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Ocean Air · San Diego

Ocean Air: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.

Ocean Air posts 67.5% exceeding the standard — versus 21.3% statewide — with climate numbers better than most. That doesn't make it perfect. It makes it worth a visit to find what numbers can't measure.

2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope8745
% Exceeded67%21%
% Met+89%43%
Growth-6.5-2.9
Absence4.9%17.9%
Suspension0.1%1.6%
Scope Score
87
⭐ High Ceiling · Strong
ranked #46 statewide · #3 of 9 in Del Mar Union Elementary

Ocean Air scores 87 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 99th 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 →

⭐ High Ceiling — Ask what happens for a kid who shows up behind — a high ceiling for the top can sit right next to thin support at the bottom, and the score alone won't show you which.

Most rating sites would stop at “89% proficient” and call it done. Ocean Air deserves a closer read. It sits at the 99th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 67.5% 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 99th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathYellow(Declined Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 89% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 393%92%86%86%90%
Grade 489%97%96%88%83%
Grade 591%90%94%94%87%
Grade 691%96%89%88%96%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 396%95%91%89%98%
Grade 491%93%90%87%89%
Grade 590%91%89%93%88%
Grade 690%90%95%93%95%

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.

69%
22%
9%
Grade 3 · 91% proficient
64%
19%
17%
Grade 4 · 83% proficient
60%
27%
13%
Grade 5 · 87% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 8.9pp across grades; the floor slips 3.2pp. 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
67.5%
State 21.3%
46.1pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-6.5pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
89.2%
State 42.7%
46.5pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
4.9%
State 17.9%
13.0pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.1%
State 1.6%
1.5pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
58.1%
State 18.0%
40.1pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • 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 Ocean Air in San Diego, 97.1% of asian students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 88.0% district-wide and 74.4% statewide. Ocean Air outperforms its district average for asian students by 9.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Asian students (97.1% Math proficient); White students (83.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 5.3 percentage points for white students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 136 students tested.

All students at this school: 91% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 91%, district —, state 43%91%
FemaleFemale: this school 90%, district 83%, state 44%90% · −0 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 97%, district 90%, state 72%97% · +7 vs school
MaleMale: this school 91%, district 82%, state 42%91% · +1 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 85%, district 81%, state 56%85% · −5 vs school

8 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 4.9%, district 7.7%, state 17.9%4.9% · −13.0pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.1%, district —, state 1.6%0.1% · −1.5pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–64.9%
TK/K1.7%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 20:120:1
Teaching staff23 teachers
Avg. experience19.6 years
Fully credentialed97%
First-year teachers4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$68,098 – $132,885
Principal salary$172,289 – $0
Superintendent salary$319,804

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $20,984, CA average $14,815$20,984 · spent at this school
Federal share$95 per student

$95 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$23,271 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 support11%
Student services6%
Administration8%
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$18,866 per pupil
2019$17,046 per pupil
2018$15,584 per pupil
2017$14,474 per pupil
2016$14,090 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Asian48.7%
District 36.4% · CA 10.2%
White30.4%
District 40.6% · CA 19.9%
Other13.1%
District 11.8% · CA 9.0%
Hispanic7.1%
District 10.3% · CA 56.1%
Black0.7%
District 0.8% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 3.8% (60pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$206K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.75M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+82% · CA 35%
ZIP population60,768
Median age40 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 78% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ocean Air a good elementary school?

Ocean Air has a Scope Score of 87 out of 100, placing it in the 99th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #46 statewide. 67.5% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 46.1 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 Ocean Air's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 89.2% of students at Ocean Air met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 67.5% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 21.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 67.5% 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. 396 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Ocean Air rank in California?

Ocean Air ranks #46 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 99th 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 Ocean Air getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Ocean Air decreases by 6.5 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 Ocean Air?

4.9% of students at Ocean Air are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.1%, 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 Ocean Air compare to other schools in San Diego?

Ocean Air scores 87/100 (99th 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 450 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Ocean Air serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Ocean Air in San Diego, 97.1% of asian students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 88.0% district-wide and 74.4% statewide. Ocean Air outperforms its district average for asian students by 9.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Asian students (97.1% Math proficient); White students (83.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 5.3 percentage points for white students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 136 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%
67.5%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 95th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-6.5pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 58th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
89.2%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 86th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
4.9%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 71th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.1%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 62th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
58.1%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 100th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35169%22%10%0%90%+47
Grade 47064%19%14%3%83%+38
Grade 57760%27%9%4%87%+39
Grade 67666%30%3%1%96%+49
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35176%22%2%0%98%+52
Grade 47063%26%9%3%89%+47
Grade 57773%16%8%4%88%+53
Grade 67682%13%3%3%95%+60
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/117753%25%21%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
Asian13697.1%+9+23
White8683.7%+4+22
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Ocean Air ←8767.5%89.2%−6.50.1%
Sage Canyon0.6 mi9366.0%85.3%+11.30.7%
Carmel Del Mar Elementary1.2 mi9266.8%87.5%+1.60.4%
Solana Ranch Elementary2.8 mi8865.8%82.2%−6.10.3%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20198799#5073.3%91.7%3.2%0.1%-4.2pp
20228899#1172.5%92.8%6.7%0.2%-2.6pp
20239099#2671.6%91.0%8.3%0.6%+2.9pp
20248899#2669.9%89.7%5.4%0.1%+5.6pp
20258799#4667.5%89.2%4.9%0.1%-6.5pp
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
Female2.7%3.2%+0.5pp
Male3.6%4.5%+0.9pp
Asian1.4%1.8%+0.4pp
Hispanic/Latino10.2%9.4%-0.8pp
Two or More Races0.0%7.9%+7.9pp
Students with Disabilities3.2%6.3%+3.1pp
English Learners9.8%6.4%-3.4pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged14.3%9.1%-5.2pp
All Students3.1%3.9%+0.8pp
Filipino18.8%
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