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Palm Elementary · Hacienda Heights

Palm Elementary: The scores are below where anyone wants them. Here's what they don't tell you.

Palm posts low test scores — and test scores are one lens among several. If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3245
% Exceeded13%21%
% Met+33%43%
Growth-15.7-2.9
Absence23.6%17.9%
Suspension1.8%1.6%
Scope Score
32
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #4,414 statewide · #14 of 17 in Hacienda la Puente Unified

Palm Elementary scores 32 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 23rd 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 →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

Most rating sites would stop at “33% proficient” and call it done. Palm deserves a closer read. The school sits in Hacienda Heights, where three in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Test scores are one lens, and at this school they're a rough one right now. The sections below show the fuller picture — including the parts that are working.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has stayed near the 23rd percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 33% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 339%17%30%37%36%
Grade 435%22%24%24%38%
Grade 537%25%22%21%31%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 341%29%40%36%43%
Grade 419%21%21%15%32%
Grade 522%8%14%12%17%

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.

15%
20%
65%
Grade 3 · 35% proficient
22%
17%
61%
Grade 4 · 39% proficient
13%
18%
69%
Grade 5 · 31% proficient

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
12.8%
State 21.3%
8.5pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-15.7pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
32.7%
State 42.7%
9.9pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
23.6%
State 17.9%
5.6pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.8%
State 1.6%
0.2pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
9.8%
State 18.0%
8.1pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what changed in the last two years, and what the school is asking families for. Growth shows up in these numbers a year or two after it shows up in classrooms.

  • Ask how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
  • 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 Palm Elementary in Hacienda Heights, 33.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Palm Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 11.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (28.9% Math proficient); Hispanic students (35.0% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 148 students tested.

All students at this school: 32% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 32%, district —, state 43%32%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 33%, district 35%, state 32%33% · +0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 31%, district 40%, state 32%31% · −1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 27%, district 44%, state 42%27% · −5 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 38%, district 46%, state 44%38% · +6 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 4%, district 15%, state 15%4% · −28 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 3%, district 14%, state 11%3% · −29 vs school

7 of 14 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 16.3pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +2.2pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 23.6%, district 22.0%, state 17.9%23.6% · +5.6pp 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 4–626.3%
TK/K23.9%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Palm Elementary
32/100
This school

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. 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 23:1, district 23:123:1
Teaching staff18 teachers
Avg. experience19.8 years
Fully credentialed100%
First-year teachers6%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$70,168 – $134,578
Principal salary$184,552 – $203,525
Superintendent salary$309,817

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $20,649, CA average $14,815$20,649 · spent at this school
Federal share$445 per student

$445 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$20,968 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
Instruction62%
Instruction support12%
Student services8%
Administration7%
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$14,861 per pupil
2019$13,454 per pupil
2018$13,372 per pupil
2017$12,585 per pupil
2016$12,642 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic83.7%
District 71.3% · CA 56.1%
Other6.9%
District 4.6% · CA 9.0%
Asian5.3%
District 21.4% · CA 10.2%
White3.5%
District 2.1% · CA 19.9%
Black0.5%
District 0.6% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 76.3% (12pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$109K · CA $85K
Median home value$821K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+35% · CA 35%
ZIP population54,351
Median age44 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), 21% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Palm Elementary a good elementary school?

Palm Elementary has a Scope Score of 32 out of 100, placing it in the 23rd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #4,414 statewide. 12.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 8.5 percentage points below 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 Palm Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 32.7% of students at Palm Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 12.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 19.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 12.8% 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. 382 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Palm Elementary rank in California?

Palm Elementary ranks #4,414 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 23rd 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 Palm Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Palm Elementary decreases by 15.7 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 Palm Elementary?

23.6% of students at Palm Elementary 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 Palm Elementary compare to other schools in Hacienda Heights?

Palm Elementary scores 32/100 (23rd 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 375 students. Use the schools in Hacienda Heights page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

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

At Palm Elementary in Hacienda Heights, 33.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Palm Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 11.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (28.9% Math proficient); Hispanic students (35.0% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 148 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%
12.8%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 42th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-15.7pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 38th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
32.7%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 42th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
23.6%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 41th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.8%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 49th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
9.8%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 40th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35915%20%31%34%36%−8
Grade 46022%17%22%40%38%−6
Grade 57213%18%22%47%31%−17
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36015%28%27%30%43%−2
Grade 4608%23%23%45%32%−10
Grade 5714%13%24%59%17%−18
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11727%14%56%24%

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 Disadvantaged14833.8%−11−4
Hispanic/Latino16035.0%−7−4
Students with Disabilities352.9%−15−14
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Palm Elementary ←3212.8%32.7%−15.71.8%
Grazide Elementary2.6 mi6435.1%62.4%+7.70.9%
Los Molinos Elementary2.2 mi5738.1%65.5%−11.10.9%
Wallen L. Andrews2.1 mi5230.8%58.0%+3.51.6%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193326#405711.6%32.1%11.8%0.8%-10.2pp
20222624#43846.8%20.4%58.5%2.4%-6.2pp
2023227#53169.1%25.3%47.3%2.3%-16.9pp
20243121#45138.6%24.0%29.2%1.9%-20.0pp
20253223#441412.8%32.7%23.6%1.8%-15.7pp
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
Female7.8%23.2%+15.4pp
Male15.5%24.8%+9.3pp
Asian0.0%10.0%+10.0pp
Hispanic/Latino12.1%25.8%+13.7pp
Students with Disabilities25.4%23.7%-1.7pp
English Learners9.8%12.7%+2.9pp
Foster Youth20.0%
Homeless40.6%30.8%-9.8pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged11.2%26.7%+15.5pp
All Students11.8%24.0%+12.2pp
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