Thomas Starr King Middle School

4201 Fountain Avenue

School District

Los Angeles Unified
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:23
Type

public

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 May 28, 2024

Some very dedicated teachers and personnel. But mostly an unresponsive nightmare. I wish I had read these reviews before I sent my kid here. The number for the School Police is 213-625-6631. Put it in your phone. Keep your phone close. You will need it. Good luck to you.
Submitted by student on November 15, 2023

Some kid brought a gun to school once and the administration didn't find out until the end of the day, some kid brought a knife to school, and there was a lock down in October of 2022. There are also a lot of kids who do drugs and vape in the bathrooms.
Submitted by parent on March 19, 2023

My daughter went to school here, 2022-23 I took her , she ended up with anxiety and depression. She tried reaching out to the counselor and the school therapist they told her it was culture shock. It was long she was getting bullied I went to complain and they tried brushing me off. That’s when I decided to take her out. My daughter is a “A” and “B” student and even with all this she kept her grades up, I would travel 11 miles to get her out of the getto just to be in a worse school. She now goes to a non magnet school and she’s thriving. I was encouraged from parents to take my daughter here at Thomas starr king, I can honestly say I regret my decision. In the 6 months that I had her there almost every week there was a fight. One thing I will say that if your kid is in the LGBTQ community, yes this a school for you, they will support your kid, however, if you go against the grid, they will treat you like a homophobic. My daughter would tell me that some heterosexual kids didn’t want to say they were “straight” because of the fear of other kids bullying them calling them homophobic and other things it ……goes into more details but is to long to write. One thing I’ll say, is that every kid will get a paper to sign in class stating that they have to respect the LGBTQ kids which is good, but in my opinion I feel it gives the LGBTQ kids the courage to say if you don’t think like me your against me, and that’s not always true. Anyways I wouldn’t send my kid here the stress of home work, and the teachers make the kids feel so bad, telling them they will not succeed if they don’t succeed with them (it’s middle school is not that serious) I would understand if the kid had all “F”…. I took my kid out and she went from a “c” and “B” student to all “A’s” student without the snotty comments from teachers.
Submitted by parent on July 09, 2022

My kid went to this school for one year and it was hell. The 504 was ignored and the teachers didn’t know about it until I pointed it out. The teachers did try very hard, but my kid was treated like a bad kid at the school instead of one with issues. My kid is brilliant and gifted, and ended up with terrible anxiety from bullying and from being treated like a bad kid instead of one with issues. It turned out my child had more severe special needs and we didn’t know it, after I pulled my child from this school we received the proper diagnosis. I had to constantly advocate for my kid at this school and it took an entire year to get an IEP, I had asked for one at the beginning of the school year and we got it just before the last day of school. The attendance office girls were incompetent and rude, and they messed up our paperwork in a major way and refused to change it back to what I had written when I turned it in and specifically explained it to them. I had to fix it myself by dealing with a different person who was reasonable. They also lost our transfer paperwork and I had to do it over. The special ed testing guy was useless and evasive. The counselor was ok, not great, but the school psychologist was very caring and really tried, so not everyone was bad at the school. Still, I would not recommend this school, especially for a child with special needs of any kind.
Submitted by parent on May 23, 2022

Bad school too many fights and n word by the white man
Submitted by parent on July 18, 2019

The 2 years that we sent there it went from bad to worse. At this point in children’s lives they are going through a lot of changes physically, mentally, and emotionally. Their needs are not being met. Now everyone know that no matter what happens they can not be held back and must be promoted to the next grade. So the 3-4 hour of homework that counts for only 5% of the grade which is not even checked. Ends up being a waste of time. If I were you I would send you child to any other school but this one.
Submitted by parent on June 05, 2019

This school is a huge factory where the teachers have little time or energy in dealing with any learning challenges. It has been a terrible experience for my child.
Submitted by parent on April 10, 2019

This has been the best school experience thus far. Not without major difficulties but with challenge comes growth. I have seen my child grow and evolve greatly while at King. Her friends share key values and goals. Teachers are remarkable and passionate. With any institution, you get what you put in, though.
Submitted by student on February 09, 2018

It is a great school has a good program
Submitted by parent on July 03, 2017

Terrible, my son felt uncomfortable and was treated different all school year
Submitted by student on February 27, 2017

The principle doesn't care or interact with the lives of other students. The teachers surely don't as along with other members of this school. They need to improve on watching the kids outside because there are constantly fights every week. The language there is not acceptable in any way! DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO THIS SCHOOL!!!!!
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2016

