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Los Molinos Elementary · Hacienda Heights

Los Molinos Elementary: 66% of kids clear the bar — ahead of the state's 43%. But this year's 5th graders test below its 3rd graders.

Los Molinos posts 66% meeting the standard, against 43% across the state. The number below is the one to ask about on a visit.

2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5745
% Exceeded38%21%
% Met+66%43%
Growth-11.1-2.9
Absence10.4%17.9%
Suspension0.9%1.6%
Scope Score
57
🏫 Solid Base · Solid
ranked #1,294 statewide · #3 of 17 in Hacienda la Puente Unified

Los Molinos Elementary scores 57 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 77th 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 →

🏫 Solid Base — Ask what the school does for a kid who's already meeting the standard with room to spare — steady proficiency across the board doesn't tell you whether the strongest kids are being pushed further.

Most rating sites would stop at “66% proficient” and call it done. Los Molinos deserves a closer read. The school sits in Hacienda Heights, where more than half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Los Molinos's low-income kids hit 62.3% 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 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Slipped from the 94th to the 77th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathYellow(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 66% meet the standard today, versus 80% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 381%80%72%72%72%
Grade 482%75%84%68%60%
Grade 580%77%63%75%72%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 375%82%71%77%74%
Grade 485%63%71%63%63%
Grade 576%60%48%56%52%

The story this school is actually telling

The floor · met or exceeded
65.5%

of students met or exceeded the standard, versus 42.7% statewide.

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The trajectory · grade 3→5
11.1pp

proficiency runs 73% in this year's grade 3 against 62% in its grade 5. The state average rises by +4.5pp over the same span.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

51%
22%
27%
Grade 3 · 73% proficient
42%
18%
40%
Grade 4 · 60% proficient
31%
41%
28%
Grade 5 · 72% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 19.6pp across grades; the proficiency floor barely moves. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. The school's 5th graders aren't posting a wider lead than its 3rd graders. One question worth asking on a tour: are the strongest students being pushed, or coasting? A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

62.3%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Los Molinos's most underrated number

62.3% 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.

Los Molinos low-income: 62.3%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
38.1%
State 21.3%
16.8pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-11.1pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
65.5%
State 42.7%
22.9pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
10.4%
State 17.9%
7.5pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.9%
State 1.6%
0.8pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
23.7%
State 18.0%
5.7pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask the principal what changes between grade 3 and grade 5. Ask who teaches the older grades, and what the school does when a child starts falling behind.

  • Ask what changes between grade 3 and grade 5 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • 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 Los Molinos Elementary in Hacienda Heights, 62.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Los Molinos Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (56.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (62.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 7.3 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 130 students tested.

All students at this school: 66% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 66%, district —, state 43%66%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 59%, district 35%, state 32%59% · −7 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 59%, district 40%, state 32%59% · −7 vs school
MaleMale: this school 69%, district 44%, state 42%69% · +2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 64%, district 46%, state 44%64% · −2 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 82%, district 74%, state 72%82% · +16 vs school

8 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 falls by 5.7pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +2.2pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 10.4%, district 22.0%, state 17.9%10.4% · −7.5pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.9%, district —, state 1.6%0.9% · −0.8pp vs state

TK/K students miss school at roughly three times the rate of Grades 4–6 students (19.5% vs 6.7%). 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 4–66.7%
TK/K19.5%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Los Molinos Elementary
57/100
This school
High 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 staff24 teachers
Avg. experience19.7 years
Fully credentialed100%
First-year teachers4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$70,168 – $134,578
Principal salary$184,552 – $203,525
Superintendent salary$309,817

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,809, CA average $14,815$19,809 · spent at this school
Federal share$287 per student

$287 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$20,968 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
Instruction62%
Instruction support12%
Student services8%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance10%
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$14,861 per pupil
2019$13,454 per pupil
2018$13,372 per pupil
2017$12,585 per pupil
2016$12,642 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic60.8%
District 71.3% · CA 56.1%
Asian25.7%
District 21.4% · CA 10.2%
Other8.3%
District 4.6% · CA 9.0%
White4.2%
District 2.1% · CA 19.9%
Black1.0%
District 0.6% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 57.4% (6pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$109K · CA $85K
Median home value$821K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+35% · CA 35%
ZIP population54,351
Median age44 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), 39% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Los Molinos Elementary a good elementary school?

Los Molinos Elementary has a Scope Score of 57 out of 100, placing it in the 77th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,294 statewide. 38.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 16.8 percentage points above 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 Los Molinos Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 65.5% of students at Los Molinos Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 38.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 27.4% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 38.1% 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. 437 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Los Molinos Elementary rank in California?

Los Molinos Elementary ranks #1,294 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 77th 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 Los Molinos Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Los Molinos Elementary decreases by 11.1 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 Los Molinos Elementary?

10.4% of students at Los Molinos 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 Los Molinos Elementary compare to other schools in Hacienda Heights?

Los Molinos Elementary scores 57/100 (77th 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 505 students. Use the schools in Hacienda Heights page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Los Molinos Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Los Molinos Elementary in Hacienda Heights, 62.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Los Molinos Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 17.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (56.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (62.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 7.3 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 130 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
Exceeded standard · 38%
38.1%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 66th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-11.1pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 41th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
65.5%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 67th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
10.4%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 62th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.9%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 56th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
23.7%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 58th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 38751%22%18%9%72%+29
Grade 46042%18%22%18%60%+15
Grade 57131%41%15%13%72%+24
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 38841%33%13%14%74%+28
Grade 46235%27%19%18%63%+21
Grade 56929%23%30%17%52%+17
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/117117%23%54%7%

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 Disadvantaged13062.3%+17+24
Hispanic/Latino13362.4%+20+24
Asian5485.2%+12+11
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Los Molinos Elementary ←5738.1%65.5%−11.10.9%
Murphy Ranch Elementary2.6 mi6944.0%71.1%+4.51.3%
Grazide Elementary1 mi6435.1%62.4%+7.70.9%
Ocean View Elementary2.8 mi5839.0%68.9%−16.50.6%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20197594#31750.5%79.7%6.3%0.2%+0.1pp
20225784#89344.0%72.8%33.3%0.2%-12.3pp
20235478#123840.3%68.1%15.9%0.2%-16.3pp
20245576#135837.0%68.6%10.0%0.7%-9.0pp
20255777#129438.1%65.5%10.4%0.9%-11.1pp
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
Female3.8%10.8%+7.0pp
Male8.4%9.1%+0.7pp
Asian1.9%3.0%+1.1pp
White0.0%
Hispanic/Latino8.0%13.4%+5.4pp
Students with Disabilities17.9%24.6%+6.7pp
English Learners4.8%5.2%+0.4pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged7.9%11.9%+4.0pp
All Students6.2%9.9%+3.7pp
Filipino11.1%
Two or More Races0.0%
Homeless19.0%
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