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School Profile · Ridgecrest

Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music,: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.

Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, posts 20.8% meeting the standard — versus 42.7% 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.

Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
43
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #2,812 statewide · #1 of 6 in Kern County Office of Education

Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, scores 43 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 51st 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 “21% proficient” and call it done. Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, deserves a closer read. It sits at the 51st percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: +7.9pp separates this year's grade 3 from its grade 5. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Following the same students from 2023 G3 → 2025 G5 points the same way.

As a charter, Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, 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 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

8%
11%
81%
Grade 3 · 19% proficient
16%
80%
Grade 4 · 20% proficient
10%
85%
Grade 5 · 15% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 3.6pp across grades; the floor slips 5.2pp. 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 5 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
8.5%
State 21.3%
12.8pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-7.9pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
20.8%
State 42.7%
21.8pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
23.5%
State 17.9%
5.6pp above state avg
Suspension rate
3.0%
State 1.6%
1.3pp 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.

Where the path goes

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

Estimated K-12 Path
Elementary
Ridgecrest Elementary Aca…
43
This school

Estimated K-12 path based on district and proximity. Actual attendance zones may differ. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

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.

The community around it

Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope Score

Student demographics

Hispanic52.3%
White28.4%
Asian4.6%
Black5.4%
Other9.2%
Resources & Access
Transitional Kindergarten
12 TK students
5% of a 228-student campus · CDE Census Day 2025-26
Per-Pupil Spending
$80,421
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$58,281 – $108,577
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, in Ridgecrest, 10.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 17.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, trails its district average for low-income students by 7.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (20.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (21.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 8.2 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 50 students tested.
Equity Gaps
ELA · Low-Income−8.2pp
10.1% vs 18.3% overall · n=50
2 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Low-Income−7.3pp
0.0% vs 7.3% overall · n=50
Math Exceeded · Low-Income−4.7pp
1.8% vs 6.4% overall · n=50

Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.

Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income50 tested
ELA 10.0%·Math 20.0%· -7.9pp vs district
Hispanic62 tested
ELA 21.0%·Math 22.6%· -1.1pp vs district

Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.

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
Instruction 27%Support 71%Other 2%

Source: NCES F-33 (2019–2020) · Full district breakdown →

Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$87K
$2K above CA median
Median Home Value
$253K
$406K below CA median
Bachelor's+
30%
5pp below 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
6.2 years avg experience
14 teachers · 50% first-year · 7% second-year
Teacher Credentials
25% fully credentialed
12.5% on intern/emergency permit

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 →

Frequently asked questions

Is Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, a good elementary school?
Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, has a Scope Score of 43 out of 100, placing it in the 51st percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #2,812 statewide. 8.5% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 12.8 percentage points below 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 Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music,'s CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 20.8% of students at Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 8.5% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 12.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 8.5% 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. 164 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, rank in California?
Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, ranks #2,812 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 51st 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 Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, decreases by 7.9 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 Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music,?
23.5% of students at Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 3.0%. 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 Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, compare to other schools in Ridgecrest?
Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, scores 43/100 (51st 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. Use the schools in Ridgecrest page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, in Ridgecrest, 10.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 17.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, trails its district average for low-income students by 7.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (20.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (21.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 8.2 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 50 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.

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%
8.5%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 38th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-7.9pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 78th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
20.8%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 33th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
23.5%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 41th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
3.0%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 39th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3368%11%36%44%19%−24
Grade 42516%4%48%32%20%−25
Grade 5215%10%24%62%14%−34
Grade 6260%19%35%46%19%−27
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3368%17%25%50%25%−21
Grade 4254%28%28%40%32%−10
Grade 52110%5%29%57%14%−21
Grade 6264%15%23%58%19%−16
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11215%14%57%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 Disadvantaged5010.0%−8−28
Hispanic/Latino6221.0%−1−18
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, ←438.5%20.8%−7.93.0%
Las Flores Elementary0.9 mi4520.6%48.2%+6.50.8%
Gateway Elementary2 mi4119.2%39.9%+7.52.4%
Faller Elementary0.8 mi3712.3%35.8%−21.03.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
14%43%'22'23'24'25
2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · rank #5603 → #2967 → #5225 → #2812
What we can't show
  • — Low-income students here trail the state average for their group by 28 points in ELA — worth asking how the school is closing that gap.
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue