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Nye Elementary · San Diego

Nye Elementary: 70% of kids clear the bar — ahead of the state's 43%. But the zoned next school scores lower.

Nye Elementary holds its own. Scores drop at the schools it feeds into. Ask where its graduates actually enrol, and whether families stay on the zoned path.

981 Valencia Parkway, 92114 (opens in new tab)·San Diego Unified·San Diego·Grades TK-5·385 students·72% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(619) 430-1200·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6445
% Exceeded35%21%
% Met+70%43%
Growth+7.2-2.9
Absence18.8%17.9%
Suspension1.1%1.6%
Scope Score
64
🚀 Growth Engine · Solid
ranked #779 statewide · #24 of 137 in San Diego Unified

Nye Elementary scores 64 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 86th 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 “70% proficient” and call it done. Nye Elementary deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Diego, where two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Nye Elementary'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 seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has held the 86th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAOrange(Declined Significantly)MathYellow(Declined)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 70% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 366%78%59%70%68%
Grade 471%65%81%80%73%
Grade 573%69%68%76%70%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 370%70%62%55%62%
Grade 476%53%74%69%73%
Grade 563%62%54%66%74%

The story this school is actually telling

The floor · met or exceeded
69.8%

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

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The next step · the zoned path
33pts

the zoned path continues to Bell Middle, which scores 33 points lower — the data can't say why.

↓ 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.

32%
36%
32%
Grade 3 · 68% proficient
52%
20%
28%
Grade 4 · 72% proficient
30%
40%
30%
Grade 5 · 70% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 2.4pp across grades; the floor rises 2.4pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

69.2%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Nye Elementary'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.

Nye Elementary low-income: 69.2%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
35.2%
State 21.3%
13.9pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+7.2pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
69.8%
State 42.7%
27.1pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
18.8%
State 17.9%
0.9pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.1%
State 1.6%
0.6pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
19.6%
State 18.0%
1.6pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask which schools families here actually choose next — the zoned path is only the default.

  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • Ask which schools families here actually choose next — the zoned path is only the default.
  • 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 Nye Elementary in San Diego, 69.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Nye Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 26.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (66.1% Math proficient); Filipino students (83.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 11.4 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 117 students tested.

All students at this school: 69% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 69%, district —, state 43%69%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 68%, district 36%, state 32%68% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 74%, district 51%, state 44%74% · +4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 65%, district 50%, state 42%65% · −5 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 85%, district 65%, state 65%85% · +15 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 59%, district 35%, state 32%59% · −11 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 63%, district 23%, state 22%63% · −6 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 66%, district 27%, state 26%66% · −4 vs school

8 of 16 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 0.9pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +5.6pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 18.8%, district 20.8%, state 17.9%18.8% · +0.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.1%, district —, state 1.6%1.1% · −0.6pp vs state

TK/K students miss school at roughly twice the rate of Grades 4–6 students (30.9% vs 15.3%). 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 4–615.3%
TK/K30.9%

Where the path goes

The zoned path continues to Bell Middle, which scores 33 points lower than this school — worth weighing alongside everything above. Families here often look at charter or magnet options for middle school.

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 23:124:1
Teaching staff20 teachers
Avg. experience19.1 years
Fully credentialed94%
First-year teachers5%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$55,375 – $124,275
Principal salary$0 – $187,294
Superintendent salary$300,404

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $21,654, CA average $14,815$21,654 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,920 per student

$1,920 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,967 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
Instruction63%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance7%
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$15,976 per pupil
2019$14,540 per pupil
2018$14,457 per pupil
2017$11,416 per pupil
2016$11,708 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Other36.1%
District 13.8% · CA 9.0%
Hispanic30.1%
District 47.0% · CA 56.1%
Black20.5%
District 7.5% · CA 4.8%
Asian7.8%
District 8.7% · CA 10.2%
White5.5%
District 22.9% · CA 19.9%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 71.7% (8pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$98K · CA $85K
Median home value$649K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+22% · CA 35%
ZIP population65,745
Median age38 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), 65% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nye Elementary a good elementary school?

Nye Elementary has a Scope Score of 64 out of 100, placing it in the 86th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #779 statewide. 35.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 13.9 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 Nye Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 69.8% of students at Nye Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 35.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 34.6% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 35.2% 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. 321 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Nye Elementary rank in California?

Nye Elementary ranks #779 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 86th 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 Nye Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Nye Elementary increases by 7.2 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 Nye Elementary?

18.8% of students at Nye Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.1%, 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 Nye Elementary compare to other schools in San Diego?

Nye Elementary scores 64/100 (86th 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 385 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Nye Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Nye Elementary in San Diego, 69.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Nye Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 26.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (66.1% Math proficient); Filipino students (83.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 11.4 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 117 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%
35.2%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 63th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+7.2pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 65th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
69.8%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 71th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
18.8%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 49th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.1%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 55th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
19.6%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 53th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35932%36%20%12%68%+24
Grade 44452%20%9%18%73%+28
Grade 55730%40%16%14%70%+22
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36023%38%22%17%62%+16
Grade 44439%34%16%11%73%+31
Grade 55735%39%19%7%74%+38
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/115730%35%35%0%

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 Disadvantaged11769.2%+27+31
Filipino4283.3%+12+11
Hispanic/Latino2955.2%+14+16
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Nye Elementary ←6435.2%69.8%+7.21.1%
Allen (Ella B.) Elementary3.4 mi6334.6%61.3%+7.74.6%
Valley Vista Elementary2.8 mi5619.5%42.8%−10.50.8%
Bethune K-81.2 mi5327.8%54.9%+6.90.7%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196686#75341.0%69.6%8.0%0.7%-0.4pp
20225582#101139.0%66.2%31.1%0.6%-8.6pp
20236488#66939.0%66.3%27.5%0.9%+0.6pp
20246486#79242.2%69.1%23.5%2.0%+8.2pp
20256486#77935.2%69.8%18.8%1.1%+7.2pp
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
Female9.2%16.8%+7.6pp
Male6.4%20.8%+14.4pp
Asian8.0%6.7%-1.3pp
Black/African American7.7%17.5%+9.8pp
White2.9%15.2%+12.3pp
Hispanic/Latino10.7%27.3%+16.6pp
Two or More Races16.7%21.3%+4.6pp
Students with Disabilities9.5%22.2%+12.7pp
English Learners11.6%17.6%+6.0pp
Homeless12.5%26.3%+13.8pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged9.2%22.9%+13.7pp
All Students7.9%18.9%+11.0pp
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