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#6481 of 9,539 schools in CA

Foster Elementary

Elementary School · San Diego Unified · San Diego, CA

A San Diego Unified elementary school where students score 13 points below what's typical for similar communities.

6550 51st St., San Diego, CA 92120

  • Math 31% vs CA 39% (2024)
  • Reading 31% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 20.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.0Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.74 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.9Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency31.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency31.1% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-14.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-11.7 pts
Overall Proficiency31% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)45% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-13.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile31th
Resources & Environment7.7Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.9:1
District spending per student$20,828
Chronic Absenteeism33.7%

Students at Foster Elementary score 31% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 45%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency31%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
39%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency31%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 18 points since 2018, to 31% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2010
Math
51%
ELA
53%
2011
Math
62%
ELA
67%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2014
Math
27%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
57%
2016
Math
37%
ELA
52%
2017
Math
47%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
47%
ELA
52%
2019
Math
47%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
24%
ELA
34%
2024
Math
31%
ELA
31%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 42% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 47% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

53%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Foster Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the San Diego map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 73Very Walkable
  • Transit 31Some Transit
  • Bike 48Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,092/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (San Diego), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$114,579

Median home value

$870,200

Median rent

$2,416/mo

College educated

57.2%

Homeownership

64.3%

Poverty rate

9.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92120; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Marvin ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.9K–51.0 mi549Compare →
St Therese AcademyPrivate · tuition5.4privatePK–81.1 mi309Compare →
Hearst ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.0K–51.3 mi530Compare →
Nazareth School, San DiegoPrivate · tuition5.9privatePK–81.4 mi265Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

San Diego Unified

Schools in district
175
Rank in district
#135 of 174
District spending per student
$20,828NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Foster Elementary is listed in San Diego Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Foster Elementary

Foster Elementary is a public elementary school in San Diego, CA, part of San Diego Unified, serving approximately 502 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 20.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #6,481 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 42% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 47% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Foster Elementary

What grades does Foster Elementary serve?

Foster Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Foster Elementary?

Foster Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 502 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Foster Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Foster Elementary is 20.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Foster Elementary rank in CA?

Foster Elementary ranks #6,481 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Foster Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Foster Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Foster Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Foster Elementary has 42% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 47% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Foster Elementary a charter school?

No, Foster Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Foster Elementary a Title I school?

No, Foster Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Foster Elementary?

53.0% of students at Foster Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
502
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
24
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
San Diego County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.7%
Area population (ZIP 92120)
31,797
Area average commute
24.6 min
Area median age
37.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 92120; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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