School Profile · San Diego
Learning Choice Academy: Kids show up here — absenteeism is half the state rate. Test scores are still catching up.
Learning Choice Academy's strongest numbers are the quiet ones: attendance and discipline. The academic picture is still developing — and culture is usually where that starts.
4635 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, 92117 (opens in new tab)·San Diego Unified·San Diego·Grades TK-12·177 students·50% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(858) 536-8388·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
38
🤝 Culture First · Developing
ranked #3,651 statewide · #87 of 137 in San Diego Unified
Learning Choice Academy scores 38 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 36th 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 “42% proficient” and call it done. Learning Choice Academy deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Diego, where more than half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
The headline number: 4.8% chronic absenteeism — versus 17.9% statewide. Attendance is the quietest strong signal a school can post.
As a charter, Learning Choice Academy enrolls by application, not address — the score reads the same, the enrollment path doesn't.
The 5 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
16.4%
State 21.3%
5.0pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-23.7pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
42.4%
State 42.7%
0.2pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
4.8%
State 17.9%
13.1pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.4%
State 1.6%
1.2pp below state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask how the school built its attendance culture — and what the academic plan looks like from here.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
K-12 Path
Learning Choice Academy serves grades K-12 — students can complete their entire K-12 education here.
Planning ahead? 7 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 70
Curie Elementary
San Diego Unified · 1.6 mi
Strong
72/100
Mt. Everest Academy
San Diego Unified · 1 mi
Strong
71/100
Holmes Elementary
San Diego Unified · 1.7 mi
Solid
67/100
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
Hispanic33.9%
White29.9%
Asian6.8%
Black10.7%
Other18.6%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 50.3% (14pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
177
1,023 below CA avg (~1,200)
Transitional Kindergarten
3 TK students
2% of a 179-student campus · CDE Census Day 2025-26
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
3 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
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
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$104K
$19K above CA median
Median Home Value
$981K
$322K above CA median
Bachelor's+
52%
17pp 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
7.7 years avg experience
12 teachers · 33% first-year
Teacher Credentials
41% fully credentialed
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 Learning Choice Academy a good elementary school?
Learning Choice Academy has a Scope Score of 38 out of 100, placing it in the 36th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,651 statewide. 16.4% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 5.0 percentage points below 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 Learning Choice Academy's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 42.4% of students at Learning Choice Academy met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 16.4% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 16.4% 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. 82 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Learning Choice Academy rank in California?
Learning Choice Academy ranks #3,651 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 36th 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 Learning Choice Academy getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Learning Choice Academy decreases by 23.7 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 Learning Choice Academy?
4.8% of students at Learning Choice 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 0.4%, 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 Learning Choice Academy compare to other schools in San Diego?
Learning Choice Academy scores 38/100 (36th 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 177 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means
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 · 38%
16.4%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 45th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-23.7pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 32th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
42.4%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 50th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
4.8%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 71th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.4%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 60th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 12 | 33% | 33% | 33% | 0% | 67% | +23 |
| Grade 4 | 16 | 19% | 19% | 19% | 44% | 38% | −7 |
| Grade 5 | 13 | 8% | 38% | 23% | 31% | 46% | −2 |
| Grade 6 | 24 | 0% | 29% | 25% | 46% | 29% | −17 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | 42% | 17% | 17% | 25% | 58% | +11 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | 0% | 38% | 23% | 38% | 38% | −8 |
| Grade 11 | 14 | 29% | 57% | 7% | 7% | 86% | +39 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 12 | 17% | 33% | 42% | 8% | 50% | +4 |
| Grade 4 | 16 | 6% | 25% | 38% | 31% | 31% | −10 |
| Grade 5 | 13 | 15% | 8% | 31% | 46% | 23% | −12 |
| Grade 6 | 24 | 4% | 17% | 29% | 50% | 21% | −14 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | 33% | 17% | 25% | 25% | 50% | +16 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | 15% | 8% | 46% | 31% | 23% | −9 |
| Grade 11 | 14 | 7% | 14% | 29% | 50% | 21% | −2 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 40 | 5% | 35% | 48% | 13% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Choice Academy ← | — | 38 | 16.4% | 42.4% | −23.7 | 0.4% |
| Curie Elementary | 1.6 mi | 72 | 60.1% | 81.8% | −11.8 | 0.9% |
| Mt. Everest Academy | 1 mi | 71 | 46.5% | 85.3% | −18.4 | 0.7% |
| Holmes Elementary | 1.7 mi | 67 | 57.5% | 85.7% | −13.2 | 0.8% |
| California average | — | 45 | 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 #1321 → #683 → #3064 → #2711 → #3651
What we can't show
- — Subgroup results are suppressed for small student counts (fewer than 15 tested), following CDE privacy rules.
- — 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