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El Centro Jr./Sr. High · SacramentoPublic

El Centro Jr./Sr. High: The scores are below where anyone wants them. Here's what they don't tell you.

El Centro Jr./Sr. posts low test scores — and suspensions run below the state rate (1.8% vs 3.6%). If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope1647
% Exceeded0%16%
% Met+0%36%
Grad rate55.6%86.6%
College readiness0.0%33.9%
Absence13.5%30.2%
Suspension1.8%3.6%
Scope Score
16
🌱 Building Momentum · Needs Support
ranked #2,026 statewide · #2 of 3 in Sacramento County Office of Education

El Centro Jr./Sr. High scores 16 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 6th 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 “0% proficient” and call it done. El Centro Jr./Sr. deserves a closer read. The school sits in Sacramento, where nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 13.5% chronic absenteeism — versus 30.2% statewide. Attendance is the quietest strong signal a school can post.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 6th percentile since 2019.

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 0% meet the standard today, versus 3% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 116%5%5%4%0%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 110%6%0%0%0%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
0%
State 36%
Graduate
56%
State 87%
Pass an AP exam
0%
State 34%

Of 100 students here: 0 are proficient by 11th grade → 56 graduate → 0 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

The 6 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
55.6%
State 86.6%
31.0pp below state avg
Exceeded standard
0.0%
State 15.8%
15.8pp below state avg
College readiness
0.0%
State 33.9%
AP course or exam readiness below state avg
Met or exceeded
0.0%
State 35.7%
35.7pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
13.5%
State 30.2%
16.7pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.8%
State 3.6%
1.8pp 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 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 El Centro Jr./Sr. High in Sacramento, 0.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 4.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. El Centro Jr./Sr. High trails its district average for low-income students by 4.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (0.0% Math proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 17 students tested.

All students at this school: 0% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 0%, district —, state 36%0%
MaleMale: this school 0%, district 3%, state 42%0% · +0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 0%, district 3%, state 32%0% · +0 vs school

9 of 12 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 13.5%, district 20.1%, state 30.2%13.5% · −16.7pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.8%, district —, state 3.6%1.8% · −1.8pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–120.7%

Where the path goes

The path below is estimated from nearby schools in the same district — scores shown for each next step.

Estimated K-12 Path
High
El Centro Jr./Sr. High
16
This school

Estimated K-12 path based on district and proximity. Actual attendance zones may differ. 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 15:1, district 19:115:1
Teaching staff8 teachers
Avg. experience13.4 years
Fully credentialed62%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$65,749 – $115,283
Principal salary$163,220 – $163,220
Superintendent salary$372,091

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth

What gets spent here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $53,167, CA average $14,491$53,167 · 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$7,991 per student

$7,991 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction10%
Instruction support77%
Student services3%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance2%
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$90,803 per pupil
2019$80,857 per pupil
2018$95,020 per pupil
2017$40,015 per pupil
2016$34,303 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Black46.0%
District 46.2% · CA 4.8%
Hispanic34.2%
District 28.1% · CA 56.1%
Other13.2%
District 13.3% · CA 9.0%
White6.6%
District 9.7% · CA 19.9%
GenderFemale 14.5%Male 85.5%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 96.0% (32pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$86K · CA $85K
Median home value$437K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+26% · CA 35%
ZIP population21,742
Median age36 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 76 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

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

Frequently asked questions

Is El Centro Jr./Sr. High a good high school?

El Centro Jr./Sr. High has a Scope Score of 16 out of 100, placing it in the 6th percentile of California high schools and ranked #2,026 statewide. 0.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 15.8 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 El Centro Jr./Sr. High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 0.0% of students at El Centro Jr./Sr. High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 0.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 0.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 0.0% 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. 42 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does El Centro Jr./Sr. High rank in California?

El Centro Jr./Sr. High ranks #2,026 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 6th 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 El Centro Jr./Sr. High?

13.5% of students at El Centro Jr./Sr. High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 1.8%, 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 El Centro Jr./Sr. High compare to other schools in Sacramento?

