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Bitney Prep High · Grass Valley

Bitney Prep High: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Bitney Prep posts 43% meeting the standard against 36% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

135 Joerschke Drive, 95945 (opens in new tab)·Nevada County Office of Education·Grass Valley·Grades 9-12·91 students·57% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(530) 477-1235·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3244
% Exceeded16%16%
% Met+43%36%
Grad rate75.0%87.6%
College readiness0.0%35.4%
Absence35.1%30.2%
Suspension7.4%3.6%
Scope Score
32
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,595 statewide · #2 of 3 in Nevada County Office of Education

Bitney Prep High scores 32 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 26th percentile of 2,160 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

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

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

Most rating sites would stop at “43% proficient” and call it done. Bitney Prep deserves a closer read. The school sits in Grass Valley, where more than half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Bitney Prep's low-income kids hit 71.4% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

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

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 26th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathRed(Declined Significantly)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 43% of students meet the standard today, above the 38% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1157%39%58%62%64%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1119%11%11%29%22%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
43%
State 36%
Graduate
75%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
0%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 43 are proficient by 11th grade → 75 graduate → 0 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 6 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
75.0%
State 87.6%
12.6pp below state avg
Exceeded standard
15.9%
State 15.8%
0.1pp above state avg
College readiness
0.0%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
42.7%
State 35.7%
7.0pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
35.1%
State 30.2%
4.9pp above state avg
Suspension rate
7.4%
State 3.6%
3.7pp above 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.

  • Ask what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • Ask what share of students complete the full college-prep course sequence, and who gets steered into it.
  • 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 Bitney Prep High in Grass Valley, 71.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 30.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Bitney Prep High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 40.7 percentage points in ELA. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 15 students tested.

All students at this school: 42% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 42%, district —, state 36%42%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 51%, district 24%, state 32%51% · +9 vs school

6 of 8 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 35.1%, district 26.8%, state 30.2%35.1% · +4.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 7.4%, district —, state 3.6%7.4% · +3.7pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1237.4%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
High School
Bitney Prep High
32/100
This school

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 15:1, district 20:115:1
Teaching staff11 teachers
Avg. experience11.8 years
Fully credentialed83%
First-year teachers9%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$62,223 – $111,385
Principal salary$0 – $0
Superintendent salary$221,590

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered0
CTE pathway completers7 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $17,783, CA average $14,815$17,783 · spent at this school
Federal share$444 per student

$444 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction32%
Instruction support15%
Student services22%
Administration24%
Buildings & maintenance5%
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$18,834 per pupil
2019$18,638 per pupil
2018$19,170 per pupil
2017$8,133 per pupil
2016$7,527 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White56.0%
District 59.8% · CA 19.9%
Other35.2%
District 10.5% · CA 9.0%
Hispanic8.8%
District 26.5% · CA 56.1%
GenderFemale 36.3%Male 53.9%Non-binary 9.9%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 57.1% (7pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$66K · CA $85K
Median home value$540K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+35% · CA 35%
ZIP population27,470
Median age50 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 91 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 47% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bitney Prep High a good high school?

Bitney Prep High has a Scope Score of 32 out of 100, placing it in the 26th percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,595 statewide. 15.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is near the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), 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 Bitney Prep High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 42.7% of students at Bitney Prep High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 15.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.8% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 15.9% 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. 45 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Bitney Prep High rank in California?

Bitney Prep High ranks #1,595 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 26th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), 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 Bitney Prep High?

35.1% of students at Bitney Prep High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 7.4%. 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 Bitney Prep High compare to other schools in Grass Valley?

Bitney Prep High scores 32/100 (26th percentile) among California high 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 91 students. Use the schools in Grass Valley page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Bitney Prep High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Bitney Prep High in Grass Valley, 71.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 30.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Bitney Prep High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 40.7 percentage points in ELA. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 15 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
Graduation rate · 25%
75.0%
↓ vs CA 87.6% · 35th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
15.9%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 50th pctile
College readiness · 20%
0.0%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 29th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
42.7%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 55th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
35.1%
↓ vs CA 30.2% · 46th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
7.4%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 33th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 112232%32%18%18%64%+16
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 11230%22%26%52%22%−2
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11176%41%47%6%

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 Disadvantaged1571.4%+41+33
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Bitney Prep High ←3215.9%42.7%7.4%
William & Marian Ghidotti High0.5 mi7079.2%94.5%1.1%
Nevada Union High0.9 mi5324.5%46.1%3.9%
North Point Academy1 mi4717.7%38.7%1.9%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
75.0%
AP Exam Prepared
Not offered
This school may not offer AP courses
A-G Completion
5.6%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
29.4%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193531#141321.4%38.1%30.9%5.6%
20222719#17018.3%25.0%46.9%3.8%
20233025#162315.8%34.2%46.6%6.7%
20243125#16019.5%45.2%40.0%4.5%
20253226#159515.9%42.7%35.1%7.4%
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
Female28.8%35.9%+7.1pp
Male38.5%39.2%+0.7pp
Hispanic/Latino40.0%28.6%-11.4pp
Two or More Races27.3%
Students with Disabilities43.8%41.2%-2.6pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged39.1%39.0%-0.1pp
All Students34.2%37.4%+3.2pp
Filipino40.0%
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high 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