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Needs Improvement

#9299 of 9,539 schools in CA

Rancho Elementary

Elementary School · La Mesa-spring Valley · La Mesa, CA

A La Mesa-spring Valley elementary school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

4750 Date Ave., La Mesa, CA 91941

  • Math 18% vs CA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 25% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 22.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.2Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.86 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics3.8Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency18% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency24.9% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-27.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-17.9 pts
Overall Proficiency21% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)34% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-12.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile19th
Resources & Environment3.8Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.2:1
District spending per student$16,802
Chronic Absenteeism45.2%

Students at Rancho Elementary score 21% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 34%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency18%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
38%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency25%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 41 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 21% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
67%
ELA
57%
2010
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2011
Math
62%
ELA
61%
2012
Math
56%
ELA
58%
2013
Math
50%
ELA
70%
2014
Math
37%
ELA
41%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
22%
ELA
37%
2017
Math
23%
ELA
46%
2018
Math
32%
ELA
47%
2019
Math
32%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
25%
ELA
25%
2021*
Math
25%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
19%
ELA
40%
2024
Math
18%
ELA
25%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 33% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 38 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

71.9%

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 Rancho 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 47Car-Dependent
  • Transit 40Some Transit
  • Bike 47Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,806/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (La Mesa), 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

$111,607

Median home value

$884,800

Median rent

$2,067/mo

College educated

45.9%

Homeownership

65.5%

Poverty rate

7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 91941; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Freese ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.6K–50.7 mi261Compare →
Kempton Street Literacy AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.1K–60.9 mi557Compare →
Audubon K-8Enrollment path unverified6.9K–81.0 mi472Compare →
Avondale ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.9K–61.0 mi326Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

La Mesa-spring Valley

Schools in district
22
Rank in district
#21 of 22
District spending per student
$16,802NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Rancho Elementary is listed in La Mesa-Spring Valley; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Rancho Elementary

Rancho Elementary is a public elementary school in La Mesa, CA, part of La Mesa-spring Valley, serving approximately 356 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 22.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.0 out of 10 and ranks #9,299 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 33% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Rancho Elementary

What grades does Rancho Elementary serve?

Rancho Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Rancho Elementary?

Rancho Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 356 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Rancho Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Rancho Elementary is 22.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Rancho Elementary rank in CA?

Rancho Elementary ranks #9,299 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Rancho Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Rancho Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.0 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 Rancho Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Rancho Elementary has 33% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Rancho Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Rancho Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

71.9% of students at Rancho 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 – 6th
Enrollment
356
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
16
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
San Diego County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
45.2%
Area population (ZIP 91941)
33,706
Area average commute
26.4 min
Area median age
41.2
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 91941; this does not measure the attendance area.

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

About our data · How we calculate scores

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