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Dailard Elementary · San Diego

Dailard Elementary: Two in five kids exceed the standard. But the zoned next school scores lower.

Dailard holds its own. Scores drop at the schools it feeds into. Ask where its graduates actually enrol, and whether families stay on the zoned path.

6425 Cibola Road, 92120 (opens in new tab)·San Diego Unified·San Diego·Grades TK-5·567 students·23% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(619) 860-5900·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope7245
% Exceeded47%21%
% Met+76%43%
Growth-5.9-2.9
Absence8.9%17.9%
Suspension0.4%1.6%
Scope Score
72
🌱 Building Momentum · Strong
ranked #409 statewide · #8 of 137 in San Diego Unified

Dailard Elementary scores 72 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 →

🌱 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 “76% proficient” and call it done. Dailard deserves a closer read. It sits at the 93rd percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

Dailard's low-income kids hit 69.1% 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 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has held the 93rd-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 76% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 369%75%68%69%74%
Grade 474%81%73%79%79%
Grade 583%78%84%82%81%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 377%85%73%77%85%
Grade 476%78%76%81%73%
Grade 581%61%74%71%66%

The story this school is actually telling

The ceiling · exceeded standard
47.1%

of students scored in the top band on the state test. The California average is 21.3%.

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The next step · the zoned path
19pts

the zoned path continues to Pershing Middle, which scores 19 points lower — a school visit will tell you more than this number.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

46%
28%
26%
Grade 3 · 74% proficient
49%
30%
21%
Grade 4 · 79% proficient
51%
31%
18%
Grade 5 · 82% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 4.4pp across grades; the floor rises 7.0pp. 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.

69.1%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Dailard's most underrated number

69.1% 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.

Dailard low-income: 69.1%State low-income: 38.2%

The 5 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
47.1%
State 21.3%
25.8pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-5.9pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
76.2%
State 42.7%
33.6pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
8.9%
State 17.9%
9.0pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.4%
State 1.6%
1.2pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask which schools families here actually choose next — the zoned path is only the default.

  • Ask what changes between grade 3 and grade 5 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • Ask which schools families here actually choose next — the zoned path is only the default.
  • 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 Dailard Elementary in San Diego, 69.1% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Dailard Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 26.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (58.2% Math proficient); White students (77.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 26.5 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 55 students tested.

All students at this school: 76% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 76%, district —, state 43%76%
WhiteWhite: this school 76%, district 71%, state 56%76% · +0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 77%, district 50%, state 42%77% · +0 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 76%, district 51%, state 44%76% · −0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 64%, district 36%, state 32%64% · −12 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 70%, district 35%, state 32%70% · −6 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 50%, district 21%, state 15%50% · −26 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 92%, district 63%, state 56%92% · +16 vs school

7 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 rises by 23.7pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +5.6pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 8.9%, district 20.8%, state 17.9%8.9% · −9.0pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.4%, district —, state 1.6%0.4% · −1.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–67.8%
TK/K10.0%

Where the path goes

The zoned path continues to Pershing Middle, which scores 19 points lower than this school — worth weighing alongside everything above. Families here often look at charter or magnet options for middle school.

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Dailard Elementary
72/100
This school

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 staff27 teachers
Avg. experience20.7 years
Fully credentialed96%
Intern / emergency permit4.2%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$55,375 – $124,275
Principal salary$0 – $187,294
Superintendent salary$300,404

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $18,925, CA average $14,815$18,925 · school-level
Federal share$595 per student

$595 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,967 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
Instruction63%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance7%
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$15,976 per pupil
2019$14,540 per pupil
2018$14,457 per pupil
2017$11,416 per pupil
2016$11,708 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White58.7%
District 22.9% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic19.1%
District 47.0% · CA 56.1%
Other16.6%
District 13.8% · CA 9.0%
Asian3.5%
District 8.7% · CA 10.2%
Black2.1%
District 7.5% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 23.5% (40pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$121K · CA $85K
Median home value$925K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+60% · CA 35%
ZIP population31,915
Median age37 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), 64% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dailard Elementary a good elementary school?

Dailard Elementary has a Scope Score of 72 out of 100, placing it in the 93rd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #409 statewide. 47.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 25.8 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 Dailard Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 76.2% of students at Dailard Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 47.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 29.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 47.1% 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. 506 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Dailard Elementary rank in California?

Dailard Elementary ranks #409 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 Dailard Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Dailard Elementary decreases by 5.9 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 Dailard Elementary?

8.9% of students at Dailard 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 0.4%, 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 Dailard Elementary compare to other schools in San Diego?

Dailard Elementary scores 72/100 (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 567 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

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

At Dailard Elementary in San Diego, 69.1% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Dailard Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 26.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (58.2% Math proficient); White students (77.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 26.5 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 55 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%
47.1%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 75th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-5.9pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 61th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
76.2%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 76th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
8.9%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 65th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.4%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 60th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37846%28%22%4%74%+31
Grade 48449%30%11%11%79%+34
Grade 59151%31%11%8%81%+33
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37844%41%15%0%85%+39
Grade 48445%27%19%8%73%+31
Grade 59148%18%29%5%66%+31
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/119127%36%34%2%

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 Disadvantaged5569.1%+27+31
White15377.1%+2+15
Hispanic/Latino5172.5%+32+34
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Dailard Elementary ←7247.1%76.2%−5.90.4%
Green Elementary0.8 mi7149.0%77.2%+8.10.3%
Hearst Elementary1.6 mi7148.1%78.5%−3.10.8%
Kumeyaay Elementary3.1 mi6943.1%70.9%−1.00.3%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20197393#40945.8%76.8%3.0%1.5%+8.7pp
20226087#73144.0%76.4%18.7%0.0%-10.6pp
20237394#33246.2%74.7%14.6%0.6%+8.4pp
20246688#68241.6%76.5%12.9%0.5%+3.8pp
20257293#40947.1%76.2%8.9%0.4%-5.9pp
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
Female2.2%9.7%+7.5pp
Male3.4%7.3%+3.9pp
Asian0.0%5.0%+5.0pp
Hispanic/Latino3.8%11.9%+8.1pp
Two or More Races6.3%11.5%+5.2pp
Students with Disabilities5.4%6.4%+1.0pp
English Learners0.0%
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged7.8%16.8%+9.0pp
All Students2.8%8.4%+5.6pp
Black/African American16.7%
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