ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in
Cesar Chavez Elementary · Calexico

Cesar Chavez Elementary: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Cesar Chavez posts 29% meeting the standard and 10.7% exceeding it, against 43% and 21.3% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

1251 East Zapata Street, 92231 (opens in new tab)·Calexico Unified·Calexico·Grades TK-6·765 students·79% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 768-6400·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3645
% Exceeded11%21%
% Met+29%43%
Growth-5.6-2.9
Absence41.0%17.9%
Suspension1.0%1.6%
Scope Score
36
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #3,833 statewide · #1 of 7 in Calexico Unified

Cesar Chavez Elementary scores 36 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 33rd 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 →

🌱 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 “29% proficient” and call it done. Cesar Chavez deserves a closer read. The school sits in Calexico, where three in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has stayed near the 33rd percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Maintained)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 29% meet the standard today, versus 38% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 341%19%24%38%27%
Grade 433%17%13%27%39%
Grade 545%35%33%43%28%
Grade 647%42%37%30%44%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 347%26%28%37%32%
Grade 432%15%15%23%29%
Grade 531%17%15%27%20%
Grade 633%31%24%25%36%

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.

9%
18%
73%
Grade 3 · 27% proficient
13%
26%
61%
Grade 4 · 39% proficient
10%
18%
72%
Grade 5 · 28% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 1.8pp across grades; the proficiency floor barely moves. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
10.7%
State 21.3%
10.6pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-5.6pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
29.2%
State 42.7%
13.4pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
41.0%
State 17.9%
23.1pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.0%
State 1.6%
0.6pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
18.5%
State 18.0%
0.5pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
  • Ask what changes between grade 3 and grade 5 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • 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 Cesar Chavez Elementary in Calexico, 31.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 28.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Cesar Chavez Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 3.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (25.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (35.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 28.0 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 336 students tested.

All students at this school: 32% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 32%, district —, state 43%32%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 32%, district 24%, state 32%32% · +0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 29%, district 23%, state 32%29% · −4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 31%, district 24%, state 42%31% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 34%, district 25%, state 44%34% · +1 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 12%, district 9%, state 11%12% · −20 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 10%, district 6%, state 15%10% · −22 vs school

5 of 12 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 falls by 1.0pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: -0.1pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 41.0%, district 42.8%, state 17.9%41.0% · +23.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.0%, district —, state 1.6%1.0% · −0.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–641.8%
TK/K48.5%

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 26:1, district 23:126:1
Teaching staff33 teachers
Avg. experience19.7 years
Fully credentialed94%
First-year teachers6%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$70,184 – $152,411
Principal salary$172,981 – $199,213
Superintendent salary$254,616

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $22,327, CA average $14,815$22,327 · spent at this school
Federal share$334 per student

$334 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$23,614 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 support10%
Student services11%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance11%
Other4%

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$15,165 per pupil
2019$14,382 per pupil
2018$13,961 per pupil
2017$12,423 per pupil
2016$12,812 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic98.2%
District 99.2% · CA 56.1%
White1.2%
District 0.4% · CA 19.9%
Asian0.4%
District 0.2% · CA 10.2%
Other0.3%
District 0.2% · CA 9.0%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 78.8% (15pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$50K · CA $85K
Median home value$313K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+19% · CA 35%
ZIP population38,621
Median age35 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 765 students, this school is well above the typical California elementary school (≈480).

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

On the state's science test (CAST), 24% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cesar Chavez Elementary a good elementary school?

Cesar Chavez Elementary has a Scope Score of 36 out of 100, placing it in the 33rd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,833 statewide. 10.7% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 10.6 percentage points below 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 Cesar Chavez Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 29.2% of students at Cesar Chavez Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 10.7% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 18.5% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 10.7% 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. 642 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Cesar Chavez Elementary rank in California?

Cesar Chavez Elementary ranks #3,833 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 33rd 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 Cesar Chavez Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Cesar Chavez Elementary decreases by 5.6 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 Cesar Chavez Elementary?

41.0% of students at Cesar Chavez Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.0%, 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 Cesar Chavez Elementary compare to other schools in Calexico?

Cesar Chavez Elementary scores 36/100 (33rd 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 765 students. Use the schools in Calexico page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Cesar Chavez Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Cesar Chavez Elementary in Calexico, 31.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 28.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Cesar Chavez Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 3.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (25.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (35.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 28.0 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 336 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%
10.7%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 40th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-5.6pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 55th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
29.2%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 40th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
41.0%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 12th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.0%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 55th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
18.5%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 51th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 31059%18%27%47%27%−17
Grade 412013%26%12%49%39%−6
Grade 59610%18%32%40%28%−20
Grade 6998%36%27%28%44%−2
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 310510%22%23%45%32%−13
Grade 412011%18%24%47%29%−12
Grade 59610%9%32%48%20%−16
Grade 610015%21%31%33%36%+1
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11962%22%64%13%

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 Disadvantaged33631.5%+3−7
Hispanic/Latino41435.0%+5−4
English Learners18512.4%+3+2
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Cesar Chavez Elementary ←3610.7%29.2%−5.61.0%
Dool Elementary1.3 mi343.6%15.8%+7.40.3%
Blanche Charles Elementary2.4 mi3313.3%29.4%−12.60.3%
Kennedy Gardens Elementary1.2 mi305.0%17.8%+5.81.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193532#374412.9%38.2%22.8%1.6%-5.8pp
20222725#43266.4%21.6%61.3%0.1%+3.6pp
20233027#41717.3%21.4%32.0%0.4%-2.3pp
20244249#293110.5%32.4%37.9%1.2%-2.5pp
20253633#383310.7%29.2%41.0%1.0%-5.6pp
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
Female22.3%40.1%+17.8pp
Male23.4%43.9%+20.5pp
Hispanic/Latino22.9%42.5%+19.6pp
Students with Disabilities35.2%52.9%+17.7pp
English Learners26.3%43.7%+17.4pp
Military-Connected15.0%42.3%+27.3pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged27.2%44.5%+17.3pp
All Students22.9%42.1%+19.2pp
Homeless66.7%
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