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Borrego Springs Middle · Borrego Springs

Borrego Springs Middle: The scores are below where anyone wants them. Here's what they don't tell you.

Borrego Springs posts low test scores — and grade 8 tests above grade 6 here this year, by 5.6pp. If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

2255 Diegueno Road, 92004 (opens in new tab)·Borrego Springs Unified·Borrego Springs·Grades 6-8·83 students·90% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 767-5335
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3043
% Exceeded5%17%
% Met+19%39%
Growth+5.6+1.5
Absence18.9%18.5%
Suspension7.2%3.7%
Scope Score
30
📈 On the Rise · Needs Support
ranked #1,746 statewide

Borrego Springs Middle scores 30 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 22nd percentile of 2,238 California middle schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

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

📈 On the Rise — Ask how many years the improvement has held, not just the latest one — one strong cohort and a real turnaround can look identical in a single year of data.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “19% proficient” and call it done. Borrego Springs deserves a closer read. The school sits in Borrego Springs, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 37.0% of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 18.0% statewide.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Climbed from the 8th to the 22nd percentile since 2019 — past roughly 100 middle schools.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 19% meet the standard today, versus 31% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 654%14%17%21%21%
Grade 746%22%28%28%32%
Grade 826%19%27%21%23%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 629%4%21%14%6%
Grade 725%19%12%12%18%
Grade 86%13%6%13%15%

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.

18%
79%
Grade 6 · 21% proficient
25%
68%
Grade 7 · 32% proficient
23%
77%
Grade 8 · 23% proficient

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
4.7%
State 16.8%
12.2pp below state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
+5.6pp
State +1.5pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
19.3%
State 39.3%
20.0pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
18.9%
State 18.5%
0.3pp above state avg
Suspension rate
7.2%
State 3.7%
3.5pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
37.0%
State 18.0%
19.1pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what changed in the last two years, and what the school is asking families for. Growth shows up in these numbers a year or two after it shows up in classrooms.

  • 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 Borrego Springs Middle in Borrego Springs, 27.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 28.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Borrego Springs Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 0.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (13.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (25.7% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 76 students tested.

All students at this school: 19% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 19%, district —, state 39%19%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 20%, district 21%, state 32%20% · +1 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 20%, district 23%, state 32%20% · +1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 15%, district 25%, state 42%15% · −4 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 24%, district 21%, state 44%24% · +5 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 4%, district 11%, state 11%4% · −15 vs school

5 of 11 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 1.1pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: +1.1pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 18.9%, district 32.9%, state 18.5%18.9% · +0.3pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 7.2%, district —, state 3.7%7.2% · +3.5pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–620.6%
Grades 7–817.9%

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 17:1, district 26:117:1
Teaching staff9 teachers
Avg. experience18.6 years
Fully credentialed9%
First-year teachers11%

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $40,869, CA average $14,815$40,869 · spent at this school
Federal share$3,438 per student

$3,438 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$29,167 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
Instruction57%
Instruction support9%
Student services8%
Administration10%
Buildings & maintenance16%

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$19,247 per pupil
2019$18,161 per pupil
2018$18,029 per pupil
2017$12,471 per pupil
2016$13,569 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic89.2%
District 70.5% · CA 56.1%
White6.0%
District 15.8% · CA 19.9%
Other4.8%
District 7.1% · CA 9.0%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 90.4% (27pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$74K · CA $85K
Median home value$390K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+30% · CA 35%
ZIP population3,007
Median age62 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 83 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California middle school (≈860).

On the state's science test (CAST), 19% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Borrego Springs Middle a good middle school?

Borrego Springs Middle has a Scope Score of 30 out of 100, placing it in the 22nd percentile of California middle schools and ranked #1,746 statewide. 4.7% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 12.2 percentage points below the California average of 16.8%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 6-to-8 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 Borrego Springs Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 19.3% of students at Borrego Springs Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 4.7% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 14.6% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 4.7% 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. 174 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Borrego Springs Middle rank in California?

Borrego Springs Middle ranks #1,746 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 22nd percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 6 to grade 8 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 Borrego Springs Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Borrego Springs Middle increases by 5.6 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 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 middle 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 Borrego Springs Middle?

18.9% of students at Borrego Springs Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 7.2%. 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 Borrego Springs Middle compare to other schools in Borrego Springs?

Borrego Springs Middle scores 30/100 (22nd percentile) among California middle 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 83 students. Use the schools in Borrego Springs page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Borrego Springs Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Borrego Springs Middle in Borrego Springs, 27.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 28.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Borrego Springs Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 0.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (13.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (25.7% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 76 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

All schools in Borrego Springs →

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

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%
4.7%
↓ vs CA 16.8% · 37th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
+5.6pp
↑ vs CA +1.5pp · 44th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
19.3%
↓ vs CA 39.3% · 34th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
18.9%
↓ vs CA 18.5% · 50th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
7.2%
↓ vs CA 3.7% · 36th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
37.0%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 69th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 6333%18%45%33%21%−25
Grade 7287%25%39%29%32%−16
Grade 8260%23%46%31%23%−23
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 6333%3%36%58%6%−29
Grade 7287%11%32%50%18%−16
Grade 8268%8%23%62%15%−17
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11264%15%73%8%

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 Disadvantaged7627.6%−0−11
Hispanic/Latino7425.7%−4−13
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Borrego Springs Middle ←—304.7%19.3%+5.67.2%
California average—4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
2019218#18466.6%31.2%16.2%8.3%-25.4pp
20222724#16483.4%15.1%35.9%6.5%+7.2pp
20232612#19273.3%18.4%27.5%12.6%-2.2pp
20243441#13084.4%18.0%17.7%6.9%-0.6pp
20253022#17464.7%19.3%18.9%7.2%+5.6pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Low-income students here trail the state average for their group by 11 points in ELA — worth asking how the school is closing that gap.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female18.9%19.0%+0.1pp
Male13.2%18.8%+5.6pp
Hispanic/Latino15.8%16.9%+1.1pp
Students with Disabilities37.5%21.4%-16.1pp
English Learners17.1%15.6%-1.5pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged19.0%20.0%+1.0pp
All Students16.5%18.9%+2.4pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,238 middle 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

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