Our Community Charter School

10045 Jumilla Ave.

School District

Los Angeles Unified
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:20
Type

charter

School Map for Los Angeles Unified 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 August 10, 2024

This is truly a special school and I feel very lucky to have my kids there and be a part of this community. The teachers are the best. They are so invested in the children’s success and wellbeing. My children love learning and are interested in what they are learning in school. My older one was well prepared for high school and is now reviving in a very rigorous program. Having small class sizes and and overall small school creates a very safe environment. No issues are missed and they are addressed. No school is perfect, but this school has been a great choice for our family.
Submitted by other on November 09, 2023

The school does not give enough support or attention to special needs students. They have a large special needs population and they are not processing like they should be. This is not an inclusive school, they do not involve special needs students in classroom activities because they are in classes that do not support their needs.
Submitted by parent on May 11, 2023

OCS is over-rated. It does feel safe and secluded, I’ll give them get 5 stars for that. The kids do make good friends and social development is important; but OCS focuses more on a sociological agenda than it does academics. OCS does not try to nurture students who have an aptitude or a desire for learning. Excellence is thwarted. Students don't get homework at this school. As my child got older, I realized the no-homework policy is so teachers don't have to grade school work at the expense of my child’s education. There is no testing for gifted students here. If your child might be gifted do not come here it will become impossible to move into a gifted school from here. OCS does all they can to treat all students equally; there is to be no bright shining stars at OCS, everyone has to be equal. This school is great for special ed students, the school does all they can to elevate special ed students.
Submitted by parent on November 09, 2022

Amazing school with amazing teachers that go above and beyond.They really care about their students and are not just there for a paycheck. We are very happy seeing how much our child is learning and loving going to school everyday.
Submitted by other on March 25, 2022

Former employee-I have a disability and asked Vice Principal, Beth, for accommodations that would fallen under the umbrella of the ADA and was denied. She explained that I was clearly using my disability as a crutch (mind you I had never asked for anything and the accommodation I asked for would not have cost a cent) but she felt that I was using my disability as a way to excuse my incompetence. Disabilities are not one size fits all and Our Community needs to do a better job at accommodating employees with disabilities or perhaps read up on the ADA before denying a disabled employee their rights.
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2021

This school advertised itself as a school that understands disability and diversity; however, our experience proved otherwise. The teachers did not show any understanding of disability and blamed my child for her difficulties. The BID (the aid’s supervisor) did not have appropriate training to supervise the BII. The BID (supervisor) engaged in a multiple relationship with my child, being her counselor and her BID at the same time, which is unethical. The children were bullying my child and the teachers and administration blamed my child for it. The assistant principal was not responsive to our needs. We had to pull our child out of the school in the middle of the semester because she was suffering there and was not learning anything.
Submitted by parent on May 11, 2021

Five years in, we continue to feel so grateful for this school even with some ups and downs over the years. As parents, we appreciate the community so much-- including the staff as well as the other families that we've met there. But much more important, both of our kids love going to school every day, which was not true *at all* when our son started kindergarten at our neighborhood school. We switched as soon as we had the chance, and witnessed first hand the difference that the OCS commitment to social and emotional wellness makes. And we are so grateful for the hard work, the dedication, and the difficult decision-making the administration put into reopening after closing due to COVID. Our kids are thrilled to be back at OCS, and so are we!
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2019

It used to be a wonderful school, a community of parents and children. But the school leadership has been destroying that community since the current executive director was hired as principal. The education was good, but if you're expecting a progressive education you'll be disappointed. It's a traditional school trying to promote itself as if it's something else.
Submitted by parent on June 05, 2019

It was beautiful, my children loved it, but sadly is not the same
Submitted by parent on April 08, 2019

OCS Elementary School is pretty wonderful. We've had creative teachers leave and it's hurt our core. We've made poor hiring choices that are costing us a school. We've lost art totally. Some classrooms are fortunate enough to have a parent bring a craft in or something but that is basically gone. We've lost half our music program and that has been a disappointment. We came into the school with the idea that it was a progressive, outside the box school which is is NOT. We have very few field trips now that the parents aren't allowed to drive. (Bus costs are pricey) We are more traditional now and if you were looking for the other, you'll be disappointed. We don't have a garden program as I was told in the tour. Very few visits are made by the grades. It's a great campus, great parents but sadly, the chaos of the administration, weak board and inability to envision the future has kept this school which once was hailed Best Charter of the Year.... stagnant and stunted. We will not stay for middle school but honestly, comparing other no cost elementary options in the valley.. this is the best there is.
Submitted by parent on February 22, 2019

