School Profile · Palmdale
Hillview Middle: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.
Hillview posts 55% meeting the standard; 27.6% push past it. Steady is worth something — and the gap between those two numbers is the thing to ask about.
40525 Peonza Lane, 93551·Westside Union Elementary·Palmdale·Grades 6-8·1,100 students·53% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 722-9993
Scope Score
39
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #809 statewide · #1 of 3 in Westside Union Elementary
Hillview Middle scores 39 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 53rd percentile of 1,714 California middle 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 “55% proficient” and call it done. Hillview deserves a closer read. The school sits in Palmdale, 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: 35.4% of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 17.7% statewide.
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.
50%
38%
12%
Grade 6 · 88% proficient
19%
34%
47%
Grade 7 · 53% proficient
17%
27%
56%
Grade 8 · 44% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding falls 33.1pp across grades; the floor slips 43.6pp. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.
The 6 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
27.6%
State 17.3%
10.3pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
54.6%
State 39.5%
15.1pp above state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-45.1pp
State +0.8pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
18.6%
State 19.1%
0.5pp below state avg
Suspension rate
7.6%
State 4.2%
3.4pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
35.4%
State 17.7%
17.7pp 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.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
▼
High School
No feeder data available for this level
Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 50
Gregg Anderson Academy
Westside Union Elementary · 0.4 mi
Solid
60/100
Cottonwood Elementary
Westside Union Elementary · 2.5 mi
Solid
52/100
Quartz Hill Elementary
Westside Union Elementary · 1.7 mi
Developing
37/100
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
Hispanic59.0%
White19.4%
Asian3.3%
Black9.8%
Other8.4%
GenderFemale 48.7%Male 51.2%Non-binary 0.1%
Resources & Access
Enrollment
1,100
240 above CA avg (~860)
Free/Reduced Lunch
53%
11pp below CA avg (64%)
Student-Teacher Ratio
25:1
4 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$16,106
District avg: $11,235 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
35.4% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$64,194 – $132,656
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Hillview Middle in Palmdale, 43.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 37.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Hillview Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 6.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (27.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (51.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 52.1 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 557 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Foster Youth+22.6pp
41.2% vs 18.6% overall · n=17
Suspension · Foster Youth+27.7pp
35.3% vs 7.6% overall · n=17
ELA · Disabilities−52.1pp
7.2% vs 59.3% overall · n=122
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−23.5pp
3.3% vs 26.8% overall · n=122
Math · English Learner−42.8pp
1.9% vs 44.7% overall · n=41
Math Exceeded · Disabilities−23.0pp
1.7% vs 24.7% overall · n=122
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income557 tested
ELA 43.4%·Math 27.2%· +6.1pp vs district
Hispanic613 tested
ELA 51.4%·Math 33.2%· +7.4pp vs district
White201 tested
ELA 58.2%·Math 46.3%· +3.6pp 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 53.5pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -8.3pp.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$120K
$35K above CA median
Median Home Value
$585K
$74K below CA median
Bachelor's+
31%
4pp 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
14.0 years avg experience
46 teachers · 4% first-year · 2% second-year
Teacher Credentials
83% fully credentialed
1.3% 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%
27.6%
↑ vs CA 17.3% · 61th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
54.6%
↑ vs CA 39.5% · 62th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 15%
-45.1pp
↓ vs CA +0.8pp · 0th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
18.6%
↑ vs CA 19.1% · 51th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
7.6%
↓ vs CA 4.2% · 37th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
35.4%
↑ vs CA 17.7% · 43th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 88 | 50% | 38% | 9% | 3% | 88% | +41 |
| Grade 7 | 533 | 19% | 34% | 21% | 25% | 53% | +6 |
| Grade 8 | 421 | 17% | 27% | 24% | 32% | 44% | −2 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 88 | 45% | 33% | 22% | 0% | 78% | +43 |
| Grade 7 | 533 | 17% | 16% | 30% | 37% | 33% | −1 |
| Grade 8 | 419 | 17% | 15% | 23% | 45% | 32% | −1 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 421 | 8% | 25% | 55% | 13% |
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 | 557 | 43.4% | +6 | +5 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 613 | 51.4% | +7 | +13 |
| White | 201 | 58.2% | +4 | −4 |
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillview Middle ← | — | 39 | 27.6% | 54.6% | −45.1 | 7.6% |
| Joe Walker Middle | 2.6 mi | 32 | 22.6% | 49.5% | −55.9 | 10.2% |
| California average | — | 40 | 17.3% | 39.5% | +0.8 | 4.2% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #565 → #761 → #629 → #682 → #809
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=1,714 middle schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is Hillview Middle a good middle school?
Hillview Middle has a Scope Score of 39 out of 100, placing it in the 53rd percentile of California middle schools and ranked #809 statewide. 27.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 10.3 percentage points above the California average of 17.3%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for middle 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 Hillview Middle's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 54.6% of students at Hillview Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 27.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 27.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 27.6% 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. 2,082 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Hillview Middle rank in California?
Hillview Middle ranks #809 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 53rd 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 Hillview Middle getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Hillview Middle decreases by 45.1 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 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 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 Hillview Middle?
18.6% of students at Hillview Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 19.1%. The suspension rate is 7.6%. 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 Hillview Middle compare to other schools in Palmdale?
Hillview Middle scores 39/100 (53rd 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 1,100 students. Use the schools in Palmdale page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.
How does Hillview Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Hillview Middle in Palmdale, 43.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 37.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Hillview Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 6.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (27.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (51.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 52.1 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 557 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.