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Public elementary school · National Elementary · National City, California

Palmer Way

Palmer Way rates 7.3, right at the middle of National Elementary's elementary schools, whose rated median is 7.2.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
7.3this school

7.3 on a one-to-ten scale; the National Elementary median is 7.2.

#2,687 of 9,557 schools in California · National Elementary: 10 elementary schools rated, median 7.2

The brief

A National Elementary elementary school where students score 6 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 2,687 of 9,557 schools in California and 5 of 10 in National Elementary.

Palmer Way is listed in National Elementary, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math36%4 points below the California average of 40%2025 CAASPP
Reading44%3 points below the California average of 47%2025 CAASPP
Proficiency has fallen 8 points since 2019, to 40% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).2025 CAASPP; 42 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
8.2
50% of the rating
Academics
7.2
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.3
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 48% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 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 · 2025 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · 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 91950; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Palmer Way and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$63,858
Median home value
$580,700
Median rent
$1,600/mo
College educated
16.5%
Homeownership
35.2%
Poverty rate
14.3%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 91950; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
78
Very Walkable
Transit Score
42
Some Transit
Bike Score
39
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
2,343/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for National City. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (National City), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
75.4%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.9Compare →
  2. 7.4Compare →
  3. Palmer Waythis school
    7.3
  4. 7.3Compare →
  5. 7.1Compare →
  6. 6.0Compare →
  7. 5.8Compare →
  8. 4.5Compare →
  9. 3.2Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and two rate higher than Palmer Way.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Palmer Way serve?

Palmer Way serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Palmer Way?

Palmer Way has an enrollment of approximately 415 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmer Way?

The student-teacher ratio at Palmer Way is 24.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Palmer Way rank in CA?

Palmer Way ranks #2,687 of 9,557 schools in CA.

What is Palmer Way's MySchoolScout rating?

Palmer Way has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.3 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 Palmer Way?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Palmer Way has 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Palmer Way a charter school?

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

Is Palmer Way a Title I school?

No, Palmer Way is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Palmer Way?

75.4% of students at Palmer Way 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 facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 6th
Enrollment
415
Student-teacher ratio
24.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
17
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
San Diego County
Rank in district
#5 of 10
Schools in district
11
District spending per student
$22,721
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
17.4%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 91950)
57,173
Area average commute
25.9 min
Area median age
36.3

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, California Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.