Solano Avenue Elementary School

Great School! My son started attending when he was in the first grade and is now entering the 6th grade next week. He has flourished at this school and has done well. The only complaint for my particular situation is that they don't really have many accomodations for students that are in the gifted program and need to be skipped a grade. My son was getting homework that was super easy and not challenging at all but all the other kids thought the homework was too much or it was hard. I talked to several teachers in regards to giving him more challenging work or letting him go to another classroom for math so he can get a challenge but my son was never accomodated. Other than that this school is great.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a student who is about to enter 6th grade at Solano.I started in 4th grade and I can honestly say I love this school.When I started this school, I didn't have any complications making friends.And I can always count on my friends to be there for me.As for the staff, I can say so far, they are my best teachers.They make me excited to come to school and even now, during summer break, I'm already wanting to get ready for school.When I leave Solano, I will never forget it.Solano holds so many memories with more to come.As for the principal, he encourages us to do well during the CST testing periods.Last year(My 1st year, 4th grade), he promised to dye his hair blue and get a mohawk if we passed a certain API score.And he kept his promise, as our API was 922.This year(My 2nd year, 5th Grade)he has made another promise and has me more excited for our API than before.Though I don't live in the area, I don't regret choosing Solano over my home school.If you are considering putting your child into this wonderful school, you should not have to worry about bullying, because the school does not have that and you would know that they are safe.~N.P.

My daughter started attending this school in the 4th grade. On the first day of school she was approached by students, parents, and teachers who knew she was new to the school. At first, I was surprised. However, it soon became obvious that the school is a very tight knit community. This school is very small, I think about 200-220 students, and each grade has only one class. I think there is one extra class that might mix 4 and fifth graders or something like that but I could be wrong... Anywho, the teachers here are so fantastic. My daughter has enjoyed every minute of her experience at this school. The teachers don't emphasize rote learning, instead encourage kids to think critically. For this reason their test scores are so high (in the 900's). Despite having a large portion of low-income and english learner students, Solano proves that public schools can help inner-city students thrive academically. Also, parent involvement is pretty high and since the school is so small, it gives parents a sense of community too. I am fortunate that I found this gem of a school near my job in downtown LA. Solano is a prime example of what all schools should strive to be.
—Submitted by a parent

I home-schooled my children until I came to the Solano Ave Elementary community. The sense of belonging, the small size, the commitment of the teachers, parents, and principal, have made this school a pillar for me and my children. Both my children have teachers that challenge them and cooperate with me. They trust their teachers and look up to them. They trust their principal. Mr. Bertrand, as a role model and a fair leader. The fact that most students come from extended families that live near by gives the children a sense of continuity and fosters a small-town atmosphere in the heart of the city. The Pre-K program is wonderful: in it the unique cultural diversity of our neighborhood is met with experienced, positive intercultural facilitation and joyous sharing. I only wish that the school had funding for continued Pre-K, music, art, and language programs. They have shown how well they can do and have proven their commitment to education--they deserve it! Dr. A. Harris
—Submitted by a parent

This school has a high rating because it is a training ground for test achievement. If that is what you want from a school you will get it there. The staff is very good, helpful, and dedicated to this idea. But there is little or nothing else there. Not that there is much choice, they are doing the best they can with the funds they have in a political environment that is starving education of anything beyond test preparation, and Solano is a shining example of what kind of school we get for that. As the only white child in his second grade class my son was miserable there. He was the subject of ridicule, name calling and mild harassment because he was not like the others. The teacher made no effort to generate an atmosphere of respect and courtesy and was mainly critical of him because his performance wasn't to her liking. The Chinese/Cantonese majority there - both students and parents - are cold, competitive and exclusionary. They have no truck with other cultures and there is no sense of community outside of them. If your child is not Chinese or Latino and you want more than test performance, you should avoid this school like the plague.
—Submitted by a parent

I was a big fan of SOlano Avenue Elementary School even before my girls started school here. They are now in Kindergarten and the first grade and they love it. It offers a sense of community and offers the perfect setting for parents that are not only involved in their child's education but wish to be involved in the collective improvement and performance of the school. You will not be disappointed in this gem of an LAUSD school. Open enrollment is held every May before the school year, schedule a tour today! You will be thrilled that you did, I can attest to that!
—Submitted by a parent

Nothing can bring back my childhood memories like Solano. At the time, I lived a few houses north of this school and attended during '80-'82 before our family moved away and transferred to Griffin Avenue (another great school). Solano was more like a day care center, we were very close to each other, the teachers and staff would come and take me out on the weekends for ice cream and sleep-overs at their homes with their kid . We had it all; there were picnics in the nearby walking distance to Elysian Park, visited Police Academy, Lawry's, San Antonio Winery, attended Dodger games every year and other endless field trips that we took. God I miss it so much!

I absolutely love Solano. It's practically my second home! I attended Solano from when I was a little 4-year-old in pre-school, to when I was in 12 in the 6th grade! This is actually my first year OUT of Solano, and I'm definitely not used to anything else.. The staff here are wonderful. They are so kind and helpful, and always there when you need them. They respect you and your decisions, and when you make the wrong ones, they help you get back up to your feet. They are absolutely amazing. The neighborhood here is very nice, so you don't need to worry about anything bad happening. Honestly, I myself am kind of surprised we have scored such an amazing GPA. I'm absolutely thrilled, and, it's a bonus when your friend says their school achieved a high GPA, but I can tell them about Solano's and they'd have their mouths open. ;) Solano is an amazing place, and I would recommend ANYONE to come here and check it out yourselves. We had a number of traditions there at Solano. I wonder if they still keep it up with a new principal? Everyone here knew each other, and in a way, it was a very home-y feeling. I miss you, Solano. Your former student, Helen Wong, Class of 2010!

Wonderful school! I love that the teachers have been there averaging over 30 years. I like the small school atmosphere. Great teachers and principal. My daughter is in second grade and has been there since kindergarten. Recommend this school. All of the students do very well. API score increased a lot in the last two years.
—Submitted by a parent

Outstanding,good leadership.One of a kind....I will recommend other parents to bring there childrens here.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is simply magnificent. All the criteria there is very high, I was once a student in Solano who recently just culminated. This school is very involved in the student's education. This school is really one of a kind, there would be hardly any fights or bullying, if there was to be one it would directly go to the teachers than the principal. Hey, I got high honors becuase of them;]. Student, Wendy Lo
—Submitted by a student