FAQs
Is there a free all-girls middle school in Los Angeles?
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Yes. Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles (GALS LA) is a free public charter middle school for girls in grades 6–8 located in Van Nuys, in the San Fernando Valley. There is no tuition. GALS LA is the San Fernando Valley’s only public all-girls school and combines a college-preparatory curriculum with social-emotional learning and movement-based instruction. It opened in 2016 and enrolls about 210 students. GALS LA is an independent charter school and is authorized by the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Yes. Girls Athletic Leadership School Los Angeles (GALS LA) is a tuition-free public charter school funded like other public schools in California. Families pay nothing to enroll or attend. Free bus transportation is available for families in the service area, and enrolled students receive free before- and after-school care. California's universal free meals program provides school meals at no cost. The one cost families should plan for is uniforms, which are purchased through the main office.
Assistance is available for families who need it — contact the main office at (818) 389-1184.
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Is GALS LA free?
What grades does GALS LA serve, and what happens after 8th grade?
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GALS LA serves girls in grades 6, 7, and 8 — typically ages 11 to 14. It is a stand-alone middle school, so students enter in 6th grade and graduate at the end of 8th grade. GALS LA supports every 8th grader through the high school application and placement process, including school selection, application deadlines, and interview preparation. Recent graduates have gone on to high schools including Viewpoint, The Cate School, Marlborough, Granada Hills Charter, and CHAMPS.
Where is GALS LA, and which neighborhoods does it serve?
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GALS LA is located at 14200 Runnymede Street, Van Nuys, CA 91405, on a sustainable campus that was intentionally designed around how girls learn. Students commute from across the San Fernando Valley, including Van Nuys, Panorama City, Sun Valley, North Hollywood, Reseda, Canoga Park, Sherman Oaks, and Santa Clarita. Free bus transportation is available for families in the service area. You can reach the main office at (818) 389-1184.
How do I enroll my daughter at GALS LA?
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Enrolling takes three steps. First, submit the Intent to Enroll form at galsla.org — it is available in English and Spanish. Second, if seats are available for your desired grade level, your family completes the enrollment packet, which requires proof of address, immunization records, a birth certificate, and your student’s most recent report card. Third, attend a family orientation before the school year begins. There is no entrance exam, no application fee, and no academic requirement to enroll. If you have any questions about the enrollment process, please contact the main office at info@galsla.org or (818) 389-1184.
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Is there an application deadline or a lottery?
Yes. GALS LA accepts Intent to Enroll forms in the fall for the following school year and holds a public lottery annually as required by EdCode. For the 2027–28 school year, the Intent to Enroll deadline is Wednesday, January 20, 2027, at 6:00 p.m. PST, and the lottery is Saturday, January 23, 2027, at 10:00 a.m. PST. The lottery is held at GALS LA and is open to the public, with a live Zoom option. Attendance is not required.
Learn more about enrollment here.
Yes. GALS LA provides free bus transportation for families who live within the school's service area, with pickup stops assigned by zip code. Current stops serve 91324, 91325, 91402, 91405, 91411, 91605, and 91606. There is no cost to families. Bus routes are confirmed before the start of each school year, and families can ask about a specific address by contacting the main office at (818) 389-1184 or info@galsla.org.
Does GALS LA offer free bus transportation?
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Who leads GALS LA?
GALS LA is led by Executive Director Vanessa Garza. Before GALS LA, Garza served as Dean of Curriculum and Instruction at KIPP Los Angeles, as an assistant principal with Green Dot Public Schools, and in a director role with Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, and began her career teaching through Teach For America. She is a first-generation college graduate and a graduate of an all-girls school, and has built GALS LA's programs around confidence, resilience, and self-advocacy.
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What is movement-based learning?
Movement-based learning integrates physical activity into daily academics. Research links regular physical activity to improvements in memory, focus, and cognition, along with gains in self-esteem. At GALS LA, every day begins with a school-wide Morning Movement workout, and kinesthetic activity is built into lessons across subjects. Students are held accountable for growth in movement the same way they are in academics, through goal setting, mile-time tracking, heart rate monitoring, and self-efficacy surveys. As the school puts it: we engage our bodies in service to our brains.
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Is GALS LA only for girls who play sports?
No. The "Athletic" in our name is about our teaching philosophy — every girl is welcome, regardless of athletic experience. Movement is built into the academic day for every student, and no athletic ability or sports experience is required to apply or attend. GALS LA welcomes girls of all interests and skill levels. Students who do want to compete can join the school's volleyball, basketball, and soccer teams. Participation is a choice, not a requirement.
Why an all-girls school?
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Middle school is a period of physical, social, and emotional change, and a single-gender setting lets students experience it alongside peers who share the same experience. According to the National Coalition of Girls' Schools, students at all-girls schools report higher self-esteem and self-efficacy than their coed peers and are more likely to pursue STEM opportunities and leadership roles. GALS LA Executive Director Vanessa Garza attended an all-girls school herself and credits it with building the confidence that shaped her career in education.
How is GALS LA different from other all-girls schools in Los Angeles?
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GALS LA is a free public charter school, so there is no tuition and no admissions screening — any family can apply, and seats are assigned by public lottery. It serves grades 6–8 only as a stand-alone middle school built specifically to empower girls. Its model integrates movement into academics throughout the day, which distinguishes it from STEM-focused or college-prep all-girls programs. GALS LA is not an LAUSD school and is a separate school from Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA).