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Lillian Larsen Elementary · San Miguel

Lillian Larsen Elementary: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Lillian Larsen posts 36% meeting the standard and 16.1% exceeding it, against 43% and 21.3% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

1601 L Street, 93451 (opens in new tab)·San Miguel Joint Union·San Miguel·Grades TK-8·448 students·80% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(805) 467-3216·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3945
% Exceeded16%21%
% Met+36%43%
Growth+13.4-2.9
Absence12.7%17.9%
Suspension2.3%1.6%
Scope Score
39
📈 On the Rise · Developing
ranked #3,476 statewide

Lillian Larsen Elementary scores 39 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 39th 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 →

📈 On the Rise — Ask how many years the improvement has held, not just the latest one — one strong cohort and a real turnaround can look identical in a single year of data.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “36% proficient” and call it done. Lillian Larsen deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Miguel, where three in four 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 20th to the 39th percentile since 2019 — past roughly 900 elementary schools.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 36% of students meet the standard today, above the 33% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 330%29%44%33%18%
Grade 434%46%31%39%27%
Grade 532%20%41%31%47%
Grade 624%35%44%21%25%
Grade 729%43%43%42%44%
Grade 823%40%47%37%54%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 333%35%49%33%37%
Grade 443%47%31%53%51%
Grade 524%22%22%19%36%
Grade 613%15%17%27%17%
Grade 729%14%20%36%31%
Grade 831%14%15%20%33%

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.

18%
82%
Grade 3 · 18% proficient
19%
8%
73%
Grade 4 · 27% proficient
16%
30%
54%
Grade 5 · 46% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 1.9pp across grades; the floor rises 28.3pp. 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
16.1%
State 21.3%
5.3pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+13.4pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
36.0%
State 42.7%
6.7pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
12.7%
State 17.9%
5.2pp below state avg
Suspension rate
2.3%
State 1.6%
0.7pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
19.3%
State 18.0%
1.3pp 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.

  • 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 Lillian Larsen Elementary in San Miguel, 34.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Lillian Larsen Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 1.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (31.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (35.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 26.4 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 215 students tested.

All students at this school: 35% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 35%, district —, state 43%35%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 33%, district 34%, state 32%33% · −2 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 34%, district 35%, state 32%34% · −0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 32%, district 37%, state 42%32% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 38%, district 40%, state 44%38% · +3 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 13%, district 13%, state 11%13% · −22 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 34%, district 30%, state 22%34% · −1 vs school

7 of 14 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 28.6pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +21.6pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 12.7%, district 16.3%, state 17.9%12.7% · −5.2pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.3%, district —, state 1.6%2.3% · +0.7pp vs state

TK/K students miss school at roughly three times the rate of Grades 7–8 students (23.9% vs 8.0%). Chronic absence here concentrates in the earliest grades — worth asking how the school works with new families on attendance.

Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–611.0%
Grades 7–88.0%
TK/K23.9%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 19:1, district 21:119:1
Teaching staff26 teachers
Avg. experience10.6 years
Fully credentialed81%
First-year teachers4%
Intern / emergency permit4.3%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$53,800 – $107,479
Principal salary$121,545 – $0
Superintendent salary$180,179

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $20,914, CA average $14,815$20,914 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,180 per student

$1,180 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$16,214 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
Instruction60%
Instruction support7%
Student services13%
Administration12%
Buildings & maintenance8%

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$15,821 per pupil
2019$12,854 per pupil
2018$11,782 per pupil
2017$11,107 per pupil
2016$11,361 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic87.5%
District 66.5% · CA 56.1%
White10.0%
District 29.0% · CA 19.9%
Other1.3%
District 3.7% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.9%
District 0.6% · CA 10.2%
Black0.2%
District 0.1% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 79.7% (16pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$98K · CA $85K
Median home value$653K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+23% · CA 35%
ZIP population5,207
Median age37 years

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

Worth Knowing

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

On the state's science test (CAST), 32% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lillian Larsen Elementary a good elementary school?

Lillian Larsen Elementary has a Scope Score of 39 out of 100, placing it in the 39th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,476 statewide. 16.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 5.3 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 Lillian Larsen Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 36.0% of students at Lillian Larsen Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 16.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 19.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 16.1% 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. 232 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Lillian Larsen Elementary rank in California?

Lillian Larsen Elementary ranks #3,476 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 39th 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 Lillian Larsen Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Lillian Larsen Elementary increases by 13.4 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 Lillian Larsen Elementary?

12.7% of students at Lillian Larsen 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 2.3%. 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 Lillian Larsen Elementary compare to other schools in San Miguel?

Lillian Larsen Elementary scores 39/100 (39th 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 448 students. Use the schools in San Miguel page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Lillian Larsen Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Lillian Larsen Elementary in San Miguel, 34.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Lillian Larsen Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 1.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (31.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (35.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 26.4 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 215 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.

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

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%
16.1%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 45th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+13.4pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 43th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
36.0%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 45th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
12.7%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 59th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.3%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 44th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
19.3%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 52th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 33318%0%48%33%18%−25
Grade 43719%8%32%41%27%−18
Grade 54316%30%14%40%47%−1
Grade 6514%22%31%43%25%−21
Grade 74115%29%32%24%44%−4
Grade 84115%39%27%20%54%+8
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 33517%20%23%40%37%−9
Grade 43910%41%26%23%51%+10
Grade 54516%20%24%40%36%+0
Grade 6546%11%20%63%17%−18
Grade 74212%19%14%55%31%−3
Grade 84221%12%26%40%33%+1
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11875%28%56%11%

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 Disadvantaged21534.0%−1−4
Hispanic/Latino21035.2%−1−4
English Learners1109.1%+0−1
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Lillian Larsen Elementary ←—3916.1%36.0%+13.42.3%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193120#43949.5%32.6%10.5%4.1%-3.1pp
20222931#397012.3%33.0%29.9%2.7%-10.5pp
20232922#445011.6%36.4%18.5%5.4%-14.6pp
20243327#420810.6%34.6%11.8%2.9%-7.9pp
20253939#347616.1%36.0%12.7%2.3%+13.4pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female9.1%9.8%+0.7pp
Male11.8%14.3%+2.5pp
Hispanic/Latino9.2%10.9%+1.7pp
Students with Disabilities12.8%15.0%+2.2pp
English Learners8.3%6.8%-1.5pp
Homeless7.7%10.9%+3.2pp
Military-Connected1.8%——
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged9.8%12.3%+2.5pp
All Students10.5%12.0%+1.5pp
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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