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Composite scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data from the California Dept. of Education (CAASPP, chronic absenteeism, suspension rates). They are not official CDE ratings and should not be the sole basis for school decisions. See methodology.
School overview
Dashboard indicators
Data source: California School Dashboard 2025, ELPAC 2024
Student demographics
Performance breakdown
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Exceeded Standard | 29.6% |
| Met Standard | 26.3% |
| Below Standard | 44.1% |
What other rankings don't show you
Most rating sites report "56% proficient" for La Mesa Arts Academy and stop there. Here's what that number hides:
29.6% of students exceeded standard while 26.3% met it. That exceeded rate is 12.3 points above the state average of 17.3%. That's 10.7 points above the La Mesa-Spring Valley district average of 18.9%. Compared to the 1 nearby schools within ~3 miles, this exceeded rate is 12.3 points higher (vs 17.3% average). The gap between "met" and "exceeded" can reveal how much a school's curriculum challenges students beyond proficiency.
Proficiency drops by 4.4 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth — a signal that the school may not be sustaining early gains.
California's Dashboard shows ELA performance maintained and Math declined year-over-year. 30.6% of English learners reached Level 4 (Well Developed) on ELPAC.
Chronic absenteeism is 15.0%, better than the state average of 19.3%.
Key metrics
Grade trajectory
ELA scores by grade
| Grade | Tested | Exceeded | Met | Met+Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 87 | 46.0% | 32.2% | 78.2% |
| 6th | 282 | 31.6% | 32.3% | 63.8% |
| 7th | 298 | 30.5% | 32.5% | 63.1% |
| 8th | 312 | 24.4% | 38.8% | 63.1% |
Math scores by grade
| Grade | Tested | Exceeded | Met | Met+Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 87 | 18.4% | 21.8% | 40.2% |
| 6th | 285 | 38.3% | 16.8% | 55.1% |
| 7th | 298 | 25.8% | 17.4% | 43.3% |
| 8th | 309 | 26.9% | 20.1% | 46.9% |
K-12 Feeder PathBoundary data
Feeder patterns derived from 2015-16 NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries may have changed. Contact your school district for current information.
Nearby schools
Nearby Elementary Schools
19 within ~3 mi · avg 45.5
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
Data source: California Department of Education (2025 test year) · How we score · Explore all schools · Blog