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School Profile · Kensington

Kensington Elementary: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.

Kensington posts 48.3% exceeding the standard — versus 21.3% 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.

90 Highland Boulevard, 94708 (opens in new tab)·West Contra Costa Unified·Kensington·Grades TK-6·473 students·14% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(510) 231-1415
Scope Score
72
💪 Strong All-Around · Strong
ranked #421 statewide · #2 of 42 in West Contra Costa Unified

Kensington Elementary scores 72 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 93rd 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 “74% proficient” and call it done. Kensington deserves a closer read. It sits at the 93rd percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

Kensington's low-income kids hit 60.0% proficiency in Math — a number the same group reaches at 26.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

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.

48%
29%
23%
Grade 3 · 77% proficient
54%
15%
31%
Grade 4 · 69% proficient
49%
32%
19%
Grade 5 · 81% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor rises 4.3pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
48.3%
State 21.3%
27.0pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
74.0%
State 42.7%
31.3pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-0.2pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
5.6%
State 17.9%
12.3pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.9%
State 1.6%
0.8pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
21.4%
State 18.0%
3.5pp 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
Kensington Elementary
72/100
This school

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

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 Score

Student demographics

Hispanic13.1%
White50.3%
Asian13.5%
Black1.3%
Other21.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 14.2% (50pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
473
Near CA avg (~480)
Transitional Kindergarten
60 TK students
12% of a 484-student campus · CDE Census Day 2025-26
Student-Teacher Ratio
24:1
3 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$4,556
District avg: $15,242 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
21.4% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$58,573 – $119,395
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Kensington Elementary in Kensington, 60.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the Math standard in 2025, compared to 16.6% district-wide and 26.2% statewide. Kensington Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 43.4 percentage points in Math. Other subgroups: White students (82.5% ELA proficient); White students (77.8% Math proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 8.9 percentage points for two or more races students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 15 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Low-Income+5.9pp
11.5% vs 5.6% overall · n=78
Math · Two or More Races−14.7pp
58.8% vs 73.5% overall · n=17
3 more gaps by subject
ELA · Two or More Races−8.9pp
70.6% vs 79.5% overall · n=17
ELA Exceeded · Two or More Races−23.1pp
29.4% vs 52.5% overall · n=17
Math Exceeded · Two or More Races−20.0pp
29.4% vs 49.4% overall · n=17

Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.

Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income15 tested
Math 60.0%
White126 tested
ELA 82.5%·Math 77.8%· +21.8pp vs district
Two or More Races40 tested
ELA 80.0%·Math 72.5%· +25.2pp 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.

Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Funding Breakdown
Instruction 51%Support 40%Other 8%

Source: NCES F-33 (2019–2020) · Full district breakdown →

Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$235K
$150K above CA median
Median Home Value
$1.59M
$934K above CA median
Bachelor's+
87%
52pp 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
10.4 years avg experience
23 teachers · 9% first-year · 4% second-year
Teacher Credentials
91% fully credentialed
2.5% 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 →

Frequently asked questions

Is Kensington Elementary a good elementary school?
Kensington Elementary has a Scope Score of 72 out of 100, placing it in the 93rd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #421 statewide. 48.3% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 27.0 percentage points above 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 Kensington Elementary's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 74.0% of students at Kensington Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 48.3% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 25.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 48.3% 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. 386 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Kensington Elementary rank in California?
Kensington Elementary ranks #421 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 93rd 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 Kensington Elementary getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Kensington Elementary decreases by 0.2 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 Kensington Elementary?
5.6% of students at Kensington Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.9%, 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 Kensington Elementary compare to other schools in Kensington?
Kensington Elementary scores 72/100 (93rd 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 473 students. Use the schools in Kensington page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Kensington Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Kensington Elementary in Kensington, 60.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the Math standard in 2025, compared to 16.6% district-wide and 26.2% statewide. Kensington Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 43.4 percentage points in Math. Other subgroups: White students (82.5% ELA proficient); White students (77.8% Math proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 8.9 percentage points for two or more races students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 15 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.

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%
48.3%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 76th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
74.0%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 74th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
-0.2pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 63th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
5.6%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 70th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.9%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 56th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
21.4%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36248%29%16%6%77%+34
Grade 45954%15%17%14%69%+25
Grade 57149%32%10%8%82%+34
Grade 64858%31%10%0%90%+43
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36247%27%24%2%74%+28
Grade 46047%25%23%5%72%+30
Grade 57244%25%19%11%69%+34
Grade 64860%19%15%6%79%+44
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/117226%38%31%6%

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
White12682.5%+22+21
Two or More Races4080.0%+25+19
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Kensington Elementary ←7248.3%74.0%−0.20.9%
Ruth Acty Elementary2.4 mi8262.7%85.6%−4.90.1%
Madera Elementary1.5 mi8256.7%78.0%+2.80.3%
Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier2.6 mi7955.5%75.4%+7.50.3%
California average4321.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
74%72%'19'22'23'24'25
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #382 → #284 → #263 → #307 → #421
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue