Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School: Full Guide

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Are you a student or parent at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School? Want to understand how to get the most out of high school?

We've written the best guide to Theodore Roosevelt High available. Here we'll cover:

Breakdowns of student ethnicity, gender, and family income
How safe Theodore Roosevelt High is to attend
SAT/ACT/AP scores earned by Theodore Roosevelt High students
Which AP/IB classes you can take at Theodore Roosevelt High
Every sports team you can join at Theodore Roosevelt High

Let's get started!

Basic Information

Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School is a public school, supporting grades 9 to 12 . It's located in Los Angeles, CA in Los Angeles County.

Based on its location, Theodore Roosevelt High is classified as a school in a large city. Here's the location on a map:

Contact Information

Mailing address:

Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School
456 S. Mathews St.
Los Angeles, CA 90033-4350

Phone number: 3237806500

Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School homepage: http://rooseveltlausd.org/

Principal: Benjamin Gertner
Email the principal: [email protected]

Student Demographics

Student Enrollment

The total enrollment at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School is 2064 students, making it a large high school, in the top 25% of all California high schools by size.

Attending Theodore Roosevelt High will feel like attending a small college. You'll have a few hundred students in your class, enough to provide an interesting set of activities, sports, and classes to try. But compared to the largest high schools in California, the student body size won't be overwhelming.

Growth in Student Body Size

Is Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School growing or shrinking? This will help you see trends in where the school is headed.

From our calculations, the enrollment at Theodore Roosevelt High has increased over the past few years. We calculate this by comparing enrollment in grades 9 to 12.

	Male Students	Female Students	All Students
9^th grade	282	269	551
10^th grade	244	220	464
11^th grade	293	211	504
12^th grade	302	243	545

As you can see in the table above, the freshman class is 6 students larger than the senior class. This suggests that the school is growing in size and taking on more students.

There are a few reasons this could be happening. The city of Los Angeles could be growing in population, thus sending more students into Theodore Roosevelt High. Alternatively, Theodore Roosevelt High could be relaxing its student policies and taking in more students.

Gender Split

Are there more boys or girls at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School?

From our statistics, Theodore Roosevelt High has a 55:45 split between male and female students in the high school grades.

Theodore Roosevelt High has a balanced male-female ratio that's largely representative of the general population in Los Angeles County. Since the student body is roughly half and half, it should feel like there are equal numbers of boys and girls in your classes.

This usually means that Theodore Roosevelt High doesn't strongly select for either males or females, unlike other schools that have a large majority of males or females.

Ethnicity Breakdown

What's the racial diversity at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School? Does one ethnicity make up most of the student body, or is it fairly balanced?

From our statistics, Theodore Roosevelt High has a very homogenous student body, with over 90% of students identifying as one ethnicity. This is especially extreme - fewer than 10% of California schools show as little racial diversity as Theodore Roosevelt High does. When attending class, you'll be surrounded by students of the same ethnicity.

The majority of students at Theodore Roosevelt High are Hispanic. In California, Hispanic students make up the majority of all students at 51.5%, and are thus the most common ethnicity. Predominantly Hispanic schools are the most common type of homogenous school, and Theodore Roosevelt High fits within this category.

	Percentage	Number
American Indian/Alaska Native	0.0%	1
Asian	0.1%	3
Hispanic	99.2%	2048
Black	0.2%	5
White	0.3%	7
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander	0.0%	0
Two or more races	0.0%	0

High schools usually reflect the population in the surrounding area, so the ethnicities of students likely resembles those of Los Angeles. If you'd like to see how other nearby schools look in diversity, just google "[name of school] prepscholar" to find our guide to that specific school.

Income Level of Theodore Roosevelt High Families

What are the family incomes of students at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School? To determine this, we look at the number of students who qualify for free or reduced lunches, a classification by the US federal government.

To qualify for a reduced price meal, family income needs to be below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. For a family of 4, this means an income of around $45,000 or below.

To qualify for a free meal, family income needs to be below 130% of the federal poverty guidelines. For a family of 4, this means an income of around $32,000 or below.

The lower the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced price meals, the higher the income levels are likely to be.

At Theodore Roosevelt High, 3.8% of students qualify for reduced-price lunches, and 74.0% qualify for free lunches.

