ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary · Encinitas

Paul Ecke-Central Elementary: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

Paul Ecke-Central posts 64% meeting the standard, and 33.9% going well past it. Most kids here keep up. Fewer get pushed further. Ask the school what it does for a child who already finds the work easy.

185 Union Street, 92024 (opens in new tab)·Encinitas Union Elementary·Encinitas·Grades K-6·569 students·27% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 944-4323·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope6045
% Exceeded34%21%
% Met+64%43%
Growth-4.8-2.9
Absence10.1%17.9%
Suspension0.1%1.6%
Scope Score
60
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #1,003 statewide · #6 of 9 in Encinitas Union Elementary

Paul Ecke-Central Elementary scores 60 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 83rd 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.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “64% proficient” and call it done. Paul Ecke-Central deserves a closer read. The school sits in Encinitas, where one in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has held the 83rd-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 64% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 358%60%57%69%67%
Grade 465%59%57%65%63%
Grade 579%59%68%52%65%
Grade 675%74%54%56%63%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 361%58%61%64%67%
Grade 459%52%51%55%60%
Grade 565%59%44%48%60%
Grade 670%64%64%65%59%

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.

39%
28%
33%
Grade 3 · 67% proficient
38%
25%
37%
Grade 4 · 63% proficient
31%
34%
35%
Grade 5 · 65% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 8.3pp across grades; the floor slips 2.2pp. 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
33.9%
State 21.3%
12.6pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-4.8pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
63.6%
State 42.7%
21.0pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
10.1%
State 17.9%
7.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.1%
State 1.6%
1.5pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
13.8%
State 18.0%
4.1pp below 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.

  • 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 Paul Ecke-Central Elementary in Encinitas, 37.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Paul Ecke-Central Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 5.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (39.2% Math proficient); White students (75.6% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 37.8 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 78 students tested.

All students at this school: 63% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 63%, district —, state 43%63%
WhiteWhite: this school 72%, district 75%, state 56%72% · +10 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 68%, district 71%, state 44%68% · +6 vs school
MaleMale: this school 57%, district 68%, state 42%57% · −6 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 40%, district 47%, state 32%40% · −23 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 38%, district 40%, state 32%38% · −25 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 31%, district 36%, state 15%31% · −32 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 68%, district 74%, state 56%68% · +5 vs school

5 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.

Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 15.0pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +4.9pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 10.1%, district 9.1%, state 17.9%10.1% · −7.8pp 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 4–611.2%
TK/K9.7%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 23:1, district 24:123:1
Teaching staff34 teachers
Avg. experience12.2 years
Fully credentialed100%
First-year teachers3%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$53,148 – $140,311
Principal salary$182,840 – $0
Superintendent salary$273,654

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $18,846, CA average $14,815$18,846 · spent at this school
Federal share$592 per student

$592 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$19,974 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
Instruction66%
Instruction support10%
Student services7%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance11%

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$14,332 per pupil
2019$12,451 per pupil
2018$12,838 per pupil
2017$11,877 per pupil
2016$11,340 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White57.3%
District 63.3% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic29.9%
District 21.2% · CA 56.1%
Other12.1%
District 12.2% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.7%
District 2.8% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 27.1% (37pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$159K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.61M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+67% · CA 35%
ZIP population50,617
Median age44 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 56% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Paul Ecke-Central Elementary a good elementary school?

Paul Ecke-Central Elementary has a Scope Score of 60 out of 100, placing it in the 83rd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,003 statewide. 33.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 12.6 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 Paul Ecke-Central Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 63.6% of students at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 33.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 29.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 33.9% 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. 480 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Paul Ecke-Central Elementary rank in California?

Paul Ecke-Central Elementary ranks #1,003 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 83rd 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 Paul Ecke-Central Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary decreases by 4.8 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 Paul Ecke-Central Elementary?

10.1% of students at Paul Ecke-Central Elementary 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 Paul Ecke-Central Elementary compare to other schools in Encinitas?

Paul Ecke-Central Elementary scores 60/100 (83rd 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 569 students. Use the schools in Encinitas page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Paul Ecke-Central Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Paul Ecke-Central Elementary in Encinitas, 37.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Paul Ecke-Central Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 5.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (39.2% Math proficient); White students (75.6% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 37.8 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 78 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

All schools in Encinitas →

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%
33.9%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 62th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-4.8pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 59th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
63.6%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 66th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
10.1%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 63th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.1%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 63th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
13.8%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 45th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37639%28%16%17%67%+24
Grade 48738%25%21%16%63%+18
Grade 57731%34%19%16%65%+17
Grade 67531%32%21%16%63%+16
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37629%38%18%14%67%+21
Grade 48732%28%24%16%60%+18
Grade 57734%26%27%13%60%+24
Grade 67545%13%24%17%59%+24
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/117714%42%43%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 Disadvantaged7837.2%−5−1
White18075.6%−3+14
Hispanic/Latino9440.4%−8+2
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Paul Ecke-Central Elementary ←—6033.9%63.6%−4.80.1%
El Camino Creek Elementary2.6 mi7753.4%87.5%−9.00.1%
Ada W. Harris Elementary2.3 mi6737.5%70.3%−8.30.1%
Capri Elementary1.3 mi6438.3%66.4%+4.70.1%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196788#68333.6%64.3%6.7%0.3%+12.8pp
20225280#116630.1%57.9%19.1%0.0%+0.6pp
20235478#126428.9%56.2%14.7%0.5%-2.9pp
20245474#146529.3%58.8%13.0%0.6%-16.7pp
20256083#100333.9%63.6%10.1%0.1%-4.8pp
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
Female6.7%9.8%+3.1pp
Male6.6%9.5%+2.9pp
Asian0.0%——
Hispanic/Latino9.8%12.8%+3.0pp
Two or More Races5.3%11.5%+6.2pp
Students with Disabilities4.9%17.3%+12.4pp
English Learners12.5%14.3%+1.8pp
Homeless36.4%——
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged11.6%16.7%+5.1pp
All Students6.6%9.6%+3.0pp
Filipino—26.7%—
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

← Browse all schools