Odyssey Charter School

725 West Altadena Drive

School District

Los Angeles County Office Of Education
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:26
Type

charter

School Map for Los Angeles County Office Of Education School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 09, 2025

This is so hard to write, As we had such high hopes for this school. You’re probably looking at what’s around the area and choosing this one because of the test scores. We did the same thing. The reality of this school is so far from what we were expecting and what we heard about it from previous years. We have now taken both our kids out and put them in PUSD, and honestly, they are so much happier and so are we. Odyssey has so little funding there are no extra curricular activities, unless the parents fundraiser for them. There is no regulation on how the money is spent. For example, the kinder playground is literally a dust bowl with roses swing sets band taped off areas. They’ve been fundraising to fix it for 5 years. Art and PE is a state standard. But at odyssey, you have to raise money if you want your kids to do more than just the core subjects math/ English. The curriculum is not special, or well thought out. It’s lack lustre, bare minimum. Huge Class sizes - 27 kids. The state standard in public schools is 19. The teachers were non communicative - hard to get a response from we had some bullying issues that were ignored. The campus is falling apart. Where for all the money go that parent Ms donate monthly? Nobody can tell us. Our kids were so academically far behind when we transferred them into PUSD, it was so so so heartbreaking to feel so let down. By the smoke and mirrors of the pathetic excuse for a school. The recent devastation in Altadena left families without many options. Thank god we are at PUSD, where the support and communication is endless. We feel nurtured and held. Odyssey reopens the week after, in the middle of a toxic wasteland. If that doesn’t tell you how little they care, I don’t know what will. as a parent who has looked at so many schools - charter, private and public, I urge you not to go here. Literally anywhere would be better.
Submitted by parent on October 25, 2024

Is every school perfect? I'd say no. However, I think Odyssey tries really hard to meet the needs of students. The pandemic really threw a big wrench in the mix, and when students returned to in-person learning there were a whole set of new problem that burnt out staff and teachers had to deal with. We joined Odyssey right as we were starting in-person school, and personally the first year was pretty tough. I had thoughts of pulling my child out and maybe looking elsewhere. At that time, I felt that the school was not meeting the needs of students and they had lost their school value. It was also very disorganized and there were a lot of hit or miss teachers. However, in the last 2 years, I've seen that things are changing in a very positive way. I've seen a lot of growth at Odyssey and I contribute that to the new leadership and a stronger support of parents in the parent group. When there are concerns from the parents, the new administration is open to suggestions and collaborate with parents to find solutions. For example, the parents wanted more art and music experiences for all the children, so this year they started incorporating a music and art curriculum into each grade. Another example, is when parents were concerned with the inconsistency with how teachers handled conflict in the classroom, they let go of some poor performing teachers and added more PD education on social emotional learning to support teachers in their classrooms. Although my child does not have a severe learning disability, they do have some learning differences. From my own experience with the school, they were pretty quick to get an evaluation for my child. After listening to my concerns, I appreciate how the director went ahead and offered a full evaluation rather just a partial one (which was what I had initially wanted). I know charter schools have been such a big contentious debate among public education, however, because it is a charter, it is easier for them to make changes in their curriculum and staff. I do feel that this is one of many charter schools that are really trying to make a difference in our children's education.
Submitted by parent on November 09, 2023

After two years at Odyssey, our daughter couldn’t love it more, and looks forward to going to school every morning. No school is perfect, and Odyssey often feels like it’s running on empty with its funding. Despite this, they maintain very high standards with their teachers and quality of education. Parent engagement is very high, and a beautiful new park is finally being installed on the campus along with corresponding gardening/outdoor programs. Odyssey does not have an art or music program, which it really needs, and I’m not sure this is where I’d send students with special needs — the financial resources just aren’t there — but for average or advanced students, Odyssey meets the challenge and exceeds expectations. A great community and great school.
Submitted by other on June 05, 2023

Leadership is not qualified and a large number of teachers have not completed their full credentials. The school doesn’t have the resources to support the large number of children with learning differences it attracts. There is nothing special about this school; no art or music programs, etc. The front office staff is incredibly rude to students and parents and many of the staff members do not seem to be adequately training in child development. I can’t imagine why anyone would choose this school anymore.
Submitted by parent on December 06, 2022

awful school. allows bullying. abandons the needs of kids with special needs.
Submitted by parent on October 15, 2022

Odyssey is a very caring place with amazing community. Teachers and staff all work together to support the students. My kids are both thriving academically and emotionally. We love it here.
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2022

We feel so lucky to have our child at Odyssey. Our experience seems typical - every parent we meet feels that their child is thriving. We have seen how the school encourages and nurtures. Our daughter is engaged and empowered - her teacher makes time for her and has gone out of her way to get to know her and her learning style. The encouragement she has received has inspired her to become a diligent student and her academic work has blossomed under the guidance of the fantastic teachers. My daughter is motivated to achieve and has learned how to dedicate herself to school work. We have seen how the school handles conflict resolution and have been so impressed with the time and commitment they have put into making the classroom harmonious for the kids.My daughter arrived at Odyssey believing she was “bad at” math having scored below average on state wide testing during remote learning at another school. She is now learning above grade level in almost all of her academics. She feels confident at school and appreciates the small town environment which makes her feel far more secure than she was attending a school in the city.
Submitted by parent on November 27, 2019

My son entered Odyssey in middle school. The teachers, principal, support staff were all excellent and went above and beyond to make sure that my son had a positive learning and social experience at the school. Odyssey was vastly superior to the expensive private high school he went on to attend. I truly appreciate the effort and care we experienced at Odyssey.
Submitted by other on September 15, 2019

F minus. If you take this post down. Then you support bullies
Submitted by parent on December 10, 2018

We’ve just begun here but when I was looking for schools I wanted to read as many reviews as possible, so I thought I’d post. In a nutshell, we absolutely love it at Odyssey. My shy and very young kindergartner had one week of slight struggle as he got used to the new scene, and now he adores it. He’s more confident, he’s learning about and practicing empathy and kindness, he’s learning to write and read in an organic and fun way…and even more importantly, he’s learning to love reading and writing. We were very lucky to get a spot here, and for now I could not be happier.
Submitted by parent on September 06, 2018

We feel really grateful to be a part of this community. Great effort is made to make sure it is welcoming and inclusive of those with different family backgrounds. I went to all private schools growing up and I wanted to make sure my children had a more diverse experience. This school has a very small town feel to it and parents can really find ways to be participate and have an impact in this community.
Submitted by parent on August 03, 2017

Wonderful school!! Love the teachers and the program!!!
Submitted by parent on June 03, 2017

This is a phenomenal school. Great teachers and great program.
Submitted by parent on May 25, 2017

Only the first few grades are good. After that the level of education is horrible. They need a change in management.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2015

Odyssey is AMAZING! Miss Lauren is our fearless (& humorous) leader who tirelessly fights to make an innovative & academic school that can only be described as a truely happy place of learning. I've never seen a place that manages to so delicately balance the diverse student body so that everyone really does get along :) Many apply here but sadly not all can get in as it is literally the luck of the draw with the lottery they hold each year. We have families from local communities like Pasadena & Altadena but now trendy NELA communities (Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, Highland Park etc) are starting to hear about this hidden gem nestled in the mountains! The first thing that hit me on my tour was that you could actually hear birds chirping from the parking lot & no traffic noise! (Why are all Los Angeles schools set on big busy main roads or next to freeways so kid's growing lungs are inhaling these fumes? Not Odyssey!). MY KID IS SO HAPPY HERE! WE LOVE ODYSSEY!
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2015

Our child was SO lucky to get a spot at this lovely charter school! The class sizes are small; the average is 25 kids per class AND we have full time TAs! There is such a warm, caring environment there. The teachers set up an individual learning plan for each child and teach to the child & NOT the test! Academics are emphasized using Singapore Math & a love of reading & writing nurtured through the Reading Without Tears program. We have kind & forward thinking teachers who take time to listen to parent's concerns & really CARE about the kids & creating a community in their classrooms. We drive from Eagle Rock to go to this amazing school because its so great! We have a full time gardening teacher & art teacher PLUS a tirelessly hardworking & creative parent body who are very involved with raising money to keep improving an already GREAT school. There is a real sense of community here - everyone knows each other. The kids are happy & smiling! The afterschool program is run by Tom Sawyer (from the famous summer camp) & has amazing peppy counsellors who LOVE kids & encourage them to have fun!
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2014

Great school!!! My child is in a safe, caring and nurturing environment where teachers and staff are concerned with education!
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2014

I absolutely love Odyssey! This is our third year and my son has grown academically and socially. Lauren, Carlos, Rachelle and their staff are wonderful people. We as a community are kept in the loop with regards to the school's funding, charter, staff changes, school policy etc. If you're looking for a great academic school, Odyssey is it!
Submitted by parent on March 11, 2014

I can't say enough great things about Odyssey Charter Schools. We tried the schools we were zoned for, but our children just were not doing well. We decided to give Odyssey a shot after hearing some wonderful things about them from a friend. We are amazed at the one-on-one attention my kids have received from their teachers at Odyssey. We get regular calls home from teachers when our students are not doing well and we are able to log in daily to track how they are doing. Our kids actually enjoy school now and are eager to learn. The administrators and staff are top notch. We get quick responses whenever we call. The technology department at Odyssey is amazing! They helped us fix both of our computers for free when the Geek Squad at Best Buy was trying to charge us hundreds. They have also helped us for hours on the phone with any questions we have had with Moodle or any of the other course material. Great school, great staff, great teachers! Changing to Odyssey was the best decision we made for our kids.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2012

My children have been attending Odyssey for 6 & 4 years respectively now and I am always amazed by the teachers and staff's dedication to the children. The entire faculty new me by name and who my child was by the second day of my older ones first year there! With all the budget cuts and going into year four of pay freezes you would think the teachers would be lacking enthusiasm but they never fail to amaze me with their innovation, dedication and hard work. When art and music had to be cut parents immediately jumped in, formed committees and brought music and art back into the classrooms within the first month of school after the cuts. The children are an amazing group of caring individuals. There is no such thing as a bully at this school and even when children act out they are guided through peaceful conflict resolution which fully involves the children involved. There is no finger pointing, just straight facts and working out ways to resolve the issue at hand. The new lunch program is really great too!. The cost is the same, offers reduced/no-cost, there is always a vegetarian and meat option, the meals are very healthful, very fresh and organic.