School Profile · Oakland
ASCEND: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.
ASCEND posts 31% meeting the standard and 9.7% exceeding it, against 43% and 21.3% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.
3709 East 12th Street, 94601 (opens in new tab)·Oakland Unified·Oakland·Grades K-8·493 students·64% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(510) 879-3140·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
38
📈 On the Rise · Developing
ranked #3,233 statewide · #17 of 62 in Oakland Unified
ASCEND scores 38 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 44th 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 →
Most rating sites would stop at “31% proficient” and call it done. ASCEND deserves a closer read. The school sits in Oakland, where three in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
As a charter, ASCEND enrolls by application, not address — the score reads the same, the enrollment path doesn't.
The story this school is actually telling
The school, grade by grade
ELA · CAASPP 2024–25Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.
8%
12%
80%
Grade 3 · 20% proficient
9%
17%
74%
Grade 4 · 26% proficient
9%
30%
61%
Grade 5 · 39% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding rises 1.6pp across grades; the floor rises 19.7pp. 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 5 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
9.7%
State 21.3%
11.6pp below state avg
Met or exceeded
30.9%
State 42.7%
11.8pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+8.6pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Chronic absenteeism
18.4%
State 17.9%
0.4pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.1%
State 1.6%
0.6pp below 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.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Planning ahead? 10 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 75
Bay Farm
Alameda Unified · 2.9 mi
Strong
76/100
Amelia Earhart Elementary
Alameda Unified · 2.2 mi
Strong
75/100
Frank Otis Elementary
Alameda Unified · 1.6 mi
Strong
74/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic90.5%
White0.2%
Asian2.2%
Black5.1%
Other2.0%
GenderFemale 48.3%Male 51.7%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 63.9% (0pp above CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
493
127 below CA avg (~620)
Transitional Kindergarten
TK status unconfirmed
No TK enrollment is on file with the state for this school — that isn't the same as “no TK.” Confirm directly with the district.
Student-Teacher Ratio
22:1
1 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$18,173
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$62,696 – $109,878
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At ASCEND in Oakland, 35.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 24.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. ASCEND outperforms its district average for low-income students by 11.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (37.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (37.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 24.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 301 students tested.
Equity Gaps
ELA · English Learner−24.6pp
12.1% vs 36.7% overall · n=166
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · English Learner−9.2pp
0.9% vs 10.0% overall · n=166
Math · English Learner−21.1pp
17.5% vs 38.6% overall · n=168
Math Exceeded · English Learner−12.8pp
3.4% vs 16.2% overall · n=168
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income303 tested
ELA 35.0%·Math 37.6%· +11.0pp vs district
Hispanic299 tested
ELA 37.2%·Math 39.2%· +15.1pp vs district
English Learner168 tested
ELA 12.0%·Math 17.9%· +7.1pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Subgroup Growth by Grade
Change in proficiency from lowest tested grade. Shows which groups are gaining ground.
Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 17.8pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +7.6pp.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$72K
$13K below CA median
Median Home Value
$710K
$51K above CA median
Bachelor's+
26%
9pp below CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
7.3 years avg experience
23 teachers · 22% first-year · 13% second-year
Teacher Credentials
60% fully credentialed
20.1% on intern/emergency permit
Source: CDE SARC, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
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 · 43%
9.7%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 39th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
30.9%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 41th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
+8.6pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 69th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
18.4%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 49th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.1%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 52 | 8% | 12% | 37% | 44% | 19% | −24 |
| Grade 4 | 54 | 9% | 17% | 22% | 52% | 26% | −19 |
| Grade 5 | 54 | 9% | 30% | 26% | 35% | 39% | −9 |
| Grade 6 | 53 | 9% | 38% | 26% | 26% | 47% | +1 |
| Grade 7 | 53 | 13% | 25% | 38% | 25% | 38% | −10 |
| Grade 8 | 53 | 11% | 40% | 25% | 25% | 51% | +5 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 53 | 13% | 25% | 25% | 38% | 38% | −8 |
| Grade 4 | 53 | 4% | 25% | 26% | 45% | 28% | −13 |
| Grade 5 | 54 | 15% | 20% | 30% | 35% | 35% | −0 |
| Grade 6 | 53 | 26% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 51% | +16 |
| Grade 7 | 54 | 17% | 19% | 39% | 26% | 35% | +1 |
| Grade 8 | 54 | 22% | 22% | 33% | 22% | 44% | +12 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 108 | 4% | 19% | 64% | 14% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 301 | 35.0% | +11 | −3 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 297 | 37.2% | +15 | −2 |
| English Learners | 166 | 12.0% | +7 | +2 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASCEND ← | — | 38 | 9.7% | 30.9% | +8.6 | 1.1% |
| Bay Farm | 2.9 mi | 76 | 54.6% | 81.5% | −7.5 | 0.5% |
| Amelia Earhart Elementary | 2.2 mi | 75 | 53.5% | 77.8% | +6.0 | 0.4% |
| Frank Otis Elementary | 1.6 mi | 74 | 49.1% | 75.9% | −6.7 | 1.0% |
| California average | — | 43 | 21.3% | 42.7% | −2.9 | 1.6% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #4083 → #3939 → #3567 → #3198 → #3233
What we can't show
- — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means
Frequently asked questions
Is ASCEND a good elementary school?
ASCEND has a Scope Score of 38 out of 100, placing it in the 44th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,233 statewide. 9.7% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 11.6 percentage points below the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are ASCEND's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 30.9% of students at ASCEND met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 9.7% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 21.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 9.7% 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. 320 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does ASCEND rank in California?
ASCEND ranks #3,233 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 44th 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 ASCEND getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at ASCEND increases by 8.6 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 ASCEND?
18.4% of students at ASCEND are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.1%, 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 ASCEND compare to other schools in Oakland?
ASCEND scores 38/100 (44th 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 493 students. Use the schools in Oakland page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does ASCEND serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At ASCEND in Oakland, 35.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 24.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. ASCEND outperforms its district average for low-income students by 11.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (37.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (37.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 24.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 301 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.