Public schools in Van Nuys, CA
21 open public schools with an address in Van Nuys, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
21
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
13,846
21 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
20.1:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
5
0 virtual
An overview of Van Nuys public schools
The federal directory lists 21 public schools in Van Nuys, CA: 12 elementary, 2 middle, 7 high. The 21 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 13,846 students, an average of 659 per school. The largest campus is Van Nuys Senior High (1,969 students), and the largest elementary school is Kester Avenue Elementary (886).
Los Angeles Unified operates the most schools here (16), plus 5 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 20.1:1, lower 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 5 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 7 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 7 of 7 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 88% 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 Van Nuys
Los Angeles Unified
Public school district
16 schools in Van Nuys · 784 total
Ararat Charter District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Van Nuys
CHAMPS - Charter HS of Arts-MULmedia & Perf DIST
Independent charter agency
1 school in Van Nuys
Lashon Academy District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Van Nuys
Magnolia Science Academy 2 District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Van Nuys
Valley Charter Middle District
Independent charter agency
1 school in Van Nuys
Elementary schools in Van Nuys
12| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andres and Maria Cardenas Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 423 | 22.9:1 | |
| Ararat Charter Ararat Charter District · Charter | KG–05 | 333 | 23:1 | |
| Columbus Avenue Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 382 | 20.1:1 | |
| Erwin Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 580 | 20.7:1 | |
| Hazeltine Avenue Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 621 | 19.4:1 | |
| Kester Avenue Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 886 | 24.6:1 | |
| Kittridge Street Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 768 | 22.3:1 | |
| Lashon Academy Lashon Academy District · Charter | KG–08 | 595 | 20:1 | |
| Stagg Street Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 413 | 19.7:1 | |
| Sylvan Park Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 643 | 20.7:1 | |
| Valerio Street Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 645 | 21.5:1 | |
| Van Nuys Elementary Los Angeles Unified | KG–05 | 459 | 20.9:1 |
Middle schools in Van Nuys
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Charter Middle Valley Charter Middle District · Charter | 06–08 | 264 | 19.3:1 | |
| Van Nuys Middle Los Angeles Unified | 06–08 | 726 | 17.9:1 |
High schools in Van Nuys
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHAMPS - Charter HS of Arts-Multimedia & Performing CHAMPS - Charter HS of Arts-MULmedia & Perf DIST · Charter | 09–12 | 424 | 15.3:1 | |
| Jack London Continuation Los Angeles Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 62 | 14.1:1 | |
| Magnolia Science Academy 2 Magnolia Science Academy 2 District · Charter | 06–12 | 514 | 24.1:1 | |
| Robert Fulton College Preparatory Los Angeles Unified | 06–12 | 1,229 | 19.5:1 | |
| Ulysses S. Grant Senior High Los Angeles Unified | 09–12 | 1,774 | 20.3:1 | |
| Van Nuys Senior High Los Angeles Unified | 09–12 | 1,969 | 19.1:1 | |
| Will Rogers Continuation Los Angeles Unified · Alternative School | 09–12 | 136 | 15.1:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White18.2%
- Hispanic70.2%
- Black2.8%
- Asian4.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial3.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 21 Van Nuys schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (13,846 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Van Nuys
How many public schools are in Van Nuys, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 21 open public schools with a location address in Van Nuys: 12 elementary, 2 middle, 7 high. Together they reported 13,846 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Van Nuys?
Schools with an address in Van Nuys belong to 6 education agencies, led by Los Angeles Unified (16 schools), Ararat Charter District (1 school), CHAMPS - Charter HS of Arts-MULmedia & Perf DIST (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 Van Nuys?
Van Nuys Senior High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Van Nuys, with 1,969 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Van Nuys?
Yes. 5 of the 21 public schools in Van Nuys are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Ararat Charter, CHAMPS - Charter HS of Arts-Multimedia & Performing, Lashon Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Van Nuys schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Van Nuys public schools is 20.1:1, lower 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 Van Nuys 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