I would like to update our review of Thomas Starr King. This is now our 3rd year at TSK in the Gifted Arts & Tech Magnet ["GAT"]. Our experience at this school has been amazing. From the caring administrators & the excellent counselors to the truly phenomenal & inspirational teachers. I am so happy with this school! We have basis for comparison, too. We pulled this, our younger, son out of an extremely poor charter school [larchmont charter] to come to this school. And, our older son attended Walter Reed in the Independent Honors Program, which is supposed to be one of the best in the county . I can tell you having experienced these 3 different middle school options [Reed/larchmontcharter/TSK], we have found TSK to be the best teachers, the best academic programs & the most creative programs. Prior to coming to TSK, I heard some complaints about the 7th grade teachers & curriculum. Having now experienced the 7th grade, I know why people complained: 7th grade was VERY challenging academically & the 7th grade teachers were very tough & exacting & uncompromising in their standards. A lot of students struggled that year & there was a lot of grumbling amongst parents. But now, having gone thru it with my son, I see that there is a complete method to the "madness" of the 7th grade curriculum-- the 7th grade teachers were prepping the students to rise to the challenges of 8th grade & high school beyond--they were making them grow up, if you will. The gloves were off, so to speak, and it was a year to pull the students out of childhood & into prepping to truly compete academically. My son learned so much in 7th--he learned to write! to do a report at the drop of a hat! to work effectively & cooperatively in groups! It is all coming together now in 8th & I am really confident he will thrive at North Hollywood Highly Gifted Magnet next year. Oh, and last thing about TSK: the GAT test scores make it the 7th highest performing school in the state [for the GAT magnet]. If you are in doubt, don't be. Come to this school
Submitted by parent on October 16, 2016

School teachers and office staff are amazing. My son is loving going to school and doing amazing.
Submitted by other on August 23, 2016

The administrators of this school including the assistant principal and principal are not efficient....They are incompetent to work with kids especially kids with IEP's. They do not respond to messages and avoid and run away from situations. Disgust is what I feel and teachers are incompetent!!!!!!
Submitted by parent on October 11, 2015

Even though the school is entirely magnet the curriculum is quite poor. The teachers don't seem to care much for their students and the Administration (especially the vice principal) are the horrific. Something akin to the DMV.
Submitted by parent on June 08, 2015

My son will be entering 8th grade at King in fall 2015 via the school's Environmental Science Magnet. His first two years have been a great experience. All of his teachers have been enthusiastic, involved and caring educators. Communication between students, parents and teachers after school hours has been stellar. The faculty and staff are responsive and sensitive to whatever's going on. The Jupiter Grades system helps enable families to keep on top of homework, grades and general communication. Friends of King also has been a great organization for communication, fund raising, organizing parent volunteers and generally rallying the troops to help support the school. Bottom line: I'm a fan.
Submitted by other on June 05, 2015

I am a parent who volunteer at Thomas Starr King middle school, and my experience there was amazing. From top administration to teachers, and staff members all of them giving us support, and seeing dedication, honor, excellent education which caused kids to become great achievers. Also the partnership with community, parents, teachers, and these great kids. I could not be more grateful, and the fact that they helped my child grow as a young teen with great habits and knowledge to become more outgoing and acquire that successful attitude, is priceless!! Thank you to all and each one of the people who makes King #1. I recommend to everyone to become part of King's family. Thank you for your time to read and hope your experience will be as wonderful as mine.Cecilia Calderon.
Submitted by parent on November 23, 2014

My sons are in the 7th grade GAT magnet school. I am not satisfied with this place. Thought it's a gifted arts and tech schools, the teachers are really trained in dealing with with gifted students and there is a lack of any real technology aspect unless pasting pictures into reports is considered technology. Additionally, due to lack of funding, there is no computer given to the students. They can use the library computers, etc. , but not a one to one program as was in place at my kids' elementary school. It's an acceptable neighborhood school, but the fantastic magnet school we had hoped it would be. Too bad for us. Hopefully some of the hard core changes will be made in the future and students will receive an exemplary education. Definately not the case now. Reading through the reviews, I notice a couple of negaticve reviews in the past which are not there....wonder why they have been deleted. I thought a couple were spot on.
Submitted by parent on November 10, 2014

There is so much to love about King. I love the trees and garden; I love that the 6th graders are on the hill, a bit separate from the bigger kids; All the teachers are intelligent and invested. A lot of the learning is project-based, clever and stimulating, and multi-disciplinary, too, where the different subjects & teachers feed into one big assignment. This is all GREAT -- in groups, individually...creative engagement that requires imagination and care. Love it! My only issue -- and it is a big one -- is the demolition of the accelerated math track. King has opted to no longer offer Algebra in 7th grade and Geometry in 8th grade. For kids in the GAT who could swing the advanced subject matter, the fact that the accelerated math path has been erased (in alleged compliance with the Common Core) is infuriating. Maybe with enough parent protest, they will reinstate what they formerly offered. On balance, I think TSK is an excellent, understanding middle school. I'm just disappointed by the loss of a true (not just "taught faster") accelerated math program, where mathematically-inclined kids who are ready for more challenge are being told to slow down, and 'wait.'
Submitted by parent on November 10, 2014

I grew up in the area and I remember when this school had a bad reputation. What a difference the past few years have made! 1. An API jump from the 600's to the mid 800's and rising in the span of a few short years is amazing. 2. The transition to an ALL magnet school (Film, Environmental, and Gifted) has really helped this school blossom. 3. Increased parent involvement with a very active group called the Friends of King. 4. Great teachers who really care about the students (my son is in the environmental studies program). 5. A pretty campus with a lovely vegetable garden smack in the middle of campus. 6.Excellent field trips 7. Great afterschool programs and extracurricular activities. We are so lucky to live in a neighborhood in which all three public schools (elementary, middle, and high school) are excellent!