School Profile · Altadena
OCS - South: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.
OCS - South posts 62% meeting the standard; 35.9% push past it. Steady is worth something — and the gap between those two numbers is the thing to ask about.
575 West Altadena Drive, 91001 (opens in new tab)·Pasadena Unified·Altadena·Grades K-8·392 students·29% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(626) 209-5635·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
56
🚀 Growth Engine · Solid
ranked #1,286 statewide · #4 of 17 in Pasadena Unified
OCS - South scores 56 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 78th 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 “62% proficient” and call it done. OCS - South deserves a closer read. The school sits in Altadena, where one in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
As a charter, OCS - South enrolls by application, not address — the score reads the same, the enrollment path doesn't.
The story this school is actually telling
The school, grade by grade
ELA · CAASPP 2024–25Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.
43%
24%
33%
Grade 3 · 67% proficient
44%
13%
43%
Grade 4 · 57% proficient
50%
32%
18%
Grade 5 · 82% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding rises 7.1pp across grades; the floor rises 15.5pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.
The 5 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
35.9%
State 21.3%
14.6pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
62.1%
State 42.7%
19.5pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+6.4pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Chronic absenteeism
28.9%
State 17.9%
11.0pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.8%
State 1.6%
0.1pp 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.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Planning ahead? 3 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 68
Paradise Canyon Elementary
La Canada Unified · 1.8 mi
Strong
82/100
Odyssey Charter
Los Angeles County Office of Education · 0.2 mi
Solid
68/100
Aveson School of Leaders
Pasadena Unified · 1.9 mi
Solid
53/100
Nearby Middle Schools
2 within ~3 mi · avg 29
Octavia E. Butler Magnet
Pasadena Unified · 2 mi
Developing
33/100
Charles W. Eliot Middle
Pasadena Unified · 1.9 mi
Needs Support
24/100
Nearby High Schools
2 within ~3 mi · avg 65
La Canada High
La Canada Unified · 1.4 mi
Strong
84/100
John Muir High
Pasadena Unified · 1.4 mi
Developing
46/100
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 ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic35.2%
White33.4%
Asian7.4%
Black7.1%
Other16.8%
GenderFemale 45.7%Male 54.3%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 28.6% (35pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
392
228 below CA avg (~620)
Transitional Kindergarten
TK status unconfirmed
No TK enrollment is on file with the state for this school — that isn't the same as “no TK.” Confirm directly with the district.
Student-Teacher Ratio
20:1
1 fewer students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$15,197
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$57,464 – $127,842
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Subgroup Growth by Grade
Change in proficiency from lowest tested grade. Shows which groups are gaining ground.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$135K
$50K above CA median
Median Home Value
$1.14M
$476K above CA median
Bachelor's+
54%
19pp 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
4.8 years avg experience
20 teachers · 20% first-year · 25% second-year
Teacher Credentials
100% 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 →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
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%
35.9%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 64th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
62.1%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 65th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
+6.4pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 57th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
28.9%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 32th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.8%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 49th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 21 | 43% | 24% | 10% | 24% | 67% | +23 |
| Grade 4 | 16 | 44% | 13% | 31% | 13% | 56% | +11 |
| Grade 5 | 28 | 50% | 32% | 0% | 18% | 82% | +34 |
| Grade 6 | 17 | 12% | 29% | 41% | 18% | 41% | −5 |
| Grade 7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grade 8 | 13 | 23% | 62% | 15% | 0% | 85% | +39 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 21 | 29% | 33% | 24% | 14% | 62% | +16 |
| Grade 4 | 15 | 13% | 33% | 40% | 13% | 47% | +5 |
| Grade 5 | 27 | 37% | 22% | 26% | 15% | 59% | +24 |
| Grade 6 | 18 | 11% | 11% | 39% | 39% | 22% | −13 |
| Grade 7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grade 8 | 13 | 38% | 31% | 15% | 15% | 69% | +37 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 41 | 20% | 37% | 37% | 7% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OCS - South ← | — | 56 | 35.9% | 62.1% | +6.4 | 1.8% |
| Paradise Canyon Elementary | 1.8 mi | 82 | 55.1% | 83.7% | +5.9 | 0.4% |
| Odyssey Charter | 0.2 mi | 68 | 52.3% | 76.4% | −9.2 | 1.2% |
| Aveson School of Leaders | 1.9 mi | 53 | 24.4% | 51.2% | +27.7 | 0.2% |
| California average | — | 43 | 21.3% | 42.7% | −2.9 | 1.6% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · rank #1270 → #1394 → #1035 → #1286
What we can't show
- — Subgroup results are suppressed for small student counts (fewer than 15 tested), following CDE privacy rules.
- — 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
Frequently asked questions
Is OCS - South a good elementary school?
OCS - South has a Scope Score of 56 out of 100, placing it in the 78th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,286 statewide. 35.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 14.6 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 OCS - South's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 62.1% of students at OCS - South met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 35.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 35.9% 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. 128 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does OCS - South rank in California?
OCS - South ranks #1,286 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 78th 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 OCS - South getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at OCS - South increases by 6.4 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 OCS - South?
28.9% of students at OCS - South are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to 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 OCS - South compare to other schools in Altadena?
OCS - South scores 56/100 (78th 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 392 students. Use the schools in Altadena page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.