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Esparto Middle · Esparto

Esparto Middle: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Esparto posts 30% meeting the standard and 7.2% exceeding it, against 39% and 16.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

26058 Country Road 21A, 95627 (opens in new tab)·Esparto Unified·Esparto·Grades 6-8·241 students·81% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(530) 787-4151·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4243
% Exceeded7%17%
% Met+30%39%
Growth+20.5+1.5
Absence11.7%18.5%
Suspension7.5%3.7%
Scope Score
42
📈 On the Rise · Developing
ranked #1,077 statewide

Esparto Middle scores 42 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 52nd percentile of 2,238 California middle schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

📈 On the Rise — Ask how many years the improvement has held, not just the latest one — one strong cohort and a real turnaround can look identical in a single year of data.

Most rating sites would stop at “30% proficient” and call it done. Esparto deserves a closer read. The school sits in Esparto, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Climbed from the 24th to the 52nd percentile since 2019 — past roughly 500 middle schools.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 30% of students meet the standard today, above the 20% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 624%22%26%22%27%
Grade 731%24%31%44%38%
Grade 832%31%30%32%62%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 611%7%6%8%18%
Grade 79%14%8%15%12%
Grade 814%13%12%5%23%

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.

21%
73%
Grade 6 · 27% proficient
9%
29%
62%
Grade 7 · 38% proficient
13%
49%
38%
Grade 8 · 62% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 6.3pp across grades; the floor rises 35.1pp. The state average falls 0.5pp 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.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
7.2%
State 16.8%
9.6pp below state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
+20.5pp
State +1.5pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
29.9%
State 39.3%
9.4pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
11.7%
State 18.5%
6.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
7.5%
State 3.7%
3.9pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
18.8%
State 18.0%
0.9pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • 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 Esparto Middle in Esparto, 38.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 28.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Esparto Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 9.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (14.3% Math proficient); Hispanic students (37.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 33.2 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 192 students tested.

All students at this school: 30% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 30%, district —, state 39%30%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 26%, district 20%, state 32%26% · −4 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 26%, district 20%, state 32%26% · −4 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 27%, district 22%, state 44%27% · −3 vs school
MaleMale: this school 33%, district 25%, state 42%33% · +3 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 6%, district 5%, state 11%6% · −24 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 50%, district 34%, state 56%50% · +20 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 4%, district 5%, state 15%4% · −26 vs school

9 of 17 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 27.3pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: +27.3pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 11.7%, district 18.9%, state 18.5%11.7% · −6.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 7.5%, district —, state 3.7%7.5% · +3.9pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–69.6%
Grades 7–812.1%

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 24:1, district 22:124:1
Teaching staff15 teachers
Avg. experience12.3 years
Fully credentialed98%
First-year teachers7%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$55,728 – $109,773
Principal salary$131,032 – $145,436
Superintendent salary$224,322

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $22,620, CA average $14,815$22,620 · spent at this school
Federal share$834 per student

$834 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,458 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
Instruction55%
Instruction support15%
Student services9%
Administration11%
Buildings & maintenance11%

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$15,325 per pupil
2019$13,593 per pupil
2018$14,026 per pupil
2017$12,223 per pupil
2016$12,251 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic74.7%
District 76.3% · CA 56.1%
White15.8%
District 16.8% · CA 19.9%
Other6.2%
District 4.4% · CA 9.0%
Black2.1%
District 1.9% · CA 4.8%
Asian1.2%
District 0.5% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 80.9% (17pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$102K · CA $85K
Median home value$458K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+19% · CA 35%
ZIP population3,999
Median age36 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 241 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California middle school (≈860).

On the state's science test (CAST), 38% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Esparto Middle a good middle school?

Esparto Middle has a Scope Score of 42 out of 100, placing it in the 52nd percentile of California middle schools and ranked #1,077 statewide. 7.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 9.6 percentage points below the California average of 16.8%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 6-to-8 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 Esparto Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 29.9% of students at Esparto Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 7.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 22.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 7.2% 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. 473 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Esparto Middle rank in California?

Esparto Middle ranks #1,077 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 52nd percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 6 to grade 8 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 Esparto Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Esparto Middle increases by 20.5 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 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 middle 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 Esparto Middle?

11.7% of students at Esparto Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 7.5%. 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 Esparto Middle compare to other schools in Esparto?

Esparto Middle scores 42/100 (52nd percentile) among California middle 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 241 students. Use the schools in Esparto page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Esparto Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Esparto Middle in Esparto, 38.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 28.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Esparto Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 9.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (14.3% Math proficient); Hispanic students (37.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 33.2 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 192 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


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%
7.2%
↓ vs CA 16.8% · 39th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
+20.5pp
↑ vs CA +1.5pp · 70th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
29.9%
↓ vs CA 39.3% · 43th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
11.7%
↑ vs CA 18.5% · 59th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
7.5%
↓ vs CA 3.7% · 34th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
18.8%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 47th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 6786%21%36%37%27%−20
Grade 7779%29%25%38%38%−10
Grade 87913%49%22%16%62%+16
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 6805%13%26%56%18%−18
Grade 7781%10%31%58%12%−22
Grade 8819%15%20%57%23%−9
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11815%33%48%14%

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 Disadvantaged19238.0%+10−0
Hispanic/Latino17737.9%+9−1
English Learners657.7%+2−3
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Esparto Middle ←427.2%29.9%+20.57.5%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20192924#15272.7%20.0%9.2%7.9%+5.4pp
20223134#14315.0%18.5%24.3%8.6%+7.2pp
20232918#17874.1%18.8%23.5%12.5%+5.5pp
20242929#15793.7%21.1%11.9%6.8%+3.5pp
20254252#10777.2%29.9%11.7%7.5%+20.5pp
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
Female13.3%15.6%+2.3pp
Male5.4%6.2%+0.8pp
Hispanic/Latino7.4%9.2%+1.8pp
Students with Disabilities14.3%16.7%+2.4pp
English Learners8.0%6.3%-1.7pp
Homeless15.0%
Military-Connected9.1%8.6%-0.5pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged8.8%11.3%+2.5pp
All Students9.1%11.3%+2.2pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,238 middle 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