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Newcastle Charter · Newcastle

Newcastle Charter: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

Newcastle Charter posts 70% meeting the standard, and 36.6% going well past it. Most kids here keep up. Fewer get pushed further. Ask the school what it does for a child who already finds the work easy.

8951 Valley View Drive, 95658 (opens in new tab)·Newcastle Elementary·Newcastle·Grades TK-8·333 students·18% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(916) 663-3307·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6545
% Exceeded37%21%
% Met+70%43%
Growth+0.4-2.9
Absence4.5%17.9%
Suspension1.8%1.6%
Scope Score
65
💪 Strong All-Around · Solid
ranked #732 statewide · #2 of 5 in Newcastle Elementary

Newcastle Charter scores 65 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 87th 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 →

💪 Strong All-Around — Ask about what we don't score — class size, electives, the feel of a classroom — strong numbers everywhere on paper don't mean every classroom feels the same.

Most rating sites would stop at “70% proficient” and call it done. Newcastle Charter deserves a closer read. It sits at the 87th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 4.5% chronic absenteeism — versus 17.9% statewide. Attendance is the quietest strong signal a school can post.

As a charter, Newcastle Charter enrolls by application rather than address. That changes how you get in, but it doesn't change the score.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Climbed from the 68th to the 87th percentile since 2019 — past roughly 1000 elementary schools.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Maintained)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 70% of students meet the standard today, above the 65% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 376%48%65%74%64%
Grade 461%52%56%68%79%
Grade 587%65%58%62%80%
Grade 663%80%64%68%56%
Grade 765%63%83%74%81%
Grade 863%77%52%72%73%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 364%52%70%63%69%
Grade 455%55%51%62%72%
Grade 550%42%50%41%54%
Grade 641%50%64%51%28%
Grade 765%47%48%56%62%
Grade 847%69%63%58%59%

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.

36%
28%
36%
Grade 3 · 64% proficient
38%
41%
21%
Grade 4 · 79% proficient
37%
44%
19%
Grade 5 · 81% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor rises 16.4pp. 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 5 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
36.6%
State 21.3%
15.3pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+0.4pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
69.9%
State 42.7%
27.2pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
4.5%
State 17.9%
13.4pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.8%
State 1.6%
0.2pp above 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 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 Newcastle Charter in Newcastle, 73.4% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 71.9% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Newcastle Charter outperforms its district average for white students by 1.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (56.4% Math proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 177 students tested.

All students at this school: 64% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 64%, district —, state 43%64%
WhiteWhite: this school 65%, district 65%, state 56%65% · +1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 67%, district 68%, state 44%67% · +2 vs school
MaleMale: this school 61%, district 61%, state 42%61% · −3 vs school

9 of 13 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 4.5%, district 4.9%, state 17.9%4.5% · −13.4pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.8%, district —, state 1.6%1.8% · +0.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–61.8%
Grades 7–86.0%
TK/K0.0%

Where the path goes

The path below is estimated from nearby schools in the same district — scores shown for each next step.

Estimated K-12 Path
Elementary
Newcastle Charter
65
This school

Estimated K-12 path based on district and proximity. Actual attendance zones may differ. 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 30:1, district 23:130:1
Teaching staff24 teachers
Avg. experience14.1 years
Fully credentialed95%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$51,455 – $109,390
Principal salary$159,196 – $0
Superintendent salary$215,270

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $10,128, CA average $14,815$10,128 · spent at this school

These measure different things: this figure is spending attributed to this campus, while district-wide figures also include central administration, districtwide programs, and the state's pension contributions made on the district's behalf — costs that never get assigned to a single school. The district number runs higher at nearly every school, not just this one.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$24,457 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
Instruction68%
Instruction support9%
Student services8%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance9%

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$16,010 per pupil
2019$13,152 per pupil
2018$13,709 per pupil
2017$4,653 per pupil
2016$3,771 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White72.4%
District 54.3% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic15.3%
District 13.4% · CA 56.1%
Other10.2%
District 13.5% · CA 9.0%
Asian1.5%
District 18.3% · CA 10.2%
Black0.6%
District 0.5% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 18.3% (45pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$127K · CA $85K
Median home value$838K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+40% · CA 35%
ZIP population5,894
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), 59% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Newcastle Charter a good elementary school?

Newcastle Charter has a Scope Score of 65 out of 100, placing it in the 87th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #732 statewide. 36.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 15.3 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 Newcastle Charter's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 69.9% of students at Newcastle Charter met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 36.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 33.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 36.6% 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. 218 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Newcastle Charter rank in California?

Newcastle Charter ranks #732 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 87th 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 Newcastle Charter getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Newcastle Charter increases by 0.4 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 Newcastle Charter?

4.5% of students at Newcastle Charter are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.8%, 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 Newcastle Charter compare to other schools in Newcastle?

Newcastle Charter scores 65/100 (87th 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 333 students. Use the schools in Newcastle page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Newcastle Charter serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Newcastle Charter in Newcastle, 73.4% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 71.9% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Newcastle Charter outperforms its district average for white students by 1.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (56.4% Math proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 177 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%
36.6%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 65th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+0.4pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 61th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
69.9%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 71th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
4.5%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 72th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.8%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 49th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 33936%28%15%21%64%+21
Grade 42938%41%17%3%79%+35
Grade 54137%44%15%5%80%+33
Grade 63923%33%36%8%56%+10
Grade 74238%43%14%5%81%+33
Grade 84033%40%20%8%73%+26
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 33936%33%18%13%69%+24
Grade 42941%31%28%0%72%+31
Grade 54132%22%41%5%54%+18
Grade 64018%10%35%38%28%−8
Grade 74236%26%26%12%62%+28
Grade 84127%32%27%15%59%+26
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/118126%33%38%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
White17773.4%+2+12
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Newcastle Charter ←6536.6%69.9%+0.41.8%
Newcastle Elementary0 mi5828.9%60.4%−3.84.6%
Ophir STEAM Academy1.8 mi4922.3%49.8%+15.31.2%
Harvest Ridge Cooperative Charter0.2 mi4927.4%49.9%−12.80.5%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195168#178022.1%65.4%3.3%1.4%-1.3pp
20225178#124924.0%52.2%32.4%0.3%+3.2pp
20235377#129728.5%58.3%20.7%0.6%-13.6pp
20246285#87532.8%61.6%11.0%4.0%-17.2pp
20256587#73236.6%69.9%4.5%1.8%+0.4pp
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
Female3.5%2.1%-1.4pp
Male2.8%3.4%+0.6pp
Hispanic/Latino6.3%0.0%-6.3pp
Two or More Races0.0%6.5%+6.5pp
Students with Disabilities8.0%6.1%-1.9pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged12.0%3.1%-8.9pp
All Students3.1%2.7%-0.4pp
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