades K-8 who were chronically absent, 2024-25[8]	21.9%
California chronic absenteeism rate, 2024-25[4] and 2025-26[5]	19.4% and 18.3%
LACCD students completing a certificate, degree or transfer pathway within six years, 2025[9]	24%
LA County adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher, 2020-2024[11]	36.0%
LA County residents 5 and older who speak a language other than English at home, 2020-2024[11]	55.1%

Attendance: the number that comes first

A student is chronically absent when they miss 10 percent or more of school days for any reason, excused or not. That is about 18 days in a 180 day year, or two days a month. In 2024-25, 21.9 percent of LAUSD students in kindergarten through eighth grade were chronically absent^[8]. Statewide the rate was 19.4 percent in 2024-25, down from a peak of 30.0 percent in 2021-22, and it fell again to 18.3 percent in 2025-26^[4][5]. A Los Angeles County Board of Education resolution sets a goal of reducing chronic absenteeism by another 5 percent by June 2028 compared with 2024-25^[15].

Why it matters for families: absences add up quietly. A few sick days, a few late mornings and a few days of avoiding a hard class can cross the 10 percent line before anyone notices. Our guide to chronic absenteeism explains how to track it, and when a teen refuses to go to school covers what to do when avoidance is the real issue.

Test scores: about half of students meet the standard

On the 2024-25 state tests (CAASPP), 50.5 percent of LA County students met or exceeded the standard in English language arts and 39.3 percent in math, above the statewide rates of 48.8 and 37.3 percent. County scores rose 2.4 points in English language arts and 2.8 points in math from the year before^[16].

Why it matters for families: a score below the standard does not tell you why. Often the gap is in the habits around learning, such as finishing homework, asking for help early and preparing over several days, as much as the content. Our guide on what to do after a bad report card is a good place to start.

Graduation and A-G: on time is not the same as eligible

LA County’s four-year graduation rate was 87.6 percent for the class of 2024-25^[2], and the Los Angeles County Office of Education reports that county graduation rates remain above the state average^[14]. The statewide rate reached 87.5 percent in 2024-25 and 87.9 percent in 2025-26^[3][5].

Graduating and being eligible for a University of California or California State University campus are two different things. Statewide, 53.9 percent of 2024-25 graduates met UC/CSU requirements^[3]. For UC, that means at least 15 A-G courses with a grade of C or better, with at least 11 of them finished before the start of senior year, and a GPA of 3.0 or better for California residents^[13]. The A-G areas are history (2 years), English (4), mathematics (3, 4 recommended), science (2, 3 recommended), a language other than English (2, 3 recommended), visual and performing arts (1) and a college-preparatory elective (1)^[13].

Why it matters for families: a single D in a required A-G course, or a missing year of a language, can quietly close a door that is hard to reopen in senior year. A four-year high school plan and a look at graduation requirements in ninth or tenth grade catch most of these gaps early. If credits are already behind, see credit recovery and the graduate on time credit planner.

College going: getting there and getting through

Of LA County students who completed high school in 2022-23, 65 percent enrolled in a college or university within 12 months^[6]. The state measures this with its College-Going Rate, which matches high school completers with National Student Clearinghouse enrollment records^[7]. The California Department of Education notes that students who block release of their directory information can lower reported rates, so the true figure may be somewhat higher^[7].

Enrolling is the first step, not the finish line. The Los Angeles Community College District serves about 205,000 full and part time students across nine colleges^[10], and 24 percent of LACCD students completed a certificate, degree or transfer-related pathway within six years^[9]. Among LA County adults 25 and older, 36.0 percent hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and 80.9 percent have at least a high school diploma^[11].

Why it matters for families: the summer after graduation and the first year of college are where many plans stall. See summer melt, starting community college and starting at community college and transferring.

The community behind the numbers

Los Angeles County is home to an estimated 9,694,934 people (July 1, 2025), and 19.2 percent of residents are under 18^[11]. In 55.1 percent of homes, a language other than English is spoken, 33.4 percent of residents were born outside the United States, and 93.0 percent of households have a broadband internet subscription^[11]. In Los Angeles Unified, 86.20 percent of students are counted as unduplicated pupils for state funding in 2025-26, meaning they are low income, English learners or foster youth, each student counted once^[12].

Why it matters for families: many LA County students are the first in their family to navigate A-G courses, college applications and financial aid in this system. Our guides for parents of first generation college students and first generation college students walk through it step by step.

What families can do this semester

1. Count absences now, not in June. Check the school portal for total absences and tardies this year. If your student is near 10 percent of days, talk with the school counselor and make a plan. See the chronic absenteeism guide.
2. Audit A-G by the end of tenth grade. List each course by A-G area and its grade. Any D or F in an A-G course, or a missing language year, needs a plan before senior year. Start with the four-year plan and the junior year guide.
3. Build the weekly routine before the crisis. Most grade drops start with missing assignments, not hard content. A simple weekly planning habit is the fix; see time management coaching for students.
4. Plan the summer after graduation. Put orientation, placement, financial aid and housing deadlines on one calendar. See summer melt.
5. Treat the first college year as its own project. Registration, add and drop dates and early grades decide a lot. See mentoring for college students and mentoring for transfer students.

Where a mentor fits

Blackburn Mentoring works one-on-one with high school and college students and young adults, in person in Los Angeles and by video anywhere in the United States. A mentor is not a tutor, a therapist or an admissions consultant. Mentors help students plan the week, build routines, follow through on attendance and assignments, map A-G and graduation requirements with the school counselor’s guidance, and keep parents and the school team informed when the family wants that. We never promise grades or admissions. See academic coaching for high school students, mentoring for high school students, mentoring across Los Angeles County and, for school staff, resources for school counselors.

For what these numbers mean district by district, see our school district and college system guides.

Frequently asked questions

What does chronically absent mean in California?

A student is chronically absent when they miss 10 percent or more of the school days they were enrolled, for any reason, including excused absences. In a 180 day year that is about 18 days.

What does met UC/CSU requirements mean?

It means a graduate completed the A-G course pattern used by the University of California and California State University. For UC that is at least 15 A-G courses with a C or better, at least 11 of them before senior year, plus a GPA of 3.0 or better for California residents.

What is the College-Going Rate?

It is the California Department of Education’s measure of the share of public high school completers who enroll in a college or university within 12 months of finishing high school, using National Student Clearinghouse records.

Why do some figures cover LAUSD and others all of LA County?

Official sources publish different measures at different levels. We report each figure at the level and year the source gives and label it, rather than mixing county and district numbers.

How can a mentor help my student with these numbers?

A mentor works on the habits behind them: attendance, weekly planning, finishing assignments and keeping an A-G plan on track, in coordination with parents and the school counselor when the family wants that. Mentoring does not replace tutoring, therapy or school counseling, and no one can promise grades or admissions.

Methods and sources

Every figure originates with a public agency: the California Department of Education (DataQuest, the California School Dashboard and its fact sheets), the Los Angeles County Office of Education (including its statement on state test results), the U.S. Census Bureau, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the Los Angeles Community College District and the University of California. Four county or district figures (sources 2, 6, 8 and 9) were read from LA2050’s published compilation of those agency tables; for each, the source line names the original agency table and year and links the compilation. Rates use each agency’s own definitions and are not adjusted. Years differ by measure because agencies release data on different schedules; we always show the year. Figures for California are included for comparison only. To check any county or district figure yourself, use DataQuest and choose Los Angeles County or Los Angeles Unified. If you spot an error or a newer release, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com and we will update the page.

1. Ed-Data, Los Angeles County profile (a partnership of the California Department of Education, EdSource and FCMAT/CSIS), 2025-26 enrollment. www.ed-data.org/county/Los-Angeles
2. California Department of Education, DataQuest, Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate, Los Angeles County, 2024-25, as compiled by LA2050 (High School Graduation Rates metric). la2050.org/metrics/high-school-graduation-rates
3. California Department of Education, 2024-25 Fact Sheet: California State At-a-Glance (December 2025). www.cde.ca.gov/DS/ad/documents/endyr.pdf
4. California Department of Education, DataQuest 2024-25 end of year data highlights. www.cde.ca.gov/DS/cm/dqeoy25.asp
5. California Department of Education, DataQuest data highlights, 2025-26. cde.ca.gov/ds/cm/dqhighlights.asp
6. California Department of Education, DataQuest, College-Going Rate (12 month), Los Angeles County, high school completers of 2022-23, as compiled by LA2050 (College Matriculation metric). la2050.org/metrics/college-matriculation
7. California Department of Education, Information about the College-Going Rate (definitions and methods). www.cde.ca.gov/Ds/ad/cgrinfo.asp
8. California Department of Education, California School Dashboard 2025, Los Angeles Unified chronic absenteeism (grades K-8), 2024-25, as compiled by LA2050 (K-8 Chronic Absenteeism metric). la2050.org/metrics/k-8-chronic-absenteeism
9. California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, DataVista, 2025, Los Angeles Community College District six year completion, as compiled by LA2050 (Community College Completion metric). la2050.org/metrics/community-college-completion
10. Los Angeles Community College District, Office of Educational Programs and Institutional Effectiveness, Fast Facts. laccd.edu/offices/epie/research/fast-facts
11. U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts, Los Angeles County, California (American Community Survey 2020-2024 five year estimates; Vintage 2025 population estimate). www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/losangelescountycalifornia/AGE295220
12. California Department of Education, Fingertip Facts on Education in California, 2025-26 First Principal Apportionment. www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/pa/documents/p1fingertipfacts2526.pdf
13. University of California Admissions, First-year requirements. admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/first-year-requirements
14. Los Angeles County Office of Education, California School Dashboard 2025: Progress Across LA County and Statewide (November 14, 2025). www.lacoe.edu/news/2025-11-14-california-school-dashboard
15. Los Angeles County Board of Education, Resolution No. 2, Attendance Awareness Month (August 19, 2025). www.lacoe.edu/content/dam/lacoeedu/documents/board/board-resolutions/2025-2026-board-resolutions/2025-08-19%20Resolution%2002%20-%20Attendance%20Awareness%20Month.pdf
16. Los Angeles County Office of Education, Statement on 2024-25 CAASPP Results (October 9, 2025). www.lacoe.edu/news/2025-10-09-caaspp-results-assesment-la-county-back-to-pre-pandemic-levels

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