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Escalona Elementary · La Mirada

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

Escalona posts 51% meeting the standard, and 22.6% 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.

15135 Escalona Road, 90638 (opens in new tab)·Norwalk-La Mirada Unified·La Mirada·Grades TK-5·424 students·52% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(562) 210-2745·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4745
% Exceeded23%21%
% Met+51%43%
Growth+1.3-2.9
Absence13.1%17.9%
Suspension1.1%1.6%
Scope Score
47
🤝 Culture First · Developing
ranked #2,242 statewide · #4 of 16 in Norwalk-La Mirada Unified

Escalona Elementary scores 47 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 61st 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 “51% proficient” and call it done. Escalona deserves a closer read. The school sits in La Mirada, where more than half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Escalona's low-income kids hit 49.0% 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

Slipped from the 80th to the 61st percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAOrange(Declined Significantly)MathRed(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 51% meet the standard today, versus 62% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 360%61%61%49%46%
Grade 462%61%57%46%56%
Grade 571%68%65%64%65%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 354%59%64%51%57%
Grade 460%51%49%54%43%
Grade 563%55%44%51%41%

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.

14%
32%
54%
Grade 3 · 46% proficient
22%
33%
45%
Grade 4 · 55% proficient
33%
31%
36%
Grade 5 · 64% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 18.8pp across grades; the floor rises 18.4pp. 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.

49.0%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Escalona's most underrated number

49.0% 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.

Escalona low-income: 49.0%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
22.6%
State 21.3%
1.3pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+1.3pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
51.1%
State 42.7%
8.4pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
13.1%
State 17.9%
4.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.1%
State 1.6%
0.5pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
19.2%
State 18.0%
1.3pp 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 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 Escalona Elementary in La Mirada, 49.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Escalona Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 3.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (40.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.3 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 98 students tested.

All students at this school: 51% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 51%, district —, state 43%51%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 47%, district 39%, state 32%47% · −4 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 45%, district 38%, state 32%45% · −6 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 52%, district 44%, state 44%52% · +1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 50%, district 42%, state 42%50% · −1 vs school

9 of 14 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 30.8pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +2.0pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 13.1%, district 20.7%, state 17.9%13.1% · −4.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.1%, district —, state 1.6%1.1% · −0.5pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–612.2%
TK/K17.9%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path

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 22:1, district 23:122:1
Teaching staff23 teachers
Avg. experience20.8 years
Fully credentialed98%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$69,345 – $141,049
Principal salary$165,132 – $187,839
Superintendent salary$314,867

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $21,759, CA average $14,815$21,759 · spent at this school
Federal share$211 per student

$211 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,215 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 support12%
Student services11%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance11%
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$14,885 per pupil
2019$14,048 per pupil
2018$13,962 per pupil
2017$13,203 per pupil
2016$12,115 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic71.7%
District 81.6% · CA 56.1%
White13.7%
District 5.7% · CA 19.9%
Other9.0%
District 6.4% · CA 9.0%
Asian4.5%
District 3.8% · CA 10.2%
Black1.2%
District 2.5% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 51.6% (12pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$110K · CA $85K
Median home value$827K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+41% · CA 35%
ZIP population45,933
Median age44 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), 46% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Escalona Elementary a good elementary school?

Escalona Elementary has a Scope Score of 47 out of 100, placing it in the 61st percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #2,242 statewide. 22.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is near 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 Escalona Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 51.1% of students at Escalona Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 22.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 28.5% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 22.6% 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. 354 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Escalona Elementary rank in California?

Escalona Elementary ranks #2,242 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 61st 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 Escalona Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Escalona Elementary increases by 1.3 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 growth. This upward trajectory suggests the school is adding measurable value — students leave with higher proficiency rates than they entered with. 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 Escalona Elementary?

13.1% of students at Escalona 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 1.1%, 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 Escalona Elementary compare to other schools in La Mirada?

Escalona Elementary scores 47/100 (61st 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 424 students. Use the schools in La Mirada page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

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

At Escalona Elementary in La Mirada, 49.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Escalona Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 3.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (40.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.3 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 98 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%
22.6%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 51th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+1.3pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 46th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
51.1%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 56th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
13.1%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 58th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.1%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 54th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
19.2%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 52th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36914%32%38%16%46%+3
Grade 45422%33%24%20%56%+11
Grade 55433%31%19%17%65%+17
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36923%33%22%22%57%+11
Grade 45419%24%33%24%43%+1
Grade 55424%17%30%30%41%+5
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/115426%20%48%6%

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 Disadvantaged9849.0%+4+11
Hispanic/Latino12250.8%+4+12
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Escalona Elementary ←4722.6%51.1%+1.31.1%
Cerritos Elementary2.6 mi8058.5%80.1%−9.10.3%
Stowers(Cecil B.) Elementary2.3 mi7342.7%67.0%−5.40.1%
Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary2 mi7157.8%79.6%−0.80.5%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196080#108528.0%61.7%12.3%0.2%+9.7pp
20225381#111327.8%59.4%26.0%0.0%+1.3pp
20234972#160625.1%56.7%21.0%0.2%-8.6pp
20245475#142227.7%52.6%13.2%0.1%+7.9pp
20254761#224222.6%51.1%13.1%1.1%+1.3pp
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
Female12.6%12.1%-0.5pp
Male12.0%13.4%+1.4pp
Asian6.1%5.3%-0.8pp
White0.0%0.0%+0.0pp
Hispanic/Latino13.2%14.3%+1.1pp
Two or More Races13.6%13.0%-0.6pp
Students with Disabilities15.3%21.9%+6.6pp
English Learners15.4%13.5%-1.9pp
Homeless10.3%14.3%+4.0pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged17.5%17.6%+0.1pp
All Students12.3%12.7%+0.4pp
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