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Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology · San Diego

Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology posts 49% meeting the standard against 36% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

1954 Komet Way, 92111 (opens in new tab)·San Diego Unified·San Diego·Grades 9-12·313 students·81% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(858) 221-5300·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5244
% Exceeded21%16%
% Met+49%36%
Grad rate96.9%87.6%
College readiness31.1%35.4%
Absence12.6%30.2%
Suspension0.6%3.6%
Scope Score
52
🤝 Culture First · Solid
ranked #698 statewide · #18 of 43 in San Diego Unified

Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology scores 52 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 68th percentile of 2,160 California high schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

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

🤝 Culture First — Ask whether the low absenteeism and suspension numbers come from what the school does or from the community it serves — both can produce the same numbers, and only a visit tells you which.

Most rating sites would stop at “49% proficient” and call it done. Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Diego, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology's low-income kids hit 69.8% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 68th percentile since 2019.

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

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 49% meet the standard today, versus 57% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1180%65%83%67%75%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1135%17%32%39%24%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
49%
State 36%
Graduate
97%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
31%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 49 are proficient by 11th grade → 97 graduate → 31 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

69.8%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology's most underrated number

69.8% 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.

Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology low-income: 69.8%State low-income: 38.2%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
96.9%
State 87.6%
9.3pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
20.6%
State 15.8%
4.8pp above state avg
College readiness
31.1%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate below state avg
Met or exceeded
49.4%
State 35.7%
13.7pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
12.6%
State 30.2%
17.6pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.6%
State 3.6%
3.0pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
12.0%
State 18.0%
6.0pp 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 whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • Ask what share of students complete the full college-prep course sequence, and who gets steered into 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 Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology in San Diego, 69.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology outperforms its district average for low-income students by 27.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (19.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (76.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 5.2 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 63 students tested.

All students at this school: 49% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 49%, district —, state 36%49%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 44%, district 36%, state 32%44% · −5 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 49%, district 51%, state 44%49% · −0 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 48%, district 35%, state 32%48% · −2 vs school
MaleMale: this school 50%, district 50%, state 42%50% · +1 vs school

9 of 14 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 12.6%, district 20.8%, state 30.2%12.6% · −17.6pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.6%, district —, state 3.6%0.6% · −3.0pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–129.0%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path
High School
Kearny School of Biomedical Sc…
52/100
This school

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 24:1, district 23:124:1
Teaching staff23 teachers
Avg. experience16.8 years
Fully credentialed81%
Intern / emergency permit6.7%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$55,375 – $124,275
Principal salary$0 – $187,294
Superintendent salary$300,404

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered0
AP exam qualifiers14 students
CTE pathway completers39 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $17,716, CA average $14,815$17,716 · spent at this school

These measure different things: this figure is spending attributed to this campus, while district-wide figures also include central administration, districtwide programs, and the state's pension contributions made on the district's behalf — costs that never get assigned to a single school. The district number runs higher at nearly every school, not just this one.

Federal share$230 per student

$230 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,967 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
Instruction63%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance7%
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$15,976 per pupil
2019$14,540 per pupil
2018$14,457 per pupil
2017$11,416 per pupil
2016$11,708 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic54.0%
District 47.0% · CA 56.1%
Other15.3%
District 13.8% · CA 9.0%
Asian12.1%
District 8.7% · CA 10.2%
White10.2%
District 22.9% · CA 19.9%
Black8.3%
District 7.5% · CA 4.8%
GenderFemale 61.3%Male 38.3%Non-binary 0.3%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 81.5% (18pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$100K · CA $85K
Median home value$818K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+46% · CA 35%
ZIP population45,249
Median age39 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 313 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California high school (≈1450).

On the state's science test (CAST), 47% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology a good high school?

Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology has a Scope Score of 52 out of 100, placing it in the 68th percentile of California high schools and ranked #698 statewide. 20.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 4.8 percentage points above the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), 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 Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 49.4% of students at Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 20.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 28.8% 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. 160 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology rank in California?

Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology ranks #698 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 68th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), 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.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology?

12.6% of students at Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 0.6%, 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 Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology compare to other schools in San Diego?

Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology scores 52/100 (68th percentile) among California high 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 313 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology in San Diego, 69.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology outperforms its district average for low-income students by 27.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (19.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (76.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 5.2 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 63 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
Graduation rate · 25%
96.9%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 61th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
20.6%
↑ vs CA 15.8% · 55th pctile
College readiness · 20%
31.1%
↓ vs CA 35.4% · 47th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
49.4%
↑ vs CA 35.7% · 60th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
12.6%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 64th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.6%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 64th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
12.0%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 44th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 118033%43%20%5%75%+28
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 11809%15%30%46%24%+0
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/119818%29%50%3%

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 Disadvantaged6369.8%+27+32
Hispanic/Latino4376.7%+36+38
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology ←5220.6%49.4%0.6%
High Tech High Mesa1.7 mi7442.4%69.4%1.1%
School for Entrepreneurship and Technology0.9 mi7138.8%69.0%3.2%
Kearny College Connections0 mi5231.8%56.5%1.3%
California average4415.8%35.7%3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
96.9%
AP Exam Prepared
31.1%
A-G Completion
61.9%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
67.5%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195775#50626.8%57.3%10.3%2.7%
20224965#72416.0%41.3%22.8%1.8%
20235578#47824.7%57.5%15.5%1.9%
20245374#56222.6%52.7%18.4%1.7%
20255268#69820.6%49.4%12.6%0.6%
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
Female6.5%9.3%+2.8pp
Male7.4%8.7%+1.3pp
Asian1.4%2.6%+1.2pp
Black/African American5.4%15.4%+10.0pp
White0.0%0.0%+0.0pp
Hispanic/Latino8.7%9.8%+1.1pp
Two or More Races9.5%3.4%-6.1pp
Students with Disabilities5.4%18.2%+12.8pp
English Learners7.4%9.1%+1.7pp
Homeless30.4%14.8%-15.6pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged7.8%10.2%+2.4pp
All Students6.8%9.0%+2.2pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high 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