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Rolling Hills Elementary · San Diego

Rolling Hills Elementary: More than half of kids exceed the standard. But the zoned next school scores lower.

Rolling Hills holds its own. Scores drop at the schools it feeds into. Ask where its graduates actually enrol, and whether families stay on the zoned path.

15255 Penasquitos Drive, 92129 (opens in new tab)·Poway Unified·San Diego·Grades TK-5·490 students·13% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(858) 672-3400·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope8245
% Exceeded58%21%
% Met+78%43%
Growth+13.4-2.9
Absence8.2%17.9%
Suspension1.5%1.6%
Scope Score
82
⭐ High Ceiling · Strong
ranked #112 statewide · #4 of 26 in Poway Unified

Rolling Hills Elementary scores 82 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 98th 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 “78% proficient” and call it done. Rolling Hills deserves a closer read. It sits at the 98th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 58.4% 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 98th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathGreen(Maintained)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 78% meet the standard today, versus 83% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 384%83%84%71%74%
Grade 476%80%83%88%70%
Grade 590%68%81%86%93%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 387%81%85%73%75%
Grade 482%80%80%86%74%
Grade 581%68%78%81%83%

The story this school is actually telling

The ceiling · exceeded standard
58.4%

of students scored in the top band on the state test. The California average is 21.3%.

↑ what most “best schools” lists are measuring
The next step · the zoned path
19pts

the zoned path continues to Black Mountain Middle, which scores 19 points lower — a school visit will tell you more than this number.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

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

53%
21%
26%
Grade 3 · 74% proficient
49%
20%
31%
Grade 4 · 69% proficient
76%
17%
Grade 5 · 93% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 23.5pp across grades; the floor rises 18.8pp. 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 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
58.4%
State 21.3%
37.0pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+13.4pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
78.3%
State 42.7%
35.6pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
8.2%
State 17.9%
9.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.5%
State 1.6%
0.1pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
26.9%
State 18.0%
8.9pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask which schools families here actually choose next — the zoned path is only the default.

  • Ask how teachers track each child's growth over the year, not just where the class lands on test day.
  • Ask which schools families here actually choose next — the zoned path is only the default.
  • 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 Rolling Hills Elementary in San Diego, 84.6% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 72.4% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Rolling Hills Elementary outperforms its district average for white students by 12.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (81.5% Math proficient); Disabilities students (53.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 26.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 91 students tested.

All students at this school: 78% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 78%, district —, state 43%78%
MaleMale: this school 81%, district 70%, state 42%81% · +3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 75%, district 70%, state 44%75% · −3 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 83