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Monte Vista Elementary · Vista

Monte Vista Elementary: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Monte Vista posts 43% meeting the standard against 43% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

1720 Monte Vista Road, 92084 (opens in new tab)·Vista Unified·Vista·Grades TK-5·556 students·56% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 726-0410·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4045
% Exceeded16%21%
% Met+43%43%
Growth-15.2-2.9
Absence15.2%17.9%
Suspension1.0%1.6%
Scope Score
40
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #3,287 statewide · #10 of 16 in Vista Unified

Monte Vista Elementary scores 40 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 43rd 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 →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

Most rating sites would stop at “43% proficient” and call it done. Monte Vista deserves a closer read. The school sits in Vista, where more than half of 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

Has stayed near the 43rd percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 43% of students meet the standard today, above the 40% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 348%52%49%38%52%
Grade 435%35%43%34%39%
Grade 549%33%37%34%40%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 348%54%48%45%52%
Grade 432%34%42%35%42%
Grade 528%13%32%22%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.

23%
29%
48%
Grade 3 · 52% proficient
16%
23%
61%
Grade 4 · 39% proficient
15%
25%
60%
Grade 5 · 40% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 7.7pp across grades; the floor slips 12.0pp. 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
16.2%
State 21.3%
5.1pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-15.2pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
43.3%
State 42.7%
0.6pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
15.2%
State 17.9%
2.7pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.0%
State 1.6%
0.6pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
10.5%
State 18.0%
7.4pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • Ask what changes between grade 3 and grade 5 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • 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 Monte Vista Elementary in Vista, 37.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Monte Vista Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (34.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (32.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 28.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 146 students tested.

All students at this school: 43% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 43%, district —, state 43%43%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 36%, district 30%, state 32%36% · −7 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 34%, district 29%, state 32%34% · −10 vs school
MaleMale: this school 47%, district 39%, state 42%47% · +3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 39%, district 39%, state 44%39% · −4 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 54%, district 60%, state 56%54% · +11 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 17%, district 14%, state 15%17% · −27 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 50%, district 54%, state 56%50% · +7 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.

Low-income student ELA proficiency falls by 13.0pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +2.3pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 15.2%, district 22.4%, state 17.9%15.2% · −2.7pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.0%, district —, state 1.6%1.0% · −0.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–613.6%
TK/K19.0%

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 24:1, district 22:124:1
Teaching staff24 teachers
Avg. experience16.8 years
Fully credentialed100%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$57,722 – $120,983
Principal salary$161,808 – $178,935
Superintendent salary$320,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,295, CA average $14,815$19,295 · spent at this school
Federal share$881 per student

$881 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$20,783 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
Instruction64%
Instruction support12%
Student services9%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance9%
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$13,817 per pupil
2019$13,241 per pupil
2018$14,041 per pupil
2017$11,234 per pupil
2016$10,657 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic54.0%
District 66.4% · CA 56.1%
White33.3%
District 21.5% · CA 19.9%
Other9.9%
District 8.2% · CA 9.0%
Black2.0%
District 2.2% · CA 4.8%
Asian0.9%
District 1.8% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 55.6% (8pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$99K · CA $85K
Median home value$824K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+29% · CA 35%
ZIP population49,727
Median age36 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), 29% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Monte Vista Elementary a good elementary school?

Monte Vista Elementary has a Scope Score of 40 out of 100, placing it in the 43rd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,287 statewide. 16.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 5.1 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 Monte Vista Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 43.3% of students at Monte Vista Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 16.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 27.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 16.2% 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. 488 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Monte Vista Elementary rank in California?

Monte Vista Elementary ranks #3,287 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 43rd 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 Monte Vista Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Monte Vista Elementary decreases by 15.2 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 Monte Vista Elementary?

15.2% of students at Monte Vista 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 1.0%, 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 Monte Vista Elementary compare to other schools in Vista?

Monte Vista Elementary scores 40/100 (43rd 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 556 students. Use the schools in Vista page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Monte Vista Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Monte Vista Elementary in Vista, 37.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 35.1% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Monte Vista Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (34.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (32.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 28.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 146 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%
16.2%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 45th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-15.2pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 43th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
43.3%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 50th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
15.2%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 54th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.0%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 55th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
10.5%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 40th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 38223%29%17%30%52%+9
Grade 47916%23%22%39%39%−6
Grade 58415%25%23%37%40%−7
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 38115%37%20%28%52%+6
Grade 47814%28%29%28%42%+1
Grade 58413%20%27%39%33%−2
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11835%24%60%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 Disadvantaged14637.0%+2−1
Hispanic/Latino13332.3%−2−7
White7754.5%−10−7
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Monte Vista Elementary ←4016.2%43.3%−15.21.0%
Dual Language Immersion North County1.3 mi8647.6%72.4%+0.50.3%
Paloma Elementary2.6 mi7245.5%75.2%+3.20.6%
Classical Academy Vista1.3 mi6136.8%61.1%−6.50.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194249#282319.2%40.2%4.6%0.9%-9.5pp
20222417#476216.6%36.7%46.4%1.6%-30.1pp
20233744#320217.0%42.0%23.3%3.5%-13.9pp
20242814#495810.8%34.8%16.7%2.1%-13.4pp
20254043#328716.2%43.3%15.2%1.0%-15.2pp
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%13.9%+10.1pp
Male5.2%15.9%+10.7pp
Hispanic/Latino4.6%16.1%+11.5pp
Two or More Races12.5%9.8%-2.7pp
Students with Disabilities3.1%22.0%+18.9pp
English Learners2.8%16.9%+14.1pp
Homeless11.3%18.8%+7.5pp
Military-Connected10.0%18.2%+8.2pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged5.3%16.6%+11.3pp
All Students4.5%15.0%+10.5pp
Black/African American18.2%
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