School Profile · Vista
Bella Mente Montessori Academy: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.
Bella Mente Montessori Academy posts 45% meeting the standard against 43% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.
1737 West Vista Way, 92083 (opens in new tab)·Vista Unified·Vista·Grades K-8·424 students·60% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 621-8948·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
54
🤝 Culture First · Solid
ranked #1,382 statewide · #3 of 16 in Vista Unified
Bella Mente Montessori Academy scores 54 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 76th 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 “45% proficient” and call it done. Bella Mente Montessori Academy deserves a closer read. The school sits in Vista, where three in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 50.0% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide.
As a charter, Bella Mente Montessori Academy 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.
47%
13%
40%
Grade 3 · 60% proficient
23%
12%
65%
Grade 4 · 35% proficient
22%
29%
49%
Grade 5 · 51% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding falls 24.7pp across grades; the floor slips 8.8pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.
50.0%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
Bella Mente Montessori Academy's most underrated number
50.0% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.
Bella Mente Montessori Academy low-income: 50.0%State low-income: 38.2%
The 5 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
25.8%
State 21.3%
4.5pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
44.8%
State 42.7%
2.1pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-16.2pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
5.9%
State 17.9%
12.0pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.2%
State 1.6%
1.4pp below state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Planning ahead? 7 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 60
Calavera Hills Elementary
Carlsbad Unified · 1.4 mi
Solid
61/100
Casita Center for Science/Math/Technology
Vista Unified · 0.4 mi
Solid
61/100
Hope Elementary
Carlsbad Unified · 2 mi
Solid
60/100
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
Hispanic63.0%
White24.3%
Asian0.9%
Black2.8%
Other9.0%
GenderFemale 50.5%Male 49.3%Non-binary 0.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 60.1% (4pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
424
196 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
19:1
2 fewer students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$13,817
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$57,722 – $120,983
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Bella Mente Montessori Academy in Vista, 50.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Bella Mente Montessori Academy outperforms its district average for low-income students by 14.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.3 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 166 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Math · Low-Income−5.1pp
29.7% vs 34.8% overall · n=166
3 more gaps by subject
ELA · Hispanic−4.3pp
48.7% vs 53.0% overall · n=152
ELA Exceeded · Hispanic−6.1pp
16.1% vs 22.2% overall · n=152
Math Exceeded · Hispanic−3.2pp
13.0% vs 16.3% overall · n=152
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income166 tested
ELA 50.0%·Math 30.1%· +14.9pp vs district
Hispanic152 tested
ELA 50.0%·Math 30.9%· +15.5pp 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 falls by 3.4pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +2.3pp.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$87K
$2K above CA median
Median Home Value
$658K
$800 below CA median
Bachelor's+
21%
14pp 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
8.3 years avg experience
24 teachers · 8% first-year · 8% second-year
Teacher Credentials
80% fully credentialed
3.9% 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%
25.8%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 54th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
44.8%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 52th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
-16.2pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 68th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
5.9%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 70th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.2%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 62th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 45 | 47% | 13% | 31% | 9% | 60% | +17 |
| Grade 4 | 26 | 23% | 12% | 19% | 46% | 35% | −10 |
| Grade 5 | 41 | 22% | 29% | 15% | 34% | 51% | +3 |
| Grade 6 | 34 | 15% | 41% | 26% | 18% | 56% | +9 |
| Grade 7 | 40 | 18% | 45% | 30% | 8% | 63% | +15 |
| Grade 8 | 36 | 8% | 44% | 28% | 19% | 53% | +7 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 45 | 33% | 24% | 22% | 20% | 58% | +12 |
| Grade 4 | 26 | 15% | 15% | 42% | 27% | 31% | −11 |
| Grade 5 | 41 | 15% | 20% | 20% | 46% | 34% | −1 |
| Grade 6 | 34 | 15% | 15% | 41% | 29% | 29% | −6 |
| Grade 7 | 39 | 3% | 28% | 23% | 46% | 31% | −3 |
| Grade 8 | 36 | 17% | 8% | 28% | 47% | 25% | −7 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 77 | 12% | 13% | 58% | 17% |
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 | 166 | 50.0% | +15 | +12 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 152 | 50.0% | +16 | +11 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bella Mente Montessori Academy ← | — | 54 | 25.8% | 44.8% | −16.2 | 0.2% |
| Calavera Hills Elementary | 1.4 mi | 61 | 37.8% | 66.6% | −21.3 | 1.3% |
| Casita Center for Science/Math/Technology | 0.4 mi | 61 | 39.2% | 65.8% | −1.8 | 0.7% |
| Hope Elementary | 2 mi | 60 | 39.6% | 71.4% | −6.7 | 0.1% |
| 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 #2674 → #2529 → #3732 → #2418 → #1382
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
Frequently asked questions
Is Bella Mente Montessori Academy a good elementary school?
Bella Mente Montessori Academy has a Scope Score of 54 out of 100, placing it in the 76th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,382 statewide. 25.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 4.5 percentage points above 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 Bella Mente Montessori Academy's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 44.8% of students at Bella Mente Montessori Academy met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 25.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 18.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 25.8% 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. 224 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Bella Mente Montessori Academy rank in California?
Bella Mente Montessori Academy ranks #1,382 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 76th 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 Bella Mente Montessori Academy getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Bella Mente Montessori Academy decreases by 16.2 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. 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 Bella Mente Montessori Academy?
5.9% of students at Bella Mente Montessori Academy are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.2%, 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 Bella Mente Montessori Academy compare to other schools in Vista?
Bella Mente Montessori Academy scores 54/100 (76th 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 424 students. Use the schools in Vista page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Bella Mente Montessori Academy serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Bella Mente Montessori Academy in Vista, 50.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Bella Mente Montessori Academy outperforms its district average for low-income students by 14.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.3 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 166 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.