Excellent school,happy to see my child learning in such a great environment where school not only cares about academics but also the emotional well being of every child.Hard to find at another school like this nowadays.
Submitted by parent on June 09, 2018

This was our 2nd year in OCS and we love it. This is a great community and we are lucky to be a part of it.
Submitted by parent on June 04, 2018

I am thrilled with our choice to commute out of district for OCS, as it has more focus on building the social-emotional skills for our children with a social justice lens.
Submitted by other on June 04, 2018

We wanted to love this school. . .and we did! I was in kindergarten the first year OCS existed. I have seen so many things added that I didn't have when I was a student, and I have watched OCS struggle to keep classes like creative P.E, art, and music, despite the odds put in front of them to remove such classes. OCS really IS special. I am speaking as someone about to graduate high-scool, who made it into prestigious colleges like UC Berkley and University of Redlands, who loved OCS and the perfect stepping-stone they gave me into high-school and life. They taught me to love learning, not for a silly sticker or for a letter, but for the accumulation of knowledge that will lend to my future endeavors. They instilled in me a set of ethics unparalleled by many schools nowadays, and a sense of community that has worn the test of time. The administration was always extremely conscious of complaints from parents and students, as evidenced by all the parent groups that emerged. As a student, I was allowed and willing to attend Panda Partner meetings, and the fact that OCS has an outlet such as that for parents is truly superb. OCS gave me the tools I needed to grow as a person and as a scholar, as a friend and as a community member. I am an empowered, ethical, and informed human being who grew in those responsive classrooms and through that beautiful motto, here to say that if you are looking into attending Our Community Charter School, you are in for a one-of-a-kind experience.
Submitted by parent on June 04, 2018

The striking thing about this school is the resilience of its design. It's gone through challenges over its lifetime and consistently been able to overcome them by embracing what they've got -- students, teachers, parents, staff -- and welcoming new influences. Parents have a number of ways to get involved and the kids get to learn responsibility. If problems are encountered, people try and tackle them together. And, having said all that, the most important thing is that, always, the school puts students first.
Submitted by parent on June 04, 2018

Overall, we have been very pleased with this school. It’s hands-down a much better school than the local LAUSD school they attended previously, in all ways. No school is going to be perfect in every way and there is a bit of the Stepford type clique mentioned in another review, but it’s more an annoyance than anything. We are very happy overall.
Submitted by parent on June 04, 2018

I have been a parent here for 12 years and I think the school has set my kids up for success moving into high school and beyond. The school welcomes parent volunteers in ways most schools do not. My children have learned to be leaders and advocates for themselves, by being empowered, ethical and informed.
Submitted by parent on May 26, 2018

We wanted to love this school but it just doesn't live up to its promise or reputation. From the outside looking in, this is a progressive elementary and middle school with a tight knit community. Look closer and there is a Stepford-like mentality of cheerleading about how "special" the school is and not really confronting problems. Complain too loudly and people will begin to treat you like an outsider and not a part of the "community". Mostly, if you are unlucky enough to get a bad teacher, good luck having anything done about the situation. You can have multiple meetings but each time you will be the one defending your child and being told that your child is the problem. It is a nice community, it is a lovely small school, but admin isn't responsive to parents' concerns and there is this odd fear by parents that want to be accepted by the "community" of tipping the boat over. The school is also now creating a new principal position and, without re-interviewing, giving the current principal the title of Executive Director with more money and less duties. This decision doesn't sit well with many but any complaints fall on deaf ears as the Board wants this realignment.Dig deeper into what is going on at this school before being swept into the excitement of winning the coveted lottery spots. Families who had high hopes are beginning to leave because while on paper the school has an amazing mission (to guide children to be empowered, ethical and informed members of a community by learning in responsive classrooms) the reality and execution of this mission is falling far short as time progresses.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2018

Bad. The only positive thing about this school was its community of parents who would work really hard to bring a positive experience to all the kids at the school.
Submitted by parent on August 09, 2017

My daughter completed 2nd grade and is now moving into 3rd grade. The leadership, educators and parents make this a special place. It has the supportive feel of a small learning community. Everyone cares about bringing out the best in our students and the "whole child" model is emphasized.