This means Theodore Roosevelt High has a high percentage of students at or near poverty. Almost a third of all schools in California show this level of poverty, and by National Center for Education Statistics standards, Theodore Roosevelt High can be classified as a high poverty school. The income level of families in Los Angeles is thus likely to be low.

	Number	Percent
Reduced-price lunches	80	3.8%
Free lunches	1529	74.0%
Do not qualify for reduced-price or free lunches	455	22.0%

As with ethnicity, this likely reflects the surrounding community in Los Angeles and doesn't speak much about the school itself.

Unfortunately, schools in areas of lower income levels are likely to be more poorly funded. As a result, they might feature less advanced coursework like AP/IB classes, and you may not have a full range of sports and extracurriculars to draw from. Because Theodore Roosevelt High is an especially high poverty-level school, it might not have the resources you need to meet your full potential.

You definitely don't have control over the city, the school, or other families, but you can structure your own learning to be more productive. If you'd like to open yourself to more opportunities, you can look into whether it's possible to transfer to a nearby school with higher income levels.

If not, don't be alarmed - it's possible that Theodore Roosevelt High has all that you need for your ambition. And you can definitely be proactive about learning outside of your school, looking to your community or to the Internet to find more resources.

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School Safety

How safe is Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School to attend? Can you expect a lot of conflict as a student here?

To study this, we look at disciplinary data for two types of incidents at Theodore Roosevelt High: referrals to law enforcement (when incidents are reported to police), and arrests.

These are the most serious disciplinary actions available to school administration and are more severe than suspensions or expulsions. Suspensions are often discretionary and can be given just for being disruptive in class. In contrast, law enforcement referrals and arrests often indicate incidents that put the safety of other Theodore Roosevelt High students at risk.

In the school year of 2011-2012, there were 10 referrals to law enforcement (8 male, 2 female), and 2 school-related arrests (2 males, 0 females). This is out of a total enrollment of 486 students.

To put this into perspective, most California schools (59% of them) reported 0 law enforcement referrals and arrests.

This means that 2.4 Theodore Roosevelt High has minor safety issues. For every 100 students, there were just 2.4 law-enforcement related actions, but this is still higher than 75% of California schools.

With this record, is Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School significantly different from other schools in the area? It could be that Theodore Roosevelt High has an especially bad record, or it could be that the local area shows a pattern.

Compare this school with other high schools in the same school district, using the following table:

Los Angeles Unified School District Safety

School Name	Total Referred	Enrollment
Frank Lanterman	0	222
Youth Opportunities Unlimited	6	323
Jane Addams Continuation	0	216
William Tell Aggeler Opportunity High	0	65
John R. Wooden High	0	144
Angel's Gate (continuation)	0	84

Academic Performance

Now we get to a major aspect of assessing a high school: academic performance. How good of an education will you get at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School? Will you be competitive for college? Will you have access to advanced classes?

We've compiled everything we could find about Theodore Roosevelt High's academics here.

Standardized Testing

Next, we'll look at another major piece of high school academics: standardized testing performance for Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School students. These are tests that are administered to large populations of students for comparison purposes.

Let’s start by taking a look at the data for nationally administered standardized tests.

SAT Scores

As you probably know, the SAT is a critical test used for college admissions. The higher the score you get, the better your academic performance compared to students nationwide, and the easier it is to get into top colleges.

We did in-depth research and found the average Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School SAT scores.

The average composite SAT score is a 1200 out of 2400, compared to a national average of 1500. Each year, roughly 242 at Theodore Roosevelt High take the SAT.

This is a very low SAT score, putting Theodore Roosevelt High in the bottom 25% of all California schools, and well below the national average. Only 7% of SAT takers here score above the national average. Unfortunately, this suggests that most students attending Theodore Roosevelt High are not high-achieving, and may find it difficult to be admitted to a good college.

Note, however, that an average is just an average - you still have the potential to rise above expectations. If you work hard and earn an SAT score well above Theodore Roosevelt High's average, you'll have a great shot at entering a good college.

Here's a breakdown of SAT scores by section:

Average SAT Scores (2013-2014)

Source	Critical Reading	Math	Writing	Composite
Theodore Roosevelt High	404	405	400	1200
California	498	510	496	1504
United States	495	511	484	1490

Note that the SAT has since changed to a 1600 scale, but the trends above for your high school are likely to continue. Just use this guide to convert between the old 2400 scale and the new 1600 scale.

To learn more about SAT percentile rankings, read our guide on what SAT percentiles really mean.

