Albion Street Elementary

Tucked into the El Sereno neighborhood on the eastside of Los Angeles, Albion Street Elementary serves a tight-knit community where families tend to put down roots and stay connected to the school for years. The school shows some solid footing in English relative to its math scores, so families who like to stay involved and advocate for extra support in STEM might find it worth a close look. El Sereno itself is a quieter, more residential pocket of the city — close enough to Highland Park and Alhambra to enjoy both the area's growing food and arts scene and a genuine neighborhood feel that's increasingly hard to find in L.A.