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Dominguez Elementary · Carson

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

Dominguez posts 53% meeting the standard, and 25.2% 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.

21250 Santa Fe Avenue, 90810 (opens in new tab)·Los Angeles Unified·Carson·Grades TK-5·450 students·86% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(310) 835-7137·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5745
% Exceeded25%21%
% Met+53%43%
Growth-2.9-2.9
Absence12.9%17.9%
Suspension0.1%1.6%
Scope Score
57
🤝 Culture First · Solid
ranked #1,277 statewide · #122 of 580 in Los Angeles Unified

Dominguez Elementary scores 57 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 78th 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 “53% proficient” and call it done. Dominguez deserves a closer read. The school sits in Carson, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Dominguez's low-income kids hit 56.4% 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

Climbed from the 40th to the 78th percentile since 2019 — past roughly 2000 elementary schools.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 53% of students meet the standard today, above the 48% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 353%29%49%66%56%
Grade 453%38%40%47%56%
Grade 544%63%53%56%60%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 357%40%46%57%52%
Grade 440%38%29%33%55%
Grade 538%37%40%35%42%

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.

32%
24%
44%
Grade 3 · 56% proficient
30%
27%
43%
Grade 4 · 57% proficient
24%
37%
39%
Grade 5 · 61% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 8.0pp across grades; the floor rises 4.3pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

56.4%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Dominguez's most underrated number

56.4% 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.

Dominguez low-income: 56.4%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
25.2%
State 21.3%
3.9pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-2.9pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
53.4%
State 42.7%
10.7pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
12.9%
State 17.9%
5.0pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.1%
State 1.6%
1.5pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
38.5%
State 18.0%
20.5pp 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 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 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 Dominguez Elementary in Carson, 56.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Dominguez Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 15.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (46.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (56.8% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 163 students tested.

All students at this school: 53% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 53%, district —, state 43%53%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 52%, district 36%, state 32%52% · −2 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 54%, district 36%, state 32%54% · +0 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 50%, district 42%, state 44%50% · −4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 58%, district 41%, state 42%58% · +5 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 18%, district 14%, state 15%18% · −35 vs school

9 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 9.3pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +4.5pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 12.9%, district 24.5%, state 17.9%12.9% · −5.0pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.1%, district —, state 1.6%0.1% · −1.5pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–613.8%
TK/K14.0%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Dominguez Elementary
57/100
This school

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 23:1, district 20:123:1
Teaching staff20 teachers
Avg. experience22.7 years
Fully credentialed100%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$60,420 – $122,706
Principal salary$154,576 – $170,030
Superintendent salary$440,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $22,781, CA average $14,815$22,781 · 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$2,221 per student

$2,221 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$29,292 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
Instruction52%
Instruction support16%
Student services12%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance10%
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$18,180 per pupil
2019$16,355 per pupil
2018$15,793 per pupil
2017$13,247 per pupil
2016$13,549 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic83.3%
District 73.2% · CA 56.1%
Other10.4%
District 6.3% · CA 9.0%
Black5.1%
District 7.2% · CA 4.8%
White0.7%
District 9.9% · CA 19.9%
Asian0.4%
District 3.4% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 86.2% (22pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$84K · CA $85K
Median home value$614K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+22% · CA 35%
ZIP population35,833
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), 29% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dominguez Elementary a good elementary school?

Dominguez Elementary has a Scope Score of 57 out of 100, placing it in the 78th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,277 statewide. 25.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 3.9 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 Dominguez Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 53.4% of students at Dominguez Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 25.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 28.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 25.2% 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 Dominguez Elementary rank in California?

Dominguez Elementary ranks #1,277 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 78th 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 Dominguez Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Dominguez Elementary decreases by 2.9 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 Dominguez Elementary?

12.9% of students at Dominguez 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 0.1%, 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 Dominguez Elementary compare to other schools in Carson?

Dominguez Elementary scores 57/100 (78th 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 450 students. Use the schools in Carson page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

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

At Dominguez Elementary in Carson, 56.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Dominguez Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 15.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (46.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (56.8% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 163 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%
25.2%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 54th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-2.9pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 62th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
53.4%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 58th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
12.9%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 58th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.1%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 62th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
38.5%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 78th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36632%24%20%24%56%+13
Grade 46430%27%23%20%56%+11
Grade 56324%37%29%11%60%+12
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36624%27%18%30%52%+6
Grade 46423%31%27%19%55%+13
Grade 56518%23%28%31%42%+6
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11653%26%62%9%

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 Disadvantaged16356.4%+16+18
Hispanic/Latino15556.8%+16+18
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Dominguez Elementary ←5725.2%53.4%−2.90.1%
Longfellow Elementary2 mi6335.6%60.7%+3.91.4%
Los Cerritos Elementary1.1 mi6044.4%67.2%−3.50.1%
Annalee Avenue Elementary2.5 mi5322.1%43.5%+30.40.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193840#330119.2%47.6%20.3%0.0%-14.2pp
20224773#155817.2%40.6%30.3%0.0%+15.2pp
20234768#184618.4%42.7%18.7%0.0%-0.9pp
20245171#167220.5%49.0%13.9%0.1%-16.1pp
20255778#127725.2%53.4%12.9%0.1%-2.9pp
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
Female19.5%12.2%-7.3pp
Male21.5%12.8%-8.7pp
Black/African American26.9%12.0%-14.9pp
White10.3%0.0%-10.3pp
Hispanic/Latino18.5%12.7%-5.8pp
Pacific Islander50.0%36.4%-13.6pp
Students with Disabilities11.1%12.1%+1.0pp
English Learners13.8%11.9%-1.9pp
Homeless38.1%20.0%-18.1pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged22.0%13.6%-8.4pp
All Students20.5%12.5%-8.0pp
Filipino9.1%
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