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Charter elementary school

Big Sur Charter

Monterey, CA · Grades TK-12 · 101 students · Big Sur Unified

Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

57% of tested students are Proficient or Advanced in English and 79% in math. Explore the evidence alongside the opportunities your child would use.

SchoolScope archetype

Strong All-Around

What this means for your family

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.

How archetypes are assigned →

Contact

DistrictBig Sur Unified
PrincipalAimee Alling
GradesTK-12
Enrollment101 students

Math

79%

Grades 3 & 5 · Proficient or Advanced

English

57%

Grades 3 & 5 · Proficient or Advanced

Students

101

Total enrollment

Chronic absence

7%

Students absent 10% or more of school days

What are you trying to decide?

The overall score is a starting point.

Look at subject results, trends and student groups, then consider the opportunities your child would use.

View school performance →

Academic performance

What do the results tell us?

2025 results · Grades 3 & 5 · weighted by students tested within each subject.

Proficient or Advanced combines Levels 3 and 4, formerly Standard Met and Standard Exceeded. California changed the names for 2025–26; the cut scores did not. About the labels →

Share at Proficient or Advanced

0%25%50%75%100%2023: 67%2025: 79%2023: 54%2025: 57%201920222023202420250%25%50%75%100%2023: 67%2025: 79%2023: 54%2025: 57%20192022202320242025
● Math┄ English

Gaps in the lines mark years without annual results.

Exact annual results
YearMathEnglish
2019
2022
202367%54%
2024
202579%57%

Each year describes that year’s tested students. Changes between years do not follow the same children over time. Cohort-growth evidence, when available, is labeled separately below.

Annual results and the full academic record
Is it getting better · CAASPP 2022 to 2025

Climbed from the 49th to the 87th percentile since 2022 — past roughly 2100 elementary schools.

Most rating sites would stop at “68% proficient” and call it done. Big Sur Charter deserves a closer read. One in four of its students qualify for free or reduced lunch (California: 64%) — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 6.7% chronic absenteeism — versus 17.9% statewide. Attendance is the quietest strong signal a school can post.

As a charter, Big Sur Charter enrolls by application rather than address. That changes how you get in, but it doesn't change the score.

54 tested · 2 of 3 grades published · no cohort tracked

Big Sur Charter scores 60 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 87th percentile of 5,721 California elementary schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Percentile among 5,721 elementary schools statewide
Year detailsYear2022 · 49th percentile · Scope Score 32 of 1002023 · 74th percentile · Scope Score 48 of 1002025 · 87th percentile · Scope Score 60 of 100
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)
ShowHide the by-grade tables, year by year
ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade2019202220232025
Grade 375%57%
Grade 450%73%
Grade 745%80%58%
Grade 881%50%62%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade2019202220232025
Grade 367%79%
Grade 425%64%
Grade 745%67%33%
Grade 869%33%50%
Where students land · CAASPP 2024–25

Two-thirds of students here meet the standard. One in three clear it by a lot.

ELA63% met or exceeded
Exceeded 26%Met 37%Nearly Met 19%Not Met 19%
Math48% met or exceeded
Exceeded 22%Met 26%Nearly Met 30%Not Met 22%
Exceeded Met Nearly Met Not Met
California elementary schools · average21% exceeded · 43% met or exceeded
This school against the California average
2022–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
Scope% Exceeded% Met+GrowthAbsenceSuspension
This school6037%68%6.7%0.6%
CA average · Elementary School3921%43%17.9%1.6%
This schoolCA avg
Scope6039
% Exceeded37%21%
% Met+68%43%
Growth
Absence6.7%17.9%
Suspension0.6%1.6%
California’s growth results and student groups
State growth model · CDE growth model 2024–25

California's own growth model places it near the 72nd percentile of elementary schools.

Context — never part of the Scope Score

California runs its own growth model — it follows individual children in grades 4 through 8 and compares each one against a prediction from their own prior scores. On that measure this school sits well above the middle of California elementary schools in reading and math together. We show it; we don't score it.

pts vs expected is scale-score points above or below what California's model predicted for these same children from their own prior-year scores. It is not a percentage and not a percent of anything. A typical California elementary school lands at +2 in reading, and the middle half of them fall between −5 and +9 — the spread is wide, so read the rank, not the sign. CDE blends two consecutive years into each published figure, so adjacent years share input data and no year-over-year trend can honestly be drawn from them. It covers grades 4-8 only, and it is not part of the Scope Score — we assessed it and left it out: it tracks school demographics roughly three times as strongly as our own growth measure does, and one published year is not enough to test how stable it is.

California's growth model, ranked against the schools it scores
State model · readingmatched students, grades 4-8California growth model, reading: +11 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, 82nd percentile of 7,519 reported schools.82nd pctile · +11 pts
State model · mathmatched students, grades 4-8California growth model, math: +5 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, 63rd percentile of 7,518 reported schools.63rd pctile · +5 pts
this school| the tick is the middle of the California field

Students & opportunity

Who shares in the school’s results?