How good is 1200 as an SAT score? Find out with our complete 1200 SAT score guide, including which colleges you can get into with a 1200 or any other SAT score!

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ACT Scores

In California, the ACT is less popular than the SAT. Fewer students take the ACT, and typically these students are more motivated and academically prepared for college. Therefore, it's harder to compare Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School ACT scores with the rest of the country.

At Theodore Roosevelt High, the average ACT composite score was 15, compared to the nationwide average of 20. Each year, roughly 148 out of 2064 total students take the ACT.

Unfortunately, this is well below average performance, putting Theodore Roosevelt High in the bottom 25% of high schools in California. Most students who take the ACT here are well below the national average.

Since the ACT tests what you learn in school, this may be a warning sign that the quality of education you'll receive at Theodore Roosevelt High may be lacking compared to other schools.

Here are the average English, Math, Reading, and Science scores for Theodore Roosevelt High compared to California and the US:

Average ACT Scores

Source	English	Math	Reading	Science
Theodore Roosevelt High	14	17	16	16
California	21.8	22.8	22.3	21.7
United States	20.3	20.9	21.3	20.8

Scores provided are for the 2013-14 school year.

Find out more about percentile rankings and the ACT in this article.

Every individual is different. What counts as a good ACT score for you? Learn more with this article!

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Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) classes are college-level courses that are an additional academic challenge may give Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School students credit for college.

Here's what we're looking for: high average AP test scores as well as high AP passing rates.

AP Scores

Every year, roughly 270 students in grades 9-12 at Theodore Roosevelt High take 442 AP exams. It's important to understand how students score on the AP - earning a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP test means passing the test and often earning college credit.

The average score of all AP exams taken at Theodore Roosevelt High is 1.9 out of 5.

Compared to schools across California, this score puts Theodore Roosevelt High at below average performance. On AP tests, the passing score is considered a 3, and unfortunately the number of students who don't pass is greater than the number of do. This performance places Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School in the bottom 25 % of schools for AP tests.

This isn't all bad news for you, though. It's still good that Theodore Roosevelt High offers AP classes so you have the opportunity to take courses at a college level. Your school might be new to offering AP courses, and typically teachers get better at preparing students for AP tests over time. Finally, as you'll see below, there are still students who earn a passing grade of 3 or above - and with hard work, you can be one of them.

We have specific data on how many students got a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 (out of 5) on AP exams in the chart below:

AP Test-Taking Statistics

Another way to gauge the quality of a school's AP program is to see how many AP students actually took AP exams at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School. If a lot of students enroll in AP courses but don't actually take the AP tests, it can be a sign that students don't feel adequately prepared to take the test, or the school isn't encouraging students to take the exams enough.

At Theodore Roosevelt High, there is a total enrollment of 94 in AP courses (a student taking more than one AP course counts more than once).

Of AP-taking students, 67 took AP tests for ALL AP courses. 5 students took AP tests for SOME AP Courses, and 22 took AP courses but took NO tests.

This is good test participation. Most AP students at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School take the AP test for every one of their AP courses, outnumbering the students who take some or no AP exams. This is a good sign that students feel confident enough to take tests for all AP courses available to them, which reflects well on the teachers and course material. Theodore Roosevelt High can continue to improve by reducing the number of students who take AP exams for some or none of their courses, but it's in a good state.

Note: The most recent data we have available is from 2012, so the statistics may have changed since then. Most likely, however, the trends are likely to continue - above average schools are likely to stay above average, and below average schools are likely to stay below average.

AP Passing Rates

For AP students at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School who take the exam, it's important to know how they do. Here we have specific data on how many students got a passing grade (a 3 or above) on all, some, or none of the AP exams that they took.

Of all AP test takers, 11 students passed every AP test they took, which is a fantastic job. 14 students passed some but not all AP exams, and 47 students didn't pass ANY AP exam they took.

Unfortunately, this is poor performance compared to other high schools. At Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School, the majority of AP students fail ALL of the AP exams they take. This usually means that they're not adequately prepared for the national AP exam at the end of the year.

This isn't necessarily the school's fault. AP courses may be too advanced for the typical student at Theodore Roosevelt High, and it's still a good thing that AP courses are offered at all. Furthermore, it's possible that a majority of the AP exams taken by students at Theodore Roosevelt High are on the more difficult side.

