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Desert Oasis High (Continuation) · El Centro

Desert Oasis High (Continuation): The scores are below where anyone wants them. Here's what they don't tell you.

Desert Oasis High (Continuation) 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.

1302 South Third Street, 92243 (opens in new tab)·Central Union High·El Centro·Grades 9-12·138 students·94% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 336-4555·Website
Continuation school — a small alternative high school designed for students at risk of not graduating. Focuses on credit recovery and flexible scheduling. Test scores and college-readiness rates are not directly comparable to comprehensive high schools.
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope2444
% Exceeded1%16%
% Met+11%36%
Grad rate81.9%87.6%
College readiness0.0%35.4%
Absence57.5%30.2%
Suspension4.4%3.6%
Scope Score
24
🌱 Building Momentum · Needs Support
ranked #1,855 statewide · #3 of 3 in Central Union High

Desert Oasis High (Continuation) scores 24 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 14th 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 “11% proficient” and call it done. Desert Oasis High (Continuation) deserves a closer read. The school sits in El Centro, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Test scores are one lens, and at this school they're a rough one right now. The sections below show the fuller picture — including the parts that are working.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Slipped from the 23rd to the 14th percentile since 2019.

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

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 11% meet the standard today, versus 18% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1132%37%23%15%22%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 113%0%0%0%0%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
11%
State 36%
Graduate
82%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
0%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 11 are proficient by 11th grade → 82 graduate → 0 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
81.9%
State 87.6%
5.7pp below state avg
Exceeded standard
0.7%
State 15.8%
15.1pp below state avg
College readiness
0.0%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
11.0%
State 35.7%
24.7pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
57.5%
State 30.2%
27.3pp above state avg
Suspension rate
4.4%
State 3.6%
0.7pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
5.7%
State 18.0%
12.3pp below 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 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.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Desert Oasis High (Continuation) in El Centro, 20.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 43.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Desert Oasis High (Continuation) trails its district average for low-income students by 23.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (0.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (21.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 9.0 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 59 students tested.

All students at this school: 11% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 11%, district —, state 36%11%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 11%, district 33%, state 32%11% · −0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 10%, district 29%, state 32%10% · −1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 11%, district 31%, state 42%11% · +0 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 11%, district 36%, state 44%11% · −0 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 7%, district 3%, state 11%7% · −5 vs school

5 of 11 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 57.5%, district 29.7%, state 30.2%57.5% · +27.3pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 4.4%, district —, state 3.6%4.4% · +0.7pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1263.2%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 15:1, district 20:115:1
Teaching staff12 teachers
Avg. experience11.2 years
Fully credentialed84%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$70,961 – $163,382
Principal salary$0 – $203,460
Superintendent salary$227,678

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered0

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $29,225, CA average $14,815$29,225 · spent at this school
Federal share$2,385 per student

$2,385 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$20,691 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
Instruction59%
Instruction support11%
Student services10%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance12%
Other2%

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$14,577 per pupil
2019$13,337 per pupil
2018$13,804 per pupil
2017$12,429 per pupil
2016$11,768 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic94.9%
District 95.9% · CA 56.1%
White2.2%
District 2.5% · CA 19.9%
Black2.2%
District 0.7% · CA 4.8%
Other0.7%
District 0.3% · CA 9.0%
GenderFemale 37.7%Male 62.3%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 94.2% (30pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$55K · CA $85K
Median home value$318K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+15% · CA 35%
ZIP population49,069
Median age31 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 138 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 4% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Desert Oasis High (Continuation) a good high school?

Desert Oasis High (Continuation) has a Scope Score of 24 out of 100, placing it in the 14th percentile of California high schools and ranked #1,855 statewide. 0.7% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 15.1 percentage points below 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 Desert Oasis High (Continuation)'s CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 11.0% of students at Desert Oasis High (Continuation) met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 0.7% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 10.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 0.7% 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. 135 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Desert Oasis High (Continuation) rank in California?

Desert Oasis High (Continuation) ranks #1,855 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 14th 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 Desert Oasis High (Continuation)?

57.5% of students at Desert Oasis High (Continuation) are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 4.4%. 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 Desert Oasis High (Continuation) compare to other schools in El Centro?

Desert Oasis High (Continuation) scores 24/100 (14th 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 138 students. Use the schools in El Centro page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Desert Oasis High (Continuation) serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Desert Oasis High (Continuation) in El Centro, 20.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 43.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Desert Oasis High (Continuation) trails its district average for low-income students by 23.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (0.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (21.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 9.0 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 59 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%
81.9%
↓ vs CA 87.6% · 43th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
0.7%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 34th pctile
College readiness · 20%
0.0%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 29th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
11.0%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 32th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
57.5%
↓ vs CA 30.2% · 28th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
4.4%
↓ vs CA 3.6% · 47th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
5.7%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 35th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 11681%21%31%47%22%−25
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 11670%0%7%93%0%−23
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11492%2%76%20%

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 Disadvantaged5920.3%−23−18
Hispanic/Latino6521.5%−26−17
English Learners2313.0%+7+3
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Desert Oasis High (Continuation) ←240.7%11.0%4.4%
Central Union High0.9 mi4811.4%33.9%1.9%
Southwest High1.7 mi4614.7%37.0%2.8%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
81.9%
AP Exam Prepared
Not offered
This school may not offer AP courses
A-G Completion
0.0%
This school may not offer A-G courses
College-Going Rate
58.3%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20192923#15747.4%17.7%41.7%6.7%
20222617#17312.6%18.4%52.9%6.3%
20232618#17608.6%11.4%43.5%10.5%
20242111#19001.7%7.5%52.4%14.0%
20252414#18550.7%11.0%57.5%4.4%
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 18 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
Female55.6%63.0%+7.4pp
Male44.4%63.2%+18.8pp
Hispanic/Latino49.2%62.3%+13.1pp
Students with Disabilities37.5%56.5%+19.0pp
English Learners51.6%60.9%+9.3pp
Military-Connected65.2%50.0%-15.2pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged52.5%65.7%+13.2pp
All Students48.7%63.2%+14.5pp
Homeless61.7%
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