El Centro Jr./Sr. High scores 16/100 (6th 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 76 students. Use the schools in Sacramento page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does El Centro Jr./Sr. High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At El Centro Jr./Sr. High in Sacramento, 0.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 4.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. El Centro Jr./Sr. High trails its district average for low-income students by 4.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (0.0% Math proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 17 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 nearest schools.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Graduation rate · 25%
55.6%
↓ vs CA 86.6% · 17th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
0.0%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 34th pctile
College readiness · 20%
0.0%
↓ vs CA 33.9% · 31th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
0.0%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 26th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
13.5%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 64th pctile
▼ 1.8pp lower vs 2024
Suspension rate · 5%
1.8%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 58th pctile
▼ 2.6pp lower vs 2024
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 7
Grade 85
Grade 11220%0%0%100%0%−49
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 7
Grade 85
Grade 11200%0%0%100%0%−24

We show the grade rows CDE publishes for this school. A missing grade or dash can mean the school does not serve that grade, no valid result was published, or the tested group was too small to report. It does not mean zero.

Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Schoolwide130%8%38%54%

CAST is tested in grades 5 and 8, then once in grade 10, 11, or 12. This row is the school's all-student aggregate. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged170.0%−4−38
03Nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score · Grade gap = grade 3 vs grade 5, this year, different students; Cohort growth = the same students tracked across grades, in scale-score points — that's the measurement the Scope Score weights
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+Grade gapCohort growthSusp
El Centro Jr./Sr. High ←160.0%0.0%1.8%
Rio Americano High2.5 mi6122.1%49.8%5.2%
George Washington Carver School of Arts and Scienc1.8 mi457.9%31.6%3.4%
Rosemont High0 mi387.5%23.2%16.4%
California average4715.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
55.6%
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
32.7%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrade gap
2019158#18860.0%3.2%14.6%5.5%
2022188#19205.3%5.3%29.1%2.1%
2023177#20030.0%2.3%16.2%3.3%
2024166#20040.0%2.2%15.3%4.5%
2025166#20260.0%0.0%13.5%1.8%
Grade gap = this year's grade 3 vs grade 5 result, two different sets of students, not a trend for any one child — it is not the measurement the Scope Score's growth dimension uses. See §01 above and /methodology#verdicts for the school's actual scored (cohort) growth.
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 38 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
Female10.7%6.7%-4.0pp
Male9.0%0.0%-9.0pp
Asian0.0%
Black/African American10.6%0.0%-10.6pp
Filipino25.0%
Hispanic/Latino6.0%0.0%-6.0pp
Two or More Races9.7%0.0%-9.7pp
Students with Disabilities11.0%0.0%-11.0pp
English Learners0.0%
Foster Youth11.7%0.0%-11.7pp
Homeless6.9%0.0%-6.9pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged9.2%0.6%-8.6pp
All Students9.2%0.6%-8.6pp
09Advanced coursework — 2020-21 federal civil-rights snapshotstructural, dated — newest published; biennial
MeasureThis school
AP offerednot reported
AP course countnot reported
AP enrollmentnot reported
IB participationnot reported
Dual enrollmentnot offered
Algebra I in grade 8not reported
Calculus sections0
Physics sections0
Chemistry sections0
Total enrollment (CRDC)70

Shown, never scored — no entry to any composite. NULL/reserve codes render "not reported," never a fabricated zero. The equity block above this table (§4) is the per-subgroup view of this same collection.

10College destinationsclass of 2023 · CDE 12-mo College-Going Rate
DestinationCompleters% (derived)
University of California00.0%
California State University00.0%
California community college1632.6%
In-state private00.0%
Out-of-state, 4-year00.0%
Out-of-state, 2-year00.0%
Not enrolled3367.3%

49 completers, class of 2023 · state-reported college-going rate 33% · % column is computed by SchoolScope (count ÷ completers), not a CDE-native rate · a missing cell is CDE suppression, never a fabricated zero · source: CDE 12-mo CGR, 2023 cohort (the newest published), National Student Clearinghouse match — a different, older vintage than the fall 2025 UC admissions rows in tables 06-07 above.

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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 · CRDC 2020-21 (biennial; next expected 2021-22) · CDE 12-mo CGR 2023 cohort, National Student Clearinghouse match · 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