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School Profile · Buena Park

Buena Terra Elementary: The score is strong. The trajectory is stronger.

Buena Terra pairs 77% proficiency with gains that hold up when the same students are tracked two years apart — the rare school that posts both.

8299 Holder Street, 90620 (opens in new tab)·Centralia Elementary·Buena Park·Grades TK-6·627 students·56% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(714) 228-3220
Scope Score
73
🚀 Growth Engine · Strong
ranked #389 statewide · #2 of 8 in Centralia Elementary

Buena Terra Elementary scores 73 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 93rd 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 “77% proficient” and call it done. Buena Terra deserves a closer read. The school sits in Buena Park, where more than half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Buena Terra's low-income kids hit 61.9% 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.

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.

44%
19%
37%
Grade 3 · 63% proficient
52%
31%
17%
Grade 4 · 83% proficient
45%
38%
17%
Grade 5 · 83% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor rises 19.9pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

61.9%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Buena Terra's most underrated number

61.9% 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.

Buena Terra low-income: 61.9%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
48.6%
State 21.3%
27.3pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
76.9%
State 42.7%
34.2pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+10.5pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Chronic absenteeism
7.4%
State 17.9%
10.5pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.1%
State 1.6%
1.5pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
27.6%
State 18.0%
9.7pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what changed — new curriculum, new principal, new program. Momentum has a cause, and a visit will find it.

Where the path goes

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

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.

The community around it

Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope Score

Student demographics

Hispanic38.6%
White16.8%
Asian23.8%
Black2.1%
Other18.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 56.0% (8pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
627
147 above CA avg (~480)
Transitional Kindergarten
58 TK students
9% of a 636-student campus · CDE Census Day 2025-26
Student-Teacher Ratio
26:1
5 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$14,793
District avg: $13,164 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
27.6% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$56,653 – $135,995
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Buena Terra Elementary in Buena Park, 61.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Buena Terra Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 19.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (68.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (67.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 13.2 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 97 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Disabilities+5.9pp
13.3% vs 7.4% overall · n=60
ELA · Low-Income−13.2pp
61.9% vs 75.1% overall · n=97
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Low-Income−16.1pp
30.6% vs 46.7% overall · n=97
Math · Low-Income−8.2pp
69.1% vs 77.3% overall · n=97
Math Exceeded · Low-Income−17.6pp
32.8% vs 50.3% overall · n=97

Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.

Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income97 tested
ELA 61.9%·Math 68.0%· +19.8pp vs district
Hispanic123 tested
ELA 67.5%·Math 70.7%· +24.2pp vs district
Asian77 tested
ELA 83.1%·Math 89.6%· +1.7pp 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 39.9pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +1.7pp.

Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Funding Breakdown
Instruction 63%Support 33%Other 4%

Source: NCES F-33 (2019–2020) · Full district breakdown →

Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$126K
$41K above CA median
Median Home Value
$840K
$181K above CA median
Bachelor's+
33%
2pp 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
17.3 years avg experience
26 teachers · 4% first-year · 8% second-year
Teacher Credentials
100% fully credentialed

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 →

Frequently asked questions

Is Buena Terra Elementary a good elementary school?
Buena Terra Elementary has a Scope Score of 73 out of 100, placing it in the 93rd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #389 statewide. 48.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 27.3 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 Buena Terra Elementary's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 76.9% of students at Buena Terra Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 48.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 28.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 48.6% 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. 492 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Buena Terra Elementary rank in California?
Buena Terra Elementary ranks #389 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 93rd 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 Buena Terra Elementary getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Buena Terra Elementary increases by 10.5 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 Buena Terra Elementary?
7.4% of students at Buena Terra Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.1%, 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 Buena Terra Elementary compare to other schools in Buena Park?
Buena Terra Elementary scores 73/100 (93rd 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 627 students. Use the schools in Buena Park page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Buena Terra Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Buena Terra Elementary in Buena Park, 61.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Buena Terra Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 19.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (68.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (67.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 13.2 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 97 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.

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%
48.6%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 76th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
76.9%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 76th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
+10.5pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 60th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
7.4%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 67th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.1%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 63th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
27.6%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 64th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 38944%19%22%15%63%+20
Grade 46452%31%8%9%83%+38
Grade 59345%38%9%9%83%+35
Grade 68647%26%23%5%72%+26
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 38945%30%17%8%75%+30
Grade 46452%30%14%5%81%+40
Grade 59355%22%15%9%76%+41
Grade 68650%27%19%5%77%+42
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/119327%30%42%1%

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 Disadvantaged9761.9%+20+24
Hispanic/Latino12367.5%+24+29
Asian7783.1%+2+9
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Buena Terra Elementary ←7348.6%76.9%+10.50.1%
Margaret Landell Elementary2.5 mi8566.2%85.7%+0.20.1%
Leal (Frank C.) Elementary2.5 mi8364.2%85.4%−1.60.2%
Cerritos Elementary2 mi8258.5%80.1%−9.10.3%
California average4321.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
66%73%'19'22'23'24'25
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #724 → #635 → #453 → #355 → #389
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue