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Needs Improvement

#9059 of 9,539 schools in CA

Terra Cotta Middle

Middle School · Lake Elsinore Unified · Lake Elsinore, CA

A Lake Elsinore Unified middle school where students score 3 points below what's typical for similar communities.

29291 Lake St., Lake Elsinore, CA 92530

  • Math 18% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 34% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 26.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.9Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-3.08 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.2Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency17.9% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.2% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-16.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-11.7 pts
Overall Proficiency26% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)29% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-3.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile34th
Resources & Environment3.2Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio26.6:1
District spending per student$16,089
Chronic Absenteeism25.2%

Students at Terra Cotta Middle score 26% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 29%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency18%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency34%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 11 points since 2020, reaching 26% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
61%
ELA
54%
2010
Math
59%
ELA
54%
2011
Math
56%
ELA
58%
2012
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
21%
ELA
31%
2015
Math
26%
ELA
36%
2016
Math
22%
ELA
34%
2017
Math
21%
ELA
33%
2018
Math
24%
ELA
34%
2019
Math
24%
ELA
34%
2020*
Math
5%
ELA
25%
2021*
Math
5%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
15%
ELA
28%
2024
Math
18%
ELA
34%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 30% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 39% (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 36 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

80.4%

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 Terra Cotta Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 21Car-Dependent
  • Bike 21Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,031/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Lake Elsinore), 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

$84,799

Median home value

$467,400

Median rent

$1,705/mo

College educated

17.4%

Homeownership

68%

Poverty rate

11.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92530; 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
Elsinore MiddleEnrollment path unverified3.66–83.4 mi937Compare →
Keith Mccarthy AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.9K–123.4 mi470Compare →
Canyon Lake MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.56–8Not available970Compare →
David A. Brown MiddleEnrollment path unverified3.86–8Not available1,062Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Lake Elsinore Unified

Schools in district
25
Rank in district
#22 of 24
District spending per student
$16,089NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Terra Cotta Middle is listed in Lake Elsinore Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Terra Cotta Middle

Terra Cotta Middle is a public middle school in Lake Elsinore, CA, part of Lake Elsinore Unified, serving approximately 1,064 students in grades 6th-8th with a 26.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 out of 10 and ranks #9,059 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Terra Cotta Middle

What grades does Terra Cotta Middle serve?

Terra Cotta Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Terra Cotta Middle?

Terra Cotta Middle has an enrollment of approximately 1,064 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Terra Cotta Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Terra Cotta Middle is 26.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Terra Cotta Middle rank in CA?

Terra Cotta Middle ranks #9,059 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Terra Cotta Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Terra Cotta Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 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 Terra Cotta Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Terra Cotta Middle has 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Terra Cotta Middle a charter school?

No, Terra Cotta Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Terra Cotta Middle a Title I school?

No, Terra Cotta Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Terra Cotta Middle?

80.4% of students at Terra Cotta Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
1,064
Student-Teacher Ratio
26.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
40
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Riverside County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.2%
Area population (ZIP 92530)
60,877
Area average commute
42.7 min
Area median age
33
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 92530; 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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