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Addison Elementary · Palo Alto

Addison Elementary: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.

Addison posts 54.4% exceeding the standard — versus 21.3% statewide — with climate numbers better than most. That doesn't make it perfect. It makes it worth a visit to find what numbers can't measure.

650 Addison Avenue, 94301 (opens in new tab)·Palo Alto Unified·Palo Alto·Grades K-5·366 students·17% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(650) 322-5935
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6745
% Exceeded54%21%
% Met+74%43%
Growth+0.6-2.9
Absence12.1%17.9%
Suspension1.0%1.6%
Scope Score
67
💪 Strong All-Around · Solid
ranked #612 statewide · #11 of 12 in Palo Alto Unified

Addison Elementary scores 67 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 89th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

💪 Strong All-Around — Ask about what we don't score — class size, electives, the feel of a classroom — strong numbers everywhere on paper don't mean every classroom feels the same.

Most rating sites would stop at “74% proficient” and call it done. Addison deserves a closer read. It sits at the 89th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 54.4% of students scored in the top band on the state test. The California average is 21.3%.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has held the 89th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 74% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 373%77%84%73%76%
Grade 467%83%65%84%72%
Grade 585%74%81%67%80%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 382%72%88%82%70%
Grade 478%74%70%76%81%
Grade 575%72%69%58%67%

The story this school is actually telling

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

54%
22%
24%
Grade 3 · 76% proficient
57%
15%
28%
Grade 4 · 72% proficient
56%
25%
19%
Grade 5 · 81% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 1.5pp across grades; the floor rises 4.1pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
54.4%
State 21.3%
33.1pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+0.6pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
74.4%
State 42.7%
31.7pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
12.1%
State 17.9%
5.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.0%
State 1.6%
0.6pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
21.6%
State 18.0%
3.6pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Addison Elementary in Palo Alto, 48.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 51.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Addison Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 3.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (36.0% Math proficient); White students (86.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 34.1 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 25 students tested.

All students at this school: 75% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 75%, district —, state 43%75%
MaleMale: this school 75%, district 80%, state 42%75% · +0 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 74%, district 82%, state 44%74% · −0 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 81%, district 83%, state 56%81% · +7 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 45%, district 46%, state 32%45% · −29 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 89%, district 92%, state 72%89% · +15 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 79%, district 88%, state 56%79% · +4 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 42%, district 48%, state 32%42% · −33 vs school

5 of 13 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group
Subgroup growth by grade

Change in proficiency from the lowest tested grade — which groups gain ground the longer they stay. Groups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 44.2pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +1.0pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 12.1%, district 10.2%, state 17.9%12.1% · −5.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.0%, district —, state 1.6%1.0% · −0.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–612.7%
TK/K15.3%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 18:120:1
Teaching staff30 teachers
Avg. experience14.5 years
Fully credentialed95%
First-year teachers3%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$91,546 – $168,598
Principal salary$210,710 – $225,110
Superintendent salary$415,045

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $29,739, CA average $14,815$29,739 · school-level
Federal share$169 per student

$169 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$33,959 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction63%
Instruction support10%
Student services9%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Other1%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$24,917 per pupil
2019$22,497 per pupil
2018$23,038 per pupil
2017$20,962 per pupil
2016$19,648 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White33.9%
District 27.2% · CA 19.9%
Asian23.2%
District 42.2% · CA 10.2%
Hispanic22.4%
District 16.1% · CA 56.1%
Other18.3%
District 12.8% · CA 9.0%
Black2.2%
District 1.7% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 17.2% (47pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$242K · CA $85K
Median home value$2.00M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+82% · CA 35%
ZIP population17,508
Median age47 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 67% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Addison Elementary a good elementary school?

Addison Elementary has a Scope Score of 67 out of 100, placing it in the 89th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #612 statewide. 54.4% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 33.1 percentage points above the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 3-to-5 growth (27%), met or exceeded (proficient) (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Addison Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 74.4% of students at Addison Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 54.4% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 20.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 54.4% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 381 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Addison Elementary rank in California?

Addison Elementary ranks #612 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 89th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 3 to grade 5 growth), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

Is Addison Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Addison Elementary increases by 0.6 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 growth. This upward trajectory suggests the school is adding measurable value — students leave with higher proficiency rates than they entered with. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the elementary Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Addison Elementary?

12.1% of students at Addison Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.0%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Addison Elementary compare to other schools in Palo Alto?

Addison Elementary scores 67/100 (89th percentile) among California elementary schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 366 students. Use the schools in Palo Alto page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Addison Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Addison Elementary in Palo Alto, 48.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 51.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Addison Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 3.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (36.0% Math proficient); White students (86.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 34.1 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 25 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.


For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Exceeded standard · 38%
54.4%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 82th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+0.6pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 43th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
74.4%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 74th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
12.1%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 60th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.0%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 55th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
21.6%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35954%22%12%12%76%+33
Grade 46857%15%16%12%72%+27
Grade 56156%25%13%7%80%+32
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36048%22%8%22%70%+24
Grade 47260%21%10%10%81%+39
Grade 56151%16%28%5%67%+32
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/116141%26%28%5%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged2548.0%−3+10
White6586.2%+1+24
Hispanic/Latino4247.6%−4+9
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Addison Elementary ←6754.4%74.4%+0.61.0%
Ohlone Elementary1.6 mi9366.4%88.1%+4.80.5%
Herbert Hoover Elementary2.8 mi9079.2%92.3%+4.31.3%
Juana Briones Elementary2.8 mi8865.5%89.7%+3.00.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20197695#27852.0%76.6%5.4%0.2%+2.4pp
20226692#47545.9%75.3%11.9%0.3%-1.6pp
20236085#87047.4%76.2%17.4%0.6%-11.4pp
20246082#101849.7%73.2%12.4%1.4%-14.7pp
20256789#61254.4%74.4%12.1%1.0%+0.6pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female4.5%9.8%+5.3pp
Male6.0%13.5%+7.5pp
Asian3.4%7.8%+4.4pp
Hispanic/Latino2.8%17.6%+14.8pp
Two or More Races3.8%11.3%+7.5pp
Students with Disabilities5.8%13.5%+7.7pp
English Learners5.3%12.7%+7.4pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged6.3%18.1%+11.8pp
All Students5.3%11.6%+6.3pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction