Public schools in Hawthorne, CA
22 open public schools with an address in Hawthorne, operated by 8 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
22
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
13,036
21 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
25.1:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
3
5 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Hawthorne public schools
The federal directory lists 22 public schools in Hawthorne, CA: 11 elementary, 4 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. The 21 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 13,036 students, an average of 621 per school. The largest campus is Hawthorne High (1,675 students), and the largest elementary school is Zela Davis (843).
Hawthorne operates the most schools here (11), and 6 regular districts have at least one Hawthorne campus, plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 25.1:1, 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.
School choice options include 3 charter schools, 5 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
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 70% 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 Hawthorne
Hawthorne
Public school district
11 schools in Hawthorne
Wiseburn Unified
Public school district
5 schools in Hawthorne
Centinela Valley Union High
Public school district
1 school in Hawthorne · 5 total
Da Vinci Connect District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Hawthorne
Family First Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Hawthorne
Lawndale Elementary
Public school district
1 school in Hawthorne · 9 total
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Public school district
1 school in Hawthorne · 9 total
Los Angeles Unified
Public school district
1 school in Hawthorne · 784 total
Elementary schools in Hawthorne
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aviation Elementary Wiseburn Unified | 03–05 | 439 | 27.9:1 | |
| Cimarron Avenue Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 261 | 18.6:1 | |
| Del Aire Elementary Wiseburn Unified | KG–05 | 612 | 25.1:1 | |
| Eucalyptus Hawthorne | KG–05 | 709 | 27.8:1 | |
| Hollyglen Elementary Wiseburn Unified | KG–02 | 518 | 24.1:1 | |
| Jefferson Hawthorne | KG–05 | 549 | 28.9:1 | |
| Kornblum Hawthorne | KG–05 | 566 | 28.3:1 | |
| Ramona Hawthorne · Magnet | KG–05 | 767 | 25.6:1 | |
| Washington Hawthorne | KG–05 | 418 | 23.9:1 | |
| York Hawthorne | KG–05 | 449 | 18.7:1 | |
| Zela Davis Hawthorne | KG–05 | 843 | 26.3:1 |
Middle schools in Hawthorne
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bud Carson Middle Hawthorne · Magnet | 06–08 | 601 | 23.9:1 | |
| Hawthorne Middle Hawthorne · Magnet | 06–08 | 761 | 24:1 | |
| Prairie Vista Middle Hawthorne · Magnet | 06–08 | 674 | 25.8:1 | |
| Wiseburn Middle Wiseburn Unified | 06–08 | 953 | 26.2:1 |
High schools in Hawthorne
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family First Charter Family First Charter District · Charter | 09–12 | 605 | 39.1:1 | |
| Hawthorne High Centinela Valley Union High · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,675 | 21.6:1 | |
| Hawthorne Math and Science Academy Hawthorne · Charter | 09–12 | 567 | 23.1:1 | |
| Renaissance County Community Los Angeles County Office of Education · Alternative School | 07–12 | 132 | 16.2:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Hawthorne
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson School Lawndale Elementary | Not reported | — | — | |
| Da Vinci Connect Da Vinci Connect District · Charter | KG–12 | 923 | 39:1 | |
| Success Learning Center Wiseburn Unified · Special Education School | KG–12 | 14 | 7:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White6.5%
- Hispanic66.7%
- Black16.7%
- Asian4.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.4%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.8%
- Multiracial4.7%
Enrollment-weighted across 21 Hawthorne schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (13,036 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Hawthorne
How many public schools are in Hawthorne, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 22 open public schools with a location address in Hawthorne: 11 elementary, 4 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 13,036 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Hawthorne?
Schools with an address in Hawthorne belong to 8 education agencies, led by Hawthorne (11 schools), Wiseburn Unified (5 schools), Centinela Valley Union High (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 Hawthorne?
Hawthorne High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Hawthorne, with 1,675 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Hawthorne?
Yes. 3 of the 22 public schools in Hawthorne are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Da Vinci Connect, Family First Charter, Hawthorne Math and Science Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Hawthorne schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Hawthorne public schools is 25.1:1, 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 Hawthorne 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