School Profile · San Diego
Innovations Academy: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.
Innovations Academy posts 49% meeting the standard against 43% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.
5454 Ruffin Road, 92123 (opens in new tab)·San Diego Unified·San Diego·Grades K-8·436 students·42% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(858) 271-1414·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
46
🤝 Culture First · Developing
ranked #2,154 statewide · #55 of 137 in San Diego Unified
Innovations Academy scores 46 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 63rd 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 “49% proficient” and call it done. Innovations Academy deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Diego, where two in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 56.0% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide.
As a charter, Innovations 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.
22%
24%
54%
Grade 3 · 46% proficient
31%
20%
49%
Grade 4 · 51% proficient
24%
44%
32%
Grade 5 · 68% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor rises 21.3pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.
56.0%
Low-income · ELA · met standard
Innovations Academy's most underrated number
56.0% 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.
Innovations Academy low-income: 56.0%State low-income: 38.2%
The 5 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
20.6%
State 21.3%
0.7pp below state avg
Met or exceeded
48.9%
State 42.7%
6.2pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+1.7pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Chronic absenteeism
12.3%
State 17.9%
5.6pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.1%
State 1.6%
1.5pp below 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.
Planning ahead? 5 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 62
Kumeyaay Elementary
San Diego Unified · 2.1 mi
Solid
68/100
Tierrasanta Elementary
San Diego Unified · 1.8 mi
Solid
59/100
Vista Grande Elementary
San Diego Unified · 1.2 mi
Solid
59/100
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
Hispanic28.7%
White45.2%
Asian5.5%
Black2.3%
Other18.4%
GenderFemale 50.0%Male 50.0%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 41.7% (22pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
436
184 below 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
19:1
2 fewer students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$15,976
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$55,375 – $124,275
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Innovations Academy in San Diego, 56.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Innovations Academy outperforms its district average for low-income students by 13.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (37.0% Math proficient); White students (63.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 7.6 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 100 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Math · Disabilities−15.8pp
33.3% vs 49.1% overall · n=15
3 more gaps by subject
ELA · Low-Income−7.6pp
57.3% vs 64.9% overall · n=100
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−22.5pp
6.7% vs 29.2% overall · n=15
Math Exceeded · Disabilities−21.8pp
0.0% vs 21.8% overall · n=15
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income100 tested
ELA 56.0%·Math 37.0%· +13.4pp vs district
White127 tested
ELA 63.8%·Math 48.0%· -11.4pp vs district
Hispanic83 tested
ELA 57.8%·Math 43.9%· +16.8pp 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 rises by 9.1pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +5.6pp.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$133K
$48K above CA median
Median Home Value
$866K
$207K above CA median
Bachelor's+
49%
14pp 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
8.1 years avg experience
24 teachers · 13% first-year · 17% second-year
Teacher Credentials
77% fully credentialed
4.5% 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%
20.6%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 49th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
48.9%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 55th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
+1.7pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 47th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
12.3%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 59th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.1%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 62th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 58 | 22% | 24% | 36% | 17% | 47% | +3 |
| Grade 4 | 54 | 31% | 20% | 19% | 30% | 52% | +7 |
| Grade 5 | 59 | 24% | 44% | 19% | 14% | 68% | +20 |
| Grade 6 | 56 | 29% | 39% | 27% | 5% | 68% | +21 |
| Grade 7 | 41 | 29% | 46% | 17% | 7% | 76% | +28 |
| Grade 8 | 32 | 41% | 41% | 19% | 0% | 81% | +35 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 58 | 22% | 29% | 19% | 29% | 52% | +6 |
| Grade 4 | 53 | 13% | 28% | 42% | 17% | 42% | −0 |
| Grade 5 | 59 | 10% | 24% | 39% | 27% | 34% | −1 |
| Grade 6 | 56 | 23% | 30% | 30% | 16% | 54% | +19 |
| Grade 7 | 41 | 20% | 27% | 44% | 10% | 46% | +12 |
| Grade 8 | 32 | 44% | 25% | 28% | 3% | 69% | +36 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 91 | 22% | 36% | 35% | 7% |
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 | 100 | 56.0% | +13 | +18 |
| White | 127 | 63.8% | −11 | +2 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 83 | 57.8% | +17 | +19 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovations Academy ← | — | 46 | 20.6% | 48.9% | +1.7 | 0.1% |
| Kumeyaay Elementary | 2.1 mi | 68 | 43.1% | 70.9% | −1.0 | 0.3% |
| Tierrasanta Elementary | 1.8 mi | 59 | 38.3% | 67.9% | −5.8 | 0.3% |
| Vista Grande Elementary | 1.2 mi | 59 | 34.2% | 59.2% | +0.6 | 0.1% |
| 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 #2542 → #1107 → #1083 → #1794 → #2154
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 Innovations Academy a good elementary school?
Innovations Academy has a Scope Score of 46 out of 100, placing it in the 63rd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #2,154 statewide. 20.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is near the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights 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 Innovations Academy's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 48.9% of students at Innovations Academy met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 20.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 28.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 20.6% 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. 341 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Innovations Academy rank in California?
Innovations Academy ranks #2,154 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 63rd 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 Innovations Academy getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Innovations Academy increases by 1.7 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 Innovations Academy?
12.3% of students at Innovations 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 0.1%, 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 Innovations Academy compare to other schools in San Diego?
Innovations Academy scores 46/100 (63rd 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 436 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Innovations Academy serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Innovations Academy in San Diego, 56.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Innovations Academy outperforms its district average for low-income students by 13.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (37.0% Math proficient); White students (63.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 7.6 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 100 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.