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Burroughs High · Ridgecrest

Burroughs High: 50% of kids clear the bar — ahead of the state's 36%. But suspensions run the state rate.

Burroughs posts 50% meeting the standard, against 36% across the state. The number below is the one to ask about on a visit.

500 East French Avenue, 93555 (opens in new tab)·Sierra Sands Unified·Ridgecrest·Grades 9-12·1,536 students·53% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 499-1800·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4744
% Exceeded27%16%
% Met+50%36%
Grad rate86.1%87.6%
College readiness35.7%35.4%
Absence26.4%30.2%
Suspension7.5%3.6%
Scope Score
47
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #963 statewide

Burroughs High scores 47 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 55th 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 “50% proficient” and call it done. Burroughs deserves a closer read. The school sits in Ridgecrest, where more than half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Burroughs's low-income kids hit 62.8% 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 seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Slipped from the 65th to the 55th percentile since 2019.

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

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 50% meet the standard today, versus 54% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1173%72%67%54%69%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1135%28%31%23%32%

The story this school is actually telling

The floor · met or exceeded
50.4%

of students met or exceeded the standard, versus 35.7% statewide.

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The catch · suspensions
7.5%

of students were suspended, versus 3.6% statewide — a school visit will tell you more than this number.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you
Proficient by 11th grade
50%
State 36%
Graduate
86%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
36%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 50 are proficient by 11th grade → 86 graduate → 36 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

62.8%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Burroughs's most underrated number

62.8% 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.

Burroughs low-income: 62.8%State low-income: 38.2%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
86.1%
State 87.6%
1.5pp below state avg
Exceeded standard
27.0%
State 15.8%
11.1pp above state avg
College readiness
35.7%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
50.4%
State 35.7%
14.7pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
26.4%
State 30.2%
3.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
7.5%
State 3.6%
3.9pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
9.7%
State 18.0%
8.3pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask about the discipline philosophy and what a typical suspension is for. Numbers can't tell you whether a campus feels strict or chaotic — a visit can.

  • Ask what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • 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.

How every group of students does here

At Burroughs High in Ridgecrest, 62.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 30.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Burroughs High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 32.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (26.3% Math proficient); White students (74.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 49.4 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 153 students tested.

All students at this school: 50% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 50%, district —, state 36%50%
MaleMale: this school 54%, district 34%, state 42%54% · +3 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 54%, district 41%, state 56%54% · +3 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 45%, district 25%, state 32%45% · −6 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 46%, district 34%, state 44%46% · −4 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 44%, district 26%, state 32%44% · −6 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 11%, district 15%, state 15%11% · −39 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 32%, district 18%, state 26%32% · −18 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 62%, district 37%, state 56%62% · +12 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 4%, district 5%, state 11%4% · −46 vs school

6 of 16 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 26.4%, district 30.1%, state 30.2%26.4% · −3.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 7.5%, district —, state 3.6%7.5% · +3.9pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1226.2%

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 20:1, district 22:120:1
Teaching staff79 teachers
Avg. experience11.8 years
Fully credentialed61%
First-year teachers10%
Intern / emergency permit0.5%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$50,189 – $114,358
Principal salary$128,185 – $148,973
Superintendent salary$249,075

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered14
AP exam qualifiers45 students
CTE pathway completers55 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $17,096, CA average $14,815$17,096 · spent at this school
Federal share$407 per student

$407 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$19,178 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
Instruction58%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance11%
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$13,508 per pupil
2019$12,643 per pupil
2018$12,280 per pupil
2017$10,915 per pupil
2016$10,902 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White47.9%
District 46.1% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic33.1%
District 34.6% · CA 56.1%
Other8.8%
District 9.5% · CA 9.0%
Black7.9%
District 7.9% · CA 4.8%
Asian2.3%
District 1.9% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 52.9% (11pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$87K · CA $85K
Median home value$253K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+30% · CA 35%
ZIP population33,845
Median age35 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 38% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Burroughs High a good high school?

Burroughs High has a Scope Score of 47 out of 100, placing it in the 55th percentile of California high schools and ranked #963 statewide. 27.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 11.1 percentage points above 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 Burroughs High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 50.4% of students at Burroughs High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 27.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.4% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 27.0% 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. 633 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Burroughs High rank in California?

Burroughs High ranks #963 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 55th 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 Burroughs High?

26.4% of students at Burroughs High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 7.5%. 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 Burroughs High compare to other schools in Ridgecrest?

Burroughs High scores 47/100 (55th 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 1,536 students. Use the schools in Ridgecrest page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Burroughs High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Burroughs High in Ridgecrest, 62.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 30.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Burroughs High outperforms its district average for low-income students by 32.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (26.3% Math proficient); White students (74.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 49.4 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 153 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%
86.1%
↓ vs CA 87.6% · 48th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
27.0%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 62th pctile
College readiness · 20%
35.7%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 50th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
50.4%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 60th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
26.4%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 53th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
7.5%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 32th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
9.7%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 39th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1131737%32%17%15%69%+22
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1131617%15%19%49%32%+9
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1132412%26%55%7%

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 Disadvantaged15362.8%+33+25
White16374.2%+26+12
Hispanic/Latino9163.7%+31+25
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Burroughs High ←4727.0%50.4%7.5%
Mesquite Continuation High0.7 mi102.6%11.5%3.7%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
86.1%
AP Exam Prepared
35.7%
A-G Completion
19.8%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
47.9%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195265#72530.3%54.1%13.4%9.2%
20224555#93621.9%49.8%40.7%10.0%
20234655#96121.2%48.9%22.7%10.6%
20244348#111219.6%38.6%22.5%10.1%
20254755#96327.0%50.4%26.4%7.5%
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
Female13.5%29.6%+16.1pp
Male12.2%22.9%+10.7pp
Asian1.8%10.8%+9.0pp
Black/African American27.1%40.7%+13.6pp
White4.1%25.0%+20.9pp
Hispanic/Latino13.0%28.3%+15.3pp
American Indian/Alaska Native19.0%40.9%+21.9pp
Pacific Islander11.8%45.5%+33.7pp
Two or More Races20.0%23.0%+3.0pp
Students with Disabilities21.2%39.3%+18.1pp
English Learners11.7%19.8%+8.1pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged16.2%35.7%+19.5pp
All Students12.8%26.2%+13.4pp
Filipino20.0%
Homeless56.1%
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