School Profile · Cerritos
Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.
Gonsalves (Joe A.) posts 57.8% exceeding the standard — versus 21.6% statewide — with climate numbers better than most. That doesn't make it perfect. It makes it worth a visit to find what numbers can't measure.
13650 Park Street, 90703·ABC Unified·Cerritos·Grades K-6·516 students·35% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(562) 229-7860·Website
Scope Score
76
⭐ High Ceiling · Strong
ranked #268 statewide · #4 of 19 in ABC Unified
Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary scores 76 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 95th percentile of 5,230 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 “80% proficient” and call it done. Gonsalves (Joe A.) deserves a closer read. The school sits in Cerritos, where one in three students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 57.8% of students scored in the top band on the state test. The California average is 21.6%.
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.
59%
19%
22%
Grade 3 · 78% proficient
54%
26%
20%
Grade 4 · 80% proficient
58%
25%
17%
Grade 5 · 83% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor rises 4.4pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.
72.0%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
Gonsalves (Joe A.)'s most underrated number
72.0% 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.
Gonsalves (Joe A.) low-income: 72.0%State low-income: 38.2%
The 6 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
57.8%
State 21.6%
36.2pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
79.6%
State 42.9%
36.7pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-0.8pp
State -3.0pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
4.8%
State 18.1%
13.4pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.5%
State 1.7%
1.2pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
32.0%
State 17.7%
14.3pp 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.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary
76/100
This school
▼
High School
Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.
Planning ahead? 2 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 81
Leal (Frank C.) Elementary
ABC Unified · 1.5 mi
Strong
86/100
Cerritos Elementary
ABC Unified · 0.9 mi
Strong
80/100
Wittmann (Helen) Elementary
ABC Unified · 1 mi
Strong
79/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
Speech & Language Development Center
Holder St · Nonsectarian · Grades 1-12 · 155 students
10:1Private3.1 mi
Acaciawood Preparatory Academy
W La Palma Ave · Nonsectarian · Grades 1-12 · 94 students
7:1Private4.5 mi
Beacon Day School
Centerpointe Dr · Nonsectarian · Grades N · 90 students
9:1Private1.3 mi
Primanti Montessori Academy
Valley Home Ave · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-6 · 79 students
12:1Private5.3 mi
Carden Academy of Whittier
Mills Ave · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-6 · 72 students
9:1Private4.5 mi
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic18.0%
White3.7%
Asian52.9%
Black4.3%
Other21.1%
GenderFemale 46.5%Male 53.5%
Resources & Access
Enrollment
516
Near CA avg (~480)
Free/Reduced Lunch
35%
28pp below CA avg (64%)
Student-Teacher Ratio
23:1
2 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$21,133
District avg: $12,553 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
32.0% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$65,755 – $127,886
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary in Cerritos, 72.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 54.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (66.4% Math proficient); Asian students (92.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 18.6 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 107 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Disabilities+7.4pp
12.2% vs 4.8% overall · n=90
Math · Hispanic−30.8pp
48.7% vs 79.5% overall · n=35
3 more gaps by subject
ELA · Hispanic−18.6pp
63.1% vs 81.7% overall · n=35
ELA Exceeded · Hispanic−28.1pp
28.4% vs 56.6% overall · n=35
Math Exceeded · Hispanic−39.6pp
20.1% vs 59.7% overall · n=35
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income107 tested
ELA 72.0%·Math 66.4%· +17.7pp vs district
Asian167 tested
ELA 92.8%·Math 89.8%· +5.8pp vs district
Hispanic46 tested
ELA 58.7%·Math 45.6%· +7.7pp 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 4.7pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +6.9pp.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$135K
$50K above CA median
Median Home Value
$932K
$273K above CA median
Bachelor's+
58%
23pp above 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
14.4 years avg experience
25 teachers
Teacher Credentials
96% fully credentialed
3.9% on intern/emergency permit
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%
57.8%
↑ vs CA 21.6% · 84th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
79.6%
↑ vs CA 42.9% · 78th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
-0.8pp
↑ vs CA -3.0pp · 41th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
4.8%
↑ vs CA 18.1% · 72th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.5%
↑ vs CA 1.7% · 60th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
32.0%
↑ vs CA 17.7% · 80th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 63 | 59% | 19% | 21% | 2% | 78% | +34 |
| Grade 4 | 74 | 54% | 26% | 11% | 9% | 80% | +35 |
| Grade 5 | 73 | 58% | 25% | 11% | 7% | 82% | +34 |
| Grade 6 | 91 | 56% | 31% | 7% | 7% | 87% | +40 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 63 | 62% | 22% | 10% | 6% | 84% | +38 |
| Grade 4 | 74 | 49% | 27% | 16% | 8% | 76% | +34 |
| Grade 5 | 73 | 66% | 12% | 14% | 8% | 78% | +43 |
| Grade 6 | 91 | 63% | 18% | 10% | 10% | 80% | +45 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 74 | 54% | 22% | 24% | 0% |
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 | 107 | 72.0% | +18 | +34 |
| Asian | 167 | 92.8% | +6 | +18 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 46 | 58.7% | +8 | +20 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary ← | — | 76 | 57.8% | 79.6% | −0.8 | 0.5% |
| Leal (Frank C.) Elementary | 1.5 mi | 86 | 64.2% | 85.4% | −1.6 | 0.2% |
| Cerritos Elementary | 0.9 mi | 80 | 58.5% | 80.1% | −9.1 | 0.3% |
| Wittmann (Helen) Elementary | 1 mi | 79 | 58.9% | 82.6% | +0.6 | 0.3% |
| California average | — | 44 | 21.6% | 42.9% | −3.0 | 1.7% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #380 → #181 → #388 → #44 → #268
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,230 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary a good elementary school?
Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary has a Scope Score of 76 out of 100, placing it in the 95th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #268 statewide. 57.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 36.2 percentage points above the California average of 21.6%. 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 Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 79.6% of students at Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 57.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 21.8% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 57.8% 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. 420 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary rank in California?
Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary ranks #268 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 95th 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 Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary decreases by 0.8 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 Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary?
4.8% of students at Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 18.1%. The suspension rate is 0.5%, 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 Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary compare to other schools in Cerritos?
Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary scores 76/100 (95th 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 516 students. Use the schools in Cerritos page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary in Cerritos, 72.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 54.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Gonsalves (Joe A.) Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (66.4% Math proficient); Asian students (92.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 18.6 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 107 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.