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Inyokern Elementary · Inyokern

Inyokern Elementary: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Inyokern posts 43% meeting the standard against 43% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

6601 Locust Street, 93527 (opens in new tab)·Sierra Sands Unified·Inyokern·Grades TK-6·161 students·80% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 499-1683·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4645
% Exceeded17%21%
% Met+43%43%
Growth+16.8-2.9
Absence23.5%17.9%
Suspension1.2%1.6%
Scope Score
46
🚀 Growth Engine · Developing
ranked #2,280 statewide · #2 of 6 in Sierra Sands Unified

Inyokern Elementary scores 46 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 60th 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 →

🚀 Growth Engine — Ask how the school tracks each kid's growth year to year, and what happens when a kid stalls instead of gaining.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “43% proficient” and call it done. Inyokern deserves a closer read. The school sits in Inyokern, 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 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Climbed from the 16th to the 60th percentile since 2019 — past roughly 2400 elementary schools.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathYellow(Declined Significantly)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 43% of students meet the standard today, above the 29% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 344%24%50%48%35%
Grade 425%29%30%50%45%
Grade 523%33%63%60%65%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 344%24%52%41%39%
Grade 421%38%22%46%32%
Grade 516%23%37%40%42%

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.

19%
16%
65%
Grade 3 · 35% proficient
13%
32%
55%
Grade 4 · 45% proficient
27%
38%
35%
Grade 5 · 65% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 7.6pp across grades; the floor rises 29.9pp. 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.

The 5 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
16.9%
State 21.3%
4.4pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+16.8pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
43.2%
State 42.7%
0.6pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
23.5%
State 17.9%
5.6pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.2%
State 1.6%
0.4pp 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.

  • Ask how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
  • 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 Inyokern Elementary in Inyokern, 38.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 30.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Inyokern Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 8.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (32.3% Math proficient); White students (43.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 8.7 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 65 students tested.

All students at this school: 43% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 43%, district —, state 43%43%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 35%, district 25%, state 32%35% · −7 vs school
MaleMale: this school 41%, district 34%, state 42%41% · −2 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 38%, district 41%, state 56%38% · −5 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 45%, district 34%, state 44%45% · +2 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 68%, district 26%, state 32%68% · +26 vs school

7 of 13 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 40.4pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +4.8pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 23.5%, district 30.1%, state 17.9%23.5% · +5.6pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.2%, district —, state 1.6%1.2% · −0.4pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–621.3%
TK/K24.2%

Where the path goes

The path below is estimated from nearby schools in the same district — scores shown for each next step.

Estimated K-12 Path
Elementary
Inyokern Elementary
46
This school
→
Middle
Murray Middle
23
→
High
Mesquite Continuation Hig…
10

Estimated K-12 path based on district and proximity. Actual attendance zones may differ. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

Planning ahead? 1 licensed preschools near this school →

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 23:1, district 22:123:1
Teaching staff7 teachers
Avg. experience6.1 years
Fully credentialed86%
First-year teachers29%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$50,189 – $114,358
Principal salary$128,185 – $148,973
Superintendent salary$249,075

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $18,591, CA average $14,815$18,591 · spent at this school
Federal share$345 per student

$345 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$19,178 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
Instruction58%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration8%
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$13,508 per pupil
2019$12,643 per pupil
2018$12,280 per pupil
2017$10,915 per pupil
2016$10,902 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White54.0%
District 46.1% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic27.9%
District 34.6% · CA 56.1%
Other13.0%
District 9.5% · CA 9.0%
Black5.0%
District 7.9% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 80.1% (16pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$63K · CA $85K
Median home value$319K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+29% · CA 35%
ZIP population1,831
Median age56 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 161 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California elementary school (≈480).

Transitional kindergarten is offered here — confirmed by actual Census Day enrollment, not just the listed grade span.

On the state's science test (CAST), 50% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Inyokern Elementary a good elementary school?

Inyokern Elementary has a Scope Score of 46 out of 100, placing it in the 60th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #2,280 statewide. 16.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 4.4 percentage points below 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 Inyokern Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 43.2% of students at Inyokern Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 16.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 16.9% 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. 176 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Inyokern Elementary rank in California?

Inyokern Elementary ranks #2,280 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 60th 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 Inyokern Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Inyokern Elementary increases by 16.8 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 Inyokern Elementary?

23.5% of students at Inyokern Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.2%, 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 Inyokern Elementary compare to other schools in Inyokern?

Inyokern Elementary scores 46/100 (60th 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 161 students. Use the schools in Inyokern page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

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

At Inyokern Elementary in Inyokern, 38.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 30.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Inyokern Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 8.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (32.3% Math proficient); White students (43.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 8.7 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 65 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%
16.9%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 46th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+16.8pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 61th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
43.2%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 50th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
23.5%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 41th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.2%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 54th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 33119%16%39%26%35%−8
Grade 43113%32%26%29%45%+0
Grade 52627%38%15%19%65%+17
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3316%32%16%45%39%−7
Grade 43113%19%39%29%32%−9
Grade 52623%19%27%31%42%+7
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/112619%31%42%8%

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 Disadvantaged6538.5%+8+0
White4443.2%−5−19
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Inyokern Elementary ←—4616.9%43.2%+16.81.2%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20192916#463612.8%28.9%10.8%4.5%-24.0pp
20223547#305714.8%28.5%40.8%1.9%+4.5pp
20234154#260915.9%42.3%34.5%1.1%-0.9pp
20245475#141516.5%47.6%31.6%1.7%+5.2pp
20254660#228016.9%43.2%23.5%1.2%+16.8pp
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
Female9.3%30.1%+20.8pp
Male12.6%20.4%+7.8pp
Hispanic/Latino11.1%25.9%+14.8pp
Students with Disabilities18.5%17.1%-1.4pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged11.7%27.1%+15.4pp
All Students10.8%24.4%+13.6pp
Black/African American—45.5%—
Two or More Races—29.4%—
Homeless—45.5%—
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

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