School Profile · Santa Ana
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy: Kids show up here. Test scores are still catching up.
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy's strongest numbers are the quiet ones: attendance and discipline. The academic picture is still developing — and culture is usually where that starts.
328 West Halesworth Street, 92701 (opens in new tab)·Santa Ana Unified·Santa Ana·Grades K-8·980 students·52% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(714) 543-0023·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
47
🤝 Culture First · Developing
ranked #1,973 statewide · #2 of 38 in Santa Ana Unified
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy scores 47 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 66th 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 →
Most rating sites would stop at “41% proficient” and call it done. El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy deserves a closer read. The school sits in Santa Ana, where more than half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: +3.6pp separates this year's grade 3 from its grade 5. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Following the same students from 2023 G3 → 2025 G5 points the same way.
As a charter, El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy enrolls by application, not address — the score reads the same, the enrollment path doesn't.
The story this school is actually telling
The school, grade by grade
ELA · CAASPP 2024–25Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.
19%
17%
64%
Grade 3 · 36% proficient
25%
29%
46%
Grade 4 · 54% proficient
14%
29%
57%
Grade 5 · 43% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding falls 5.4pp across grades; the floor rises 6.3pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.
The 5 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
16.8%
State 21.3%
4.5pp below state avg
Met or exceeded
41.0%
State 42.7%
1.7pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-3.6pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
10.9%
State 17.9%
7.0pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.3%
State 1.6%
1.4pp below state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask how the school built its attendance culture — and what the academic plan looks like from here.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Planning ahead? 10 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 50
John Muir Fundamental Elementary
Santa Ana Unified · 1.7 mi
Solid
51/100
Magnolia Science Academy Santa Ana
SBE - Magnolia Science Academy Santa Ana · 2.2 mi
Developing
49/100
Palmyra GATE Magnet
Orange Unified · 2.8 mi
Developing
49/100
Nearby Middle Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 33
Gonzalo Felicitas Mendez Fundamental Intermediate
Santa Ana Unified · 1 mi
Developing
44/100
Vista Heritage Global Academy
Orange County Department of Education · 1.9 mi
Needs Support
29/100
Raymond A. Villa Fundamental Intermediate
Santa Ana Unified · 1.5 mi
Needs Support
24/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic97.5%
White0.6%
Asian0.5%
Black0.4%
Other1.0%
GenderFemale 48.0%Male 52.0%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 51.8% (12pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
980
360 above CA avg (~620)
Transitional Kindergarten
TK status unconfirmed
No TK enrollment is on file with the state for this school — that isn't the same as “no TK.” Confirm directly with the district.
Student-Teacher Ratio
21:1
0 fewer students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$15,998
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$70,919 – $138,788
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy in Santa Ana, 42.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 31.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy outperforms its district average for low-income students by 11.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (33.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (49.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 31.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 341 students tested.
Equity Gaps
ELA · English Learner−31.3pp
18.7% vs 50.0% overall · n=152
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · English Learner−18.2pp
3.3% vs 21.5% overall · n=152
Math · English Learner−30.6pp
11.7% vs 42.3% overall · n=152
Math Exceeded · English Learner−17.8pp
3.2% vs 21.0% overall · n=152
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income342 tested
ELA 42.5%·Math 33.6%· +11.1pp vs district
Hispanic609 tested
ELA 49.0%·Math 40.6%· +17.1pp vs district
English Learner152 tested
ELA 23.7%·Math 15.1%· +17.2pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Subgroup Growth by Grade
Change in proficiency from lowest tested grade. Shows which groups are gaining ground.
Low-income student ELA proficiency falls by 5.1pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +8.5pp.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$71K
$14K below CA median
Median Home Value
$661K
$2K above CA median
Bachelor's+
11%
24pp below CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
13.3 years avg experience
48 teachers · 4% first-year
Teacher Credentials
28% fully credentialed
Source: CDE SARC, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
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 · 43%
16.8%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 46th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
41.0%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 49th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
-3.6pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 73th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
10.9%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 61th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.3%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 61th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 111 | 19% | 17% | 29% | 35% | 36% | −7 |
| Grade 4 | 107 | 25% | 29% | 22% | 24% | 54% | +9 |
| Grade 5 | 111 | 14% | 29% | 28% | 30% | 42% | −6 |
| Grade 6 | 112 | 17% | 36% | 28% | 20% | 53% | +6 |
| Grade 7 | 93 | 26% | 31% | 26% | 17% | 57% | +9 |
| Grade 8 | 89 | 29% | 29% | 26% | 16% | 58% | +12 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 111 | 15% | 27% | 35% | 23% | 42% | −3 |
| Grade 4 | 107 | 18% | 24% | 37% | 21% | 42% | +0 |
| Grade 5 | 111 | 10% | 19% | 33% | 38% | 29% | −6 |
| Grade 6 | 112 | 16% | 23% | 27% | 34% | 39% | +4 |
| Grade 7 | 93 | 34% | 18% | 25% | 23% | 53% | +19 |
| Grade 8 | 90 | 33% | 16% | 16% | 36% | 49% | +17 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 200 | 8% | 20% | 59% | 14% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 341 | 42.5% | +11 | +4 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 608 | 49.0% | +17 | +10 |
| English Learners | 152 | 23.7% | +17 | +13 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy ← | — | 47 | 16.8% | 41.0% | −3.6 | 0.3% |
| John Muir Fundamental Elementary | 1.7 mi | 51 | 28.9% | 54.1% | −6.0 | 0.5% |
| Magnolia Science Academy Santa Ana | 2.2 mi | 49 | 30.0% | 55.5% | −36.8 | 1.9% |
| Palmyra GATE Magnet | 2.8 mi | 49 | 22.9% | 46.5% | −7.4 | 0.3% |
| California average | — | 43 | 21.3% | 42.7% | −2.9 | 1.6% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #1739 → #1861 → #1876 → #2243 → #1973
What we can't show
- — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy a good elementary school?
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy has a Scope Score of 47 out of 100, placing it in the 66th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,973 statewide. 16.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 4.5 percentage points below the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 41.0% of students at El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 16.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 24.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 16.8% 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. 658 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy rank in California?
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy ranks #1,973 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 66th 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 El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy decreases by 3.6 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 El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy?
10.9% of students at El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.3%, 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 Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy compare to other schools in Santa Ana?
El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy scores 47/100 (66th 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 980 students. Use the schools in Santa Ana page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy in Santa Ana, 42.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 31.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. El Sol Santa Ana Science and Arts Academy outperforms its district average for low-income students by 11.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (33.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (49.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 31.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 341 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.