The daily experience

What is it like to be a student here?

Students per teacher

Student–teacher ratio is a schoolwide staffing measure, not an average class size.

The people teaching · CDE staffing 2024–25

About 20 students for every teacher here.

Context — never part of the Scope Score

Students per teacher20 · district 18
Teaching staff5 teachers
Avg. experience6.2 years
Fully credentialed80%
PrincipalAimee Alling
ShowHide what the district pays
Teacher salary schedule$41,886 – $66,602
Superintendent salary$95,285

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Attendance & discipline · 2024–25

Kids here show up more, and get suspended less, than the state average.

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 6.7%, district 6.7%, state 17.9%6.7% · −11.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.6%, district —, state 1.6%0.6% · −1.0pp vs state
This schoolDistrictCalifornia

Resources & neighborhood

What sits behind the school experience?

Explore school spending and the district budget
What gets spent · FY 2024–25

Its district spends $97,889 per student, more than the California average.

Context — never part of the Scope Score

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

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $97,889, CA average $14,491$97,889 · district average
District current expense · FY 2024–25$100,676 per student
District averageCalifornia
Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction 53%Instruction support 19%Student services 2%Administration 13%Buildings & maintenance 13%

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

ShowHide the district's spending year by year
district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$97,889 per pupil
2017$15,982 per pupil
2016$15,780 per pupil
The neighborhood · ACS 2024

One in four of students here qualify for free or reduced lunch, versus three in five statewide.

Context — never part of the Scope Score

Worth knowing

At 101 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California elementary school (≈480).

Transitional kindergarten is offered here — confirmed by actual Census Day enrollment, not just the listed grade span.

On the state's science test (CAST), 46% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, and it never enters the Scope Score.

Hispanic or Latino32.7% · district 33.0% · CA 56.1%
White47.5% · district 49.1% · CA 19.9%
Black4.0% · district 3.6% · CA 4.8%
Other15.8% · district 14.3% · CA 9.0%
Free or reduced lunch27.7% · CA 64%
Median income$106K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.10M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+53% · CA 35%
ZIP population30,605
Median age43 years

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

Culture & philosophy

What is the school’s approach?

School-stated approach · questions for your visit

Look beyond the brochure

A source-reviewed culture summary is not available for this profile yet. Ask how teaching, student support and family communication work day to day.

Read the school’s own website ↗

Family voices

What would you want another family to know about the daily experience here?

Ask a current family: “When your child needs help, how does the school respond?”

Educator voices

What should families understand about teaching, support and the school community?

Ask an educator: “How do you adapt a typical day for children with different needs?”

Bring these questions on a visit →

Compare nearby schools

What are the alternatives?

Compare schools serving the same grade stage. Private schools have no comparable state-test score.

2025 · elementary schools · combined reading and math measures. Percentiles compare schools within their enrollment group.

Private options →
SchoolTypePerformance bandAdvancedProficient or AdvancedDistanceSelect
Big Sur CharterCharterStrong37%68%School being viewed
Robert Down ElementaryPublicStrong43%72%1.1 mi
Forest Grove ElementaryPublicStrong33%57%1.7 mi
La MesaPublicStrong31%58%2.3 mi
Open the comparison tool →
More nearby public and private options
Your other options

Your other options

Nearby public schools across grade levels, plus private options within 10 miles.

All schools in Monterey →

Private schools do not receive a Scope Score or statewide ranking on SchoolScope.

7 private schools within 10 miles
Not scored
What should I check before applying?
District public
Confirm the attendance boundary and any permit options.
Charter
Check applications, priorities and deadlines with each school.
Private
Confirm admission requirements, tuition and financial aid.

Moving & enrollment

Which schools could serve my child?

Check enrollment with this charter school

Ask the school about applications, priorities and deadlines for your child’s grade.

School website →

Schools across the K–12 journey

Schools are grouped by grade stage. Nearby schools are not confirmed feeder links or address assignments. Verify the current path and eligibility with the district.

Charter enrollment details

Plan your next step

What should I do next?

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.

  • 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.
Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is Big Sur Charter a good elementary school?
Big Sur Charter has a Scope Score of 60 out of 100, placing it in the 87th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #749 statewide. 37.3% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 16.0 percentage points above the California average of 21.4%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (42%), met or exceeded (proficient) (23%), grade 3-to-5 growth (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 Big Sur Charter's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 68.0% of students at Big Sur Charter met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 37.3% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 30.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 37.3% went beyond it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. 50 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Big Sur Charter rank in California?
Big Sur Charter ranks #749 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 87th 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.
What is the attendance and school culture like at Big Sur Charter?
6.7% of students at Big Sur Charter are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.6%, 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 Big Sur Charter compare to other schools in Monterey?
Big Sur Charter scores 60/100 (87th 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 101 students. Use the schools in Monterey page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

Use the published evidence to prepare questions, then verify fit and access with the school.

Behind the evidence

Inspect the full record

Public sources, visible methods and the underlying school record. Source years and limitations stay attached to the evidence.

