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Cabrillo Elementary · Pacifica

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

Cabrillo posts 54% meeting the standard, and 23.3% 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.

601 Crespi Drive, 94044 (opens in new tab)·Pacifica·Pacifica·Grades TK-8·524 students·14% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(650) 738-6660
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5545
% Exceeded23%21%
% Met+54%43%
Growth-0.8-2.9
Absence8.8%17.9%
Suspension0.6%1.6%
Scope Score
55
🤝 Culture First · Solid
ranked #1,450 statewide · #3 of 5 in Pacifica

Cabrillo Elementary scores 55 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 75th 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 →

🤝 Culture First — Ask whether the low absenteeism and suspension numbers come from what the school does or from the community it serves — both can produce the same numbers, and only a visit tells you which.

Most rating sites would stop at “54% proficient” and call it done. Cabrillo deserves a closer read. It sits at the 75th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 51.9% of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 18.0% statewide.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has held the 75th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 54% meet the standard today, versus 64% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 361%59%57%66%65%
Grade 451%47%45%32%38%
Grade 566%63%69%66%59%
Grade 661%65%46%69%58%
Grade 765%54%76%57%53%
Grade 876%56%70%66%61%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 373%66%67%69%50%
Grade 478%53%53%52%57%
Grade 558%49%57%59%54%
Grade 631%52%43%44%44%
Grade 751%44%57%48%53%
Grade 870%44%57%56%49%

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.

25%
40%
35%
Grade 3 · 65% proficient
23%
15%
62%
Grade 4 · 38% proficient
23%
36%
41%
Grade 5 · 59% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 2.0pp across grades; the floor slips 5.5pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
23.3%
State 21.3%
2.0pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-0.8pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
53.9%
State 42.7%
11.3pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
8.8%
State 17.9%
9.1pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.6%
State 1.6%
1.0pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
51.9%
State 18.0%
33.9pp 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 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 Cabrillo Elementary in Pacifica, 57.6% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 58.5% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Cabrillo Elementary trails its district average for white students by 0.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (49.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (43.6% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 6.2 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 170 students tested.

All students at this school: 54% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 54%, district —, state 43%54%
MaleMale: this school 48%, district 49%, state 42%48% · −5 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 54%, district 57%, state 56%54% · −0 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 59%, district 57%, state 44%59% · +6 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 39%, district 38%, state 32%39% · −14 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 68%, district 62%, state 56%68% · +15 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 45%, district 34%, state 32%45% · −8 vs school

6 of 13 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.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 8.8%, district 13.4%, state 17.9%8.8% · −9.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.6%, district —, state 1.6%0.6% · −1.0pp vs state

TK/K students miss school at roughly three times the rate of Grades 7–8 students (19.7% vs 5.5%). Chronic absence here concentrates in the earliest grades — worth asking how the school works with new families on attendance.

Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–65.9%
Grades 7–85.5%
TK/K19.7%

Where the path goes

The path below is estimated from nearby schools in the same district — scores shown for each next step.

Estimated K-12 Path
Elementary
Cabrillo Elementary
55
This school

Estimated K-12 path based on district and proximity. Actual attendance zones may differ. 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 23:1, district 22:123:1
Teaching staff28 teachers
Avg. experience14.0 years
Fully credentialed87%
First-year teachers11%

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $16,073, CA average $14,815$16,073 · spent at this school
Federal share$550 per student

$550 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$17,002 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
Instruction66%
Instruction support12%
Student services4%
Administration9%
Buildings & maintenance10%

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$12,231 per pupil
2019$11,209 per pupil
2018$11,417 per pupil
2017$10,791 per pupil
2016$10,697 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White50.6%
District 39.0% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic24.2%
District 26.4% · CA 56.1%
Other18.9%
District 25.2% · CA 9.0%
Asian6.1%
District 8.2% · CA 10.2%
Black0.2%
District 1.1% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 13.6% (50pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$160K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.25M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+49% · CA 35%
ZIP population37,274
Median age45 years

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

Worth Knowing

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

On the state's science test (CAST), 44% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cabrillo Elementary a good elementary school?

Cabrillo Elementary has a Scope Score of 55 out of 100, placing it in the 75th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,450 statewide. 23.3% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 2.0 percentage points above the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 3-to-5 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 Cabrillo Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 53.9% of students at Cabrillo Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 23.3% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 30.6% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 23.3% 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. 388 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Cabrillo Elementary rank in California?

Cabrillo Elementary ranks #1,450 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 75th 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 Cabrillo Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Cabrillo Elementary decreases by 0.8 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. 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 Cabrillo Elementary?

8.8% of students at Cabrillo 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 0.6%, 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 Cabrillo Elementary compare to other schools in Pacifica?

Cabrillo Elementary scores 55/100 (75th 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 524 students. Use the schools in Pacifica page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Cabrillo Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Cabrillo Elementary in Pacifica, 57.6% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 58.5% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Cabrillo Elementary trails its district average for white students by 0.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (49.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (43.6% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 6.2 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 170 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
Exceeded standard · 38%
23.3%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 52th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-0.8pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 54th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
53.9%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 59th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
8.8%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 65th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.6%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 59th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
51.9%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 97th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36025%40%27%8%65%+22
Grade 46023%15%30%32%38%−6
Grade 57423%36%28%12%59%+12
Grade 64527%31%18%24%58%+11
Grade 75931%22%25%22%53%+5
Grade 84918%43%18%20%61%+15
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36015%35%37%13%50%+4
Grade 46027%30%32%12%57%+15
Grade 57427%27%20%26%54%+19
Grade 64516%29%22%33%44%+9
Grade 75925%27%29%19%53%+19
Grade 84937%12%20%31%49%+17
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1112320%24%48%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
White17057.6%−1−4
Hispanic/Latino7843.6%+3+5
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Cabrillo Elementary ←5523.3%53.9%−0.80.6%
Vallemar Elementary1.3 mi6035.6%65.0%−3.41.0%
Ortega Elementary1.4 mi5428.9%53.5%+1.10.6%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195574#145831.7%64.4%6.1%2.5%-5.2pp
20224671#167624.1%56.2%15.9%1.1%-6.4pp
20236286#79928.6%58.0%16.9%0.0%+0.9pp
20245273#157523.5%57.6%12.0%0.5%-5.1pp
20255575#145023.3%53.9%8.8%0.6%-0.8pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female5.8%7.0%+1.2pp
Male6.2%9.2%+3.0pp
Asian0.0%2.9%+2.9pp
White3.8%0.0%-3.8pp
Hispanic/Latino7.2%9.4%+2.2pp
Two or More Races2.1%6.8%+4.7pp
Students with Disabilities5.3%13.3%+8.0pp
English Learners0.0%8.3%+8.3pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged14.9%22.0%+7.1pp
All Students6.0%8.1%+2.1pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary 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