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Mira Catalina Elementary · Rancho Palos Verdes

Mira Catalina Elementary: The score is strong. The trajectory is stronger.

Mira Catalina pairs 73% proficiency with gains that hold up when the same students are tracked two years apart — the rare school that posts both.

2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6845
% Exceeded47%21%
% Met+73%43%
Growth+16.8-2.9
Absence11.0%17.9%
Suspension0.4%1.6%
Scope Score
68
🚀 Growth Engine · Solid
ranked #567 statewide · #9 of 10 in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified

Mira Catalina Elementary scores 68 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 90th 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 →

🚀 Growth Engine — Ask how the school tracks each kid's growth year to year, and what happens when a kid stalls instead of gaining.

Most rating sites would stop at “73% proficient” and call it done. Mira Catalina deserves a closer read. It sits at the 90th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 46.8% of students scored in the top band on the state test. The California average is 21.3%.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has held the 90th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELARed(Declined Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 73% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 374%89%80%75%56%
Grade 473%69%85%88%77%
Grade 577%77%82%89%92%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 371%88%87%84%69%
Grade 476%82%88%84%79%
Grade 566%60%72%73%66%

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.

30%
26%
44%
Grade 3 · 56% proficient
46%
30%
24%
Grade 4 · 76% proficient
53%
39%
8%
Grade 5 · 92% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 22.9pp across grades; the floor rises 36.0pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
46.8%
State 21.3%
25.4pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+16.8pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
72.8%
State 42.7%
30.2pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
11.0%
State 17.9%
6.9pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.4%
State 1.6%
1.2pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
6.7%
State 18.0%
11.3pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what changed — new curriculum, new principal, new program. Momentum has a cause, and a visit will find it.

  • 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 Mira Catalina Elementary in Rancho Palos Verdes, 81.8% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 79.5% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Mira Catalina Elementary outperforms its district average for white students by 2.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (76.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (68.6% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 88 students tested.

All students at this school: 73% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 73%, district —, state 43%73%
FemaleFemale: this school 74%, district 79%, state 44%74% · +1 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 79%, district 75%, state 56%79% · +6 vs school
MaleMale: this school 72%, district 78%, state 42%72% · −1 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 60%, district 61%, state 32%60% · −13 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 91%, district 89%, state 72%91% · +18 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 55%, district 42%, state 15%55% · −19 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 73%, district 64%, state 32%73% · +0 vs school

7 of 15 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.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 11.0%, district 9.5%, state 17.9%11.0% · −6.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.4%, district —, state 1.6%0.4% · −1.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–614.7%
TK/K11.0%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 22:1, district 22:122:1
Teaching staff22 teachers
Avg. experience21.4 years
Fully credentialed93%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$65,722 – $123,108
Principal salary$141,579 – $192,613
Superintendent salary$300,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $15,401, CA average $14,815$15,401 · school-level
District current expense · FY 2024–25$17,611 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
Instruction67%
Instruction support7%
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$12,873 per pupil
2019$12,030 per pupil
2018$12,484 per pupil
2017$11,907 per pupil
2016$11,441 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White52.2%
District 37.3% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic19.4%
District 16.0% · CA 56.1%
Asian13.1%
District 30.1% · CA 10.2%
Other12.0%
District 14.6% · CA 9.0%
Black3.3%
District 2.0% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 13.9% (50pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$179K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.61M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+71% · CA 35%
ZIP population40,945
Median age49 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), 75% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mira Catalina Elementary a good elementary school?

Mira Catalina Elementary has a Scope Score of 68 out of 100, placing it in the 90th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #567 statewide. 46.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 25.4 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 Mira Catalina Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 72.8% of students at Mira Catalina Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 46.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 46.8% 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. 338 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Mira Catalina Elementary rank in California?

Mira Catalina Elementary ranks #567 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 90th 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 Mira Catalina Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Mira Catalina Elementary increases by 16.8 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 Mira Catalina Elementary?

11.0% of students at Mira Catalina 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 0.4%, 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 Mira Catalina Elementary compare to other schools in Rancho Palos Verdes?

Mira Catalina Elementary scores 68/100 (90th 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 366 students. Use the schools in Rancho Palos Verdes page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Mira Catalina Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Mira Catalina Elementary in Rancho Palos Verdes, 81.8% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 79.5% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Mira Catalina Elementary outperforms its district average for white students by 2.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (76.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (68.6% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 88 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%
46.8%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 75th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+16.8pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 60th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
72.8%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 73th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
11.0%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 61th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.4%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 60th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
6.7%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 35th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35430%26%26%19%56%+12
Grade 45646%30%4%20%77%+32
Grade 55953%39%5%3%92%+44
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35444%24%20%11%69%+23
Grade 45648%30%18%4%79%+37
Grade 55959%7%25%8%66%+31
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/115937%37%24%2%

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
White8881.8%+2+20
Hispanic/Latino3568.6%+0+30
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Mira Catalina Elementary ←6846.8%72.8%+16.80.4%
Soleado Elementary2.9 mi7965.0%87.2%+2.80.5%
Park Western Place Elementary1.9 mi7140.5%67.4%+0.90.1%
Cabrillo Avenue Elementary2.3 mi6623.1%48.9%+13.50.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196889#60941.8%72.8%6.6%0.5%-1.6pp
20225582#102247.2%77.6%15.0%0.5%-19.9pp
20237193#37852.6%82.4%19.6%1.1%-6.6pp
20247394#32557.1%82.3%12.0%0.9%+1.4pp
20256890#56746.8%72.8%11.0%0.4%+16.8pp
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
Female5.7%10.9%+5.2pp
Male7.1%9.8%+2.7pp
Asian2.6%10.2%+7.6pp
White0.0%
Hispanic/Latino15.6%12.2%-3.4pp
Two or More Races8.2%10.8%+2.6pp
Students with Disabilities6.7%10.3%+3.6pp
English Learners0.0%17.6%+17.6pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged17.6%18.3%+0.7pp
All Students6.5%10.4%+3.9pp
Black/African American33.3%
Homeless24.0%
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