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Crescent Elk Middle · Crescent City

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

Crescent Elk posts low test scores — and test scores are one lens among several. If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

994 G Street, 95531 (opens in new tab)·Del Norte County Unified·Crescent City·Grades 6-8·507 students·77% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(707) 464-0320·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope2543
% Exceeded8%17%
% Met+24%39%
Growth-4.9+1.5
Absence28.2%18.5%
Suspension13.5%3.7%
Scope Score
25
🌱 Building Momentum · Needs Support
ranked #1,999 statewide · #4 of 4 in Del Norte County Unified

Crescent Elk Middle scores 25 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 11th 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 →

🌱 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 “24% proficient” and call it done. Crescent Elk deserves a closer read. The school sits in Crescent City, where three in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 30.0% of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 18.0% statewide.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Has stayed near the 11th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 24% meet the standard today, versus 29% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 637%25%29%25%34%
Grade 732%31%28%26%31%
Grade 832%20%29%22%22%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 630%14%19%17%15%
Grade 716%15%12%17%24%
Grade 827%6%10%10%16%

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.

10%
24%
66%
Grade 6 · 34% proficient
12%
19%
69%
Grade 7 · 31% proficient
18%
78%
Grade 8 · 22% proficient

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
7.5%
State 16.8%
9.3pp below state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-4.9pp
State +1.5pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
23.5%
State 39.3%
15.8pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
28.2%
State 18.5%
9.7pp above state avg
Suspension rate
13.5%
State 3.7%
9.8pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
30.0%
State 18.0%
12.0pp 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 how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
  • Ask what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • Ask what changes between grade 6 and grade 8 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.

How every group of students does here

At Crescent Elk Middle in Crescent City, 22.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 25.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Crescent Elk Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 2.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (14.5% Math proficient); White students (34.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 24.5 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 360 students tested.

All students at this school: 24% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 24%, district —, state 39%24%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 19%, district 21%, state 32%19% · −5 vs school
MaleMale: this school 21%, district 25%, state 42%21% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 26%, district 30%, state 44%26% · +3 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 29%, district 31%, state 56%29% · +5 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 20%, district 25%, state 32%20% · −4 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 4%, district 7%, state 15%4% · −19 vs school
American Indian/Alaska NativeAmerican Indian/Alaska Native: this school 16%, district 19%, state 29%16% · −8 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 15%, district 25%, state 56%15% · −8 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 0%, district 13%, state 22%0% · −24 vs school

5 of 15 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 7.1pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -6.1pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 28.2%, district 29.2%, state 18.5%28.2% · +9.7pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 13.5%, district —, state 3.7%13.5% · +9.8pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–624.9%
Grades 7–830.3%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. 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 20:1, district 21:120:1
Teaching staff34 teachers
Avg. experience10.6 years
Fully credentialed57%
First-year teachers9%

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,864, CA average $14,815$19,864 · spent at this school

These measure different things: this figure is spending attributed to this campus, while district-wide figures also include central administration, districtwide programs, and the state's pension contributions made on the district's behalf — costs that never get assigned to a single school. The district number runs higher at nearly every school, not just this one.

Federal share$510 per student

$510 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$23,171 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
Instruction62%
Instruction support9%
Student services10%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance11%

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$13,668 per pupil
2019$13,576 per pupil
2018$13,551 per pupil
2017$12,863 per pupil
2016$11,544 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White46.4%
District 47.6% · CA 19.9%
Other26.8%
District 23.9% · CA 9.0%
Hispanic23.3%
District 24.9% · CA 56.1%
Asian3.4%
District 3.2% · CA 10.2%
Black0.2%
District 0.4% · CA 4.8%
GenderFemale 48.1%Male 51.3%Non-binary 0.6%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 76.7% (13pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$67K · CA $85K
Median home value$351K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+23% · CA 35%
ZIP population22,291
Median age40 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 10% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Crescent Elk Middle a good middle school?

Crescent Elk Middle has a Scope Score of 25 out of 100, placing it in the 11th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #1,999 statewide. 7.5% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 9.3 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 Crescent Elk Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 23.5% of students at Crescent Elk Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 7.5% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 16.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 7.5% 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. 935 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Crescent Elk Middle rank in California?

Crescent Elk Middle ranks #1,999 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 11th 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 Crescent Elk Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Crescent Elk Middle decreases by 4.9 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 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 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 Crescent Elk Middle?

28.2% of students at Crescent Elk Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 13.5%. 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 Crescent Elk Middle compare to other schools in Crescent City?

Crescent Elk Middle scores 25/100 (11th 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 507 students. Use the schools in Crescent City page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Crescent Elk Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Crescent Elk Middle in Crescent City, 22.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 25.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Crescent Elk Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 2.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (14.5% Math proficient); White students (34.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 24.5 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 360 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


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%
7.5%
↓ vs CA 16.8% · 40th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
-4.9pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 32th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
23.5%
↓ vs CA 39.3% · 38th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
28.2%
↓ vs CA 18.5% · 36th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
13.5%
↓ vs CA 3.7% · 10th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
30.0%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 62th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 616110%24%23%43%34%−13
Grade 715112%19%25%44%31%−17
Grade 81574%18%27%50%22%−24
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 61576%9%29%56%15%−20
Grade 71538%16%20%57%24%−10
Grade 81565%11%13%71%16%−16
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111563%8%49%40%

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 Disadvantaged36022.9%−3−15
White22434.5%−4−27
Hispanic/Latino11426.3%−4−13
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Crescent Elk Middle ←257.5%23.5%−4.913.5%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20192616#16848.3%29.0%18.3%9.4%-3.8pp
2022132#21234.5%18.4%65.9%18.9%-6.0pp
20232510#19645.4%21.2%39.6%19.6%-4.3pp
2024198#20306.2%19.6%34.1%21.1%-4.6pp
20252511#19997.5%23.5%28.2%13.5%-4.9pp
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 15 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
Female18.6%23.8%+5.2pp
Male18.2%32.2%+14.0pp
Asian11.9%17.6%+5.7pp
Hispanic/Latino12.9%21.4%+8.5pp
American Indian/Alaska Native30.0%35.2%+5.2pp
Two or More Races17.4%30.6%+13.2pp
Students with Disabilities25.7%35.8%+10.1pp
English Learners12.0%25.0%+13.0pp
Foster Youth35.3%30.0%-5.3pp
Homeless28.6%55.9%+27.3pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged20.4%32.4%+12.0pp
All Students18.4%28.5%+10.1pp
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