However, if you're a student at Theodore Roosevelt High, this is a warning that you'll have to go above and beyond the typical student to pass your AP exams. This may entail self-studying, figuring out who the better AP teachers are and trying to get into their classes, and working hard.

To find out the passing rates for specific AP courses at Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School, you'll have to talk to your guidance counselor (who can then help you find that information). For instance, one AP Calculus teacher may have an above-90% passing rate, while another might only have a 50% passing rate. If you can, you'll want to take the class with the teacher who has more students get a 3 or above on the AP exam.

Find out more about the average score for each AP subject here.

State Tests

As of 2014, eleventh graders attending Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School must take standardized tests in English/Language Arts and Math as part of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). These align with the new Common Core standards and are called the "Smarter Balanced" tests.

If Theodore Roosevelt High students meet or exceed state standards, they're academically prepared to graduate high school and go to college. Specifically, we care about the percentage of students who meet or exceed state standards. The larger this number, the higher the preparation of students at Theodore Roosevelt High.

English/Language Arts

At Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School, 15% of students meet or exceed state standards in English/Language Arts.

This is considered well below average and puts Theodore Roosevelt High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California for English/Language Arts. The vast majority of Theodore Roosevelt High students don't meet state standards, and only a small percentage pass.

This low percentage itself isn't much cause for concern - as teachers and students get more familiar with the new Common Core, the pass rate at Theodore Roosevelt High will likely increase. But it still reflects Theodore Roosevelt High's low standing among California high schools.

English/Language Arts Test Results (2015)

Read more about what’s measured in each ELA area score here.

Math

The other major test taken for state assessments is Math. Across the state, Math performance is generally lower than English/Language Arts performance, so it's natural for this number to be lower.

At Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School, 6% of students meet or exceed state standards in Math. This is considered well below average and puts Theodore Roosevelt High in the bottom 25% of all high schools in California. The vast majority of Theodore Roosevelt High students don't meet state standards, and only a small percentage pass.

Math Test Results (2015)

Read more about what’s measured in each Math area score, go here.

Academic Offerings

In addition to the standard high school curriculum, many high schools like Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School offer advanced coursework as part of the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.

Brief Intro to AP/IB

AP and IB courses are designed at the difficulty level of college introductory classes. There are several important benefits to taking advanced coursework at Theodore Roosevelt High. First, taking more advanced classes shows colleges that you're committed to challenging yourself academically, and that you're one of the more advanced students at Theodore Roosevelt High. Taking AP/IB classes also raises your weighted GPA and makes you a stronger college applicant.

Furthermore, many colleges will accept your Theodore Roosevelt High AP/IB coursework as college coursework. In some cases, you'll be able to skip introductory-level classes and move to more advanced classes. In other cases, you'll be able to avoid having to take required courses and might even be able to graduate earlier than the standard 4 years. Often this will require you to pass the AP test, getting a score of 3 or above.

So what advanced courses does Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School offer?

AP Courses

Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School offers AP courses in 15 subjects.

This is a reasonable number of AP subjects, putting Theodore Roosevelt Senior High School in the top 50% of California schools that offer AP courses. You'll likely have access to some of the most popular math and humanities AP subjects, as well as a few others.

The total number of AP subjects is 38, so Theodore Roosevelt High is missing a large number of subjects, including some popular ones. If there are any AP courses you want to take that aren't being offered at Theodore Roosevelt High, ask your counselor for ideas on how to cover the gap.

Of course, keep in mind that quality matters even more than quantity - even if Theodore Roosevelt High doesn't offer every AP course under the sun, the classes might still be taught very well. You can see student performance in the AP score analysis section above.

The following AP courses were offered at Theodore Roosevelt High during 2015-2016:

Course Title
Biology
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
Computer Science A
English Language and Composition
English Literature and Composition
Macroeconomics
Physics 1: Algebra-Based
Spanish Language and Culture
Spanish Literature and Culture
Statistics
United States Government and Politics
United States History
World History

Sports Teams

What’s Next?

Want to get more useful information about high school classes and preparing for colleges? Our blog has a ton of articles and advice on topics ranging from coursework and GPA to letters of recommendation, extracurriculars, and much more!

Ready to bulk up your schedule and maximize your college preparedness? Read all about the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.

Not quite in high school yet, but eager to get started? We've also got information for younger students interested in advanced learning opportunities, both in and out of school.

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