How the Scope Score is calculated

On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to see the state comparison and weights.

What the score weighs · CAASPP 2024–25

The 4 things our score weighs

What the score weighs
What we weighHereStateWeight
Exceeded standard37.3%21.4%42%
Met or exceeded68.0%42.7%23%
Chronic absenteeism6.7%17.9%5%
Suspension rate0.6%1.6%5%

Source CAASPP 2025 · California Department of Education. Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How the score is built

A closer look at the evidence

Big Sur Charter: reading the evidence

Big Sur Charter posts 68% meeting the standard, and 37.3% going well past it. Most kids here keep up. Fewer get pushed further. Ask the school what it does for a child who already finds the work easy.

Subject proficiency describes tested students, while graduation describes a graduating cohort. These figures are not successive stages followed by the same students.

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.

Explore the underlying data →
Every number: score factors, grades, student groups and downloads
Every number · For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and nearest schools.

Big Sur Charter is ranked #749 statewide.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Score factors
FactorSchoolStateWeight
Exceeded standard37.3%21.4%42%
Met or exceeded68.0%42.7%23%
Chronic absenteeism6.7%17.9%5%
Suspension rate0.6%1.6%5%
Exceeded standard
↑ vs CA 21.4% · index 64 · 50 = CA elementary-school midpoint
Met or exceeded
↑ vs CA 42.7% · index 68 · 50 = CA elementary-school midpoint
Chronic absenteeism
↑ vs CA 17.9% · index 68 · 50 = CA elementary-school midpoint · ▼ 5.7pp lower vs 2023
Suspension rate
↑ vs CA 1.6% · index 58 · 50 = CA elementary-school midpoint · ▼ 0.1pp lower vs 2023
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ShowHide table 02 — By grade & subgroup
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 31450%7%21%21%57%+14
Grade 41136%36%9%18%73%+28
Grade 57
Grade 64
Grade 7120%58%25%17%58%+11
Grade 86
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 31436%43%14%7%79%+33
Grade 41127%36%36%0%64%+22
Grade 57
Grade 64
Grade 71217%17%42%25%33%−0
Grade 86

We show the grade rows CDE publishes for this school. A missing grade or dash can mean the school does not serve that grade, that we hold no valid result for it, or that the tested group was too small to report. It does not mean zero.

Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Schoolwide1323%23%46%8%

CAST is tested in grades 5 and 8, then once in grade 10, 11, or 12. This row is the school's all-student aggregate. Not part of the Scope Score.

03Nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score · Grade gap = grade 3 vs grade 5, this year, different students; Cohort growth = one school's returning cohort tracked across grades (mostly, not exactly, the same kids), in scale-score points — that's the measurement the Scope Score weights
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+Grade gapCohort growthSusp
Big Sur Charter ←6037.3%68.0%0.6%
Robert Down Elementary1.1 mi6343.5%72.0%−6.2pp0.8%
Forest Grove Elementary1.7 mi5232.5%56.6%+10.9pp0.9%
La Mesa2.3 mi4931.4%58.0%+2.3pp2.2%
California average3921.4%42.7%−2.9pp1.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
ShowHide table 04 — More measures
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrade gap
20223249#28828.3%37.5%18.4%0.8%
20234874#148425.0%58.3%12.4%0.8%-37.5pp
20256087#74937.3%68.0%6.7%0.6%
Grade gap = this year's grade 3 vs grade 5 result, two different sets of students, not a trend for any one child — it is not the measurement the Scope Score's growth dimension uses. See §01 above and /methodology#verdicts for the school's actual scored (cohort) growth.
What we can't show
  • — Growth data isn't available — the state needs matched grades across years to compute it.
  • — No subgroup comparison could be shown for this school this year — either its group sizes fall under CDE's 15-student reporting floor, or district/state comparison data wasn't available for its groups.
  • — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
05California growth model, by student group2025 · scale-score points vs the state's prediction · shown, never scored
ShowHide table 05 — California growth model, by student group
GroupReadingnCDE bandMathnCDE band
All Students+1126Accelerated+526Accelerated
English Only+1126not categorised+526not categorised
White−414Average+814Accelerated

Whole scale-score points above or below what CDE's model predicted for these same children from their own prior-year scores — not a percentage, not a percentile. Statewide a typical school lands near +1 with a spread of about 13 points either side, so read a figure against its group's own typical value, not against zero. Muted rows have fewer than 30 students with a growth score — published by CDE, held back from the narrative sections above because at that size the figure swings about 17 points on its own. “Not categorised” is CDE assigning no band — English Only, Recently Reclassified, and English Learners Only receive a value and no band, for every school in the state. It is not a missing number. Most figures blend two consecutive years, so adjacent published years share input data and no trend line can honestly be drawn across them. A group absent from this table had fewer than 11 students with a growth score and was never published. Grades 4-8 only. None of this enters the Scope Score — it is more strongly correlated with school demographics than our own growth measure, and one published year is not enough to test its reliability.

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EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,721 elementary schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-09-18

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

Big Sur Charter

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