Public schools in Downey, CA
23 open public schools with an address in Downey, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
23
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
22,630
23 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
23.3:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Downey public schools
The federal directory lists 23 public schools in Downey, CA: 13 elementary, 4 middle, 6 high. The 23 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 22,630 students, an average of 984 per school. The largest campus is Downey High (4,051 students), and the largest elementary school is Rio Hondo Elementary (838).
Downey Unified operates the most schools here (21), and 2 regular districts have at least one Downey campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 23.3:1, higher than the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 79% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Downey
Elementary schools in Downey
13| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 744 | 24:1 | |
| Carpenter (C. C.) Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 796 | 27.4:1 | |
| Gallatin Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 788 | 25.4:1 | |
| Garcia (John A.) Elementary Downey Unified | KG–03 | 653 | 23.3:1 | |
| Gauldin (A.L.) Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 641 | 22.1:1 | |
| Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 810 | 23.1:1 | |
| Old River Elementary Downey Unified | 04–05 | 540 | 30:1 | |
| Price (Maude) Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 757 | 24.4:1 | |
| Rio Hondo Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 838 | 23.3:1 | |
| Rio San Gabriel Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 747 | 25.8:1 | |
| Unsworth (Edith) Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 633 | 21.8:1 | |
| Ward (E. W.) Elementary Downey Unified | KG–05 | 543 | 22.6:1 | |
| Williams (Spencer V.) Elementary Downey Unified | KG–03 | 736 | 23:1 |
Middle schools in Downey
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle Downey Unified | 05–08 | 1,304 | 24.7:1 | |
| Griffiths (Gordon) Middle Downey Unified | 05–08 | 1,264 | 23.3:1 | |
| Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle Downey Unified | 05–08 | 1,329 | 23.7:1 | |
| Sussman (Edward A.) Middle Downey Unified | 05–08 | 1,240 | 20.9:1 |
High schools in Downey
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus (Christopher) High Downey Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 368 | 16.2:1 | |
| Downey High Downey Unified | 08–12 | 4,051 | 23.9:1 | |
| Los Angeles County ROP Los Angeles County ROP · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall Los Angeles County Office of Education · Alternative School | 06–12 | 225 | 10.3:1 | |
| Warren (Earl) High Downey Unified | 08–12 | 3,609 | 24.4:1 | |
| Woodruff Academy Downey Unified · Alternative School | 07–12 | 14 | 7.9:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White5.1%
- Hispanic88.3%
- Black3%
- Asian2.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial0.8%
Enrollment-weighted across 22 Downey schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (22,630 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Downey
How many public schools are in Downey, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 23 open public schools with a location address in Downey: 13 elementary, 4 middle, 6 high. Together they reported 22,630 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Downey?
Schools with an address in Downey belong to 3 education agencies, led by Downey Unified (21 schools), Los Angeles County Office of Education (1 school), Los Angeles County ROP (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Downey?
Downey High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Downey, with 4,051 students in 2024–25 (grades 08–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Downey?
No school with an address in Downey is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in California.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Downey schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Downey public schools is 23.3:1, higher than the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Downey guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities