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School Profile · Long Beach

Newcomb Academy: Two in five kids exceed the standard. But math slips between grade 3 and grade 5.

Newcomb Academy is one of the strongest elementary schools in Long Beach by raw achievement. The catch worth understanding: the cohort doesn't gain ground year-over-year.

3351 Val Verde Avenue, 90808 (opens in new tab)·Long Beach Unified·Long Beach·Grades TK-8·914 students·20% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(562) 430-1250
Scope Score
67
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #631 statewide · #5 of 53 in Long Beach Unified

Newcomb Academy scores 67 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 89th 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 →

Most rating sites would stop at “78% proficient” and call it done. Newcomb Academy deserves a closer read. It sits at the 89th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

Newcomb Academy's low-income kids hit 69.2% 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 story this school is actually telling

The ceiling · exceeded standard
45.1%

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

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The trajectory · grade 3→5
2.1pp

math proficiency runs 78% in grade 3 against 67% in grade 5, while reading holds (73% to 80%). 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.

52%
21%
27%
Grade 3 · 73% proficient
46%
42%
12%
Grade 4 · 88% proficient
49%
31%
20%
Grade 5 · 80% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 2.9pp across grades; the floor rises 7.0pp. 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.

69.2%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Newcomb Academy's most underrated number

69.2% 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.

Newcomb Academy low-income: 69.2%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
45.1%
State 21.3%
23.8pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
78.0%
State 42.7%
35.3pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-2.1pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
12.9%
State 17.9%
5.0pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.7%
State 1.6%
0.1pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
26.7%
State 18.0%
8.7pp 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.

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Newcomb Academy
67/100
This school

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

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.

The community around it

Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope Score

Student demographics

Hispanic37.1%
White31.0%
Asian7.7%
Black6.1%
Other18.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 20.1% (44pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
914
294 above CA avg (~620)
Transitional Kindergarten
74 TK students
8% of a 972-student campus · CDE Census Day 2025-26
Student-Teacher Ratio
25:1
4 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$18,175
District avg: $13,498 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
26.7% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$65,703 – $137,718
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Newcomb Academy in Long Beach, 69.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 41.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Newcomb Academy outperforms its district average for low-income students by 27.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (55.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (78.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 15.9 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 107 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · English Learner+22.6pp
35.5% vs 12.9% overall · n=31
Suspension · Black+5.2pp
6.9% vs 1.7% overall · n=58
Math · Low-Income−18.0pp
55.5% vs 73.4% overall · n=84
3 more gaps by subject
ELA · Disabilities−15.9pp
65.3% vs 81.2% overall · n=32
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−27.2pp
22.5% vs 49.8% overall · n=32
Math Exceeded · Low-Income−19.0pp
26.2% vs 45.2% overall · n=84

Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.

Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income108 tested
ELA 69.2%·Math 55.1%· +27.3pp vs district
Hispanic204 tested
ELA 78.4%·Math 71.4%· +33.5pp vs district
White183 tested
ELA 80.3%·Math 76.0%· +3.4pp vs district

Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.

Subgroup Growth by Grade
Change in proficiency from lowest tested grade. Shows which groups are gaining ground.

Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 3.5pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +7.6pp.

Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Funding Breakdown
Instruction 64%Support 33%Other 3%

Source: NCES F-33 (2019–2020) · Full district breakdown →

Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$138K
$53K above CA median
Median Home Value
$954K
$295K above CA median
Bachelor's+
47%
12pp above CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
19.3 years avg experience
38 teachers · 5% first-year
Teacher Credentials
94% fully credentialed

Source: CDE SARC, 2024-25

Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →

Frequently asked questions

Is Newcomb Academy a good elementary school?
Newcomb Academy has a Scope Score of 67 out of 100, placing it in the 89th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #631 statewide. 45.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 23.8 percentage points above the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are Newcomb Academy's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 78.0% of students at Newcomb Academy met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 45.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 32.8% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 45.1% 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. 512 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Newcomb Academy rank in California?
Newcomb Academy ranks #631 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 89th 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 Newcomb Academy getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Newcomb Academy decreases by 2.1 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 Newcomb Academy?
12.9% of students at Newcomb Academy are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.7%, 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 Newcomb Academy compare to other schools in Long Beach?
Newcomb Academy scores 67/100 (89th 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 914 students. Use the schools in Long Beach page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Newcomb Academy serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Newcomb Academy in Long Beach, 69.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 41.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Newcomb Academy outperforms its district average for low-income students by 27.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (55.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (78.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 15.9 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 107 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.

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 · 43%
45.1%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 73th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
78.0%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 77th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
-2.1pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 50th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
12.9%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 58th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.7%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 49th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
26.7%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 63th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 38652%21%21%6%73%+30
Grade 48946%42%10%2%88%+43
Grade 58149%31%14%6%80%+32
Grade 610453%28%17%2%81%+34
Grade 79849%35%12%4%84%+36
Grade 89249%33%9%10%82%+35
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 38644%34%14%8%78%+32
Grade 48940%42%16%2%82%+40
Grade 58138%28%28%5%67%+31
Grade 610455%24%14%7%79%+44
Grade 79843%24%24%8%67%+33
Grade 89351%17%15%17%68%+35
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1117131%31%37%1%

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 Disadvantaged10769.2%+27+31
Hispanic/Latino20478.4%+33+40
White18380.3%+3+19
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Newcomb Academy ←6745.1%78.0%−2.11.7%
Jack L. Weaver Elementary1.9 mi8972.3%90.6%−3.50.3%
Margaret Landell Elementary1.4 mi8566.2%85.7%+0.20.1%
Richard Henry Lee Elementary1.4 mi8258.7%83.8%+3.50.4%
California average4321.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
79%67%'19'22'23'24'25
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #212 → #356 → #393 → #633 → #631
What we can't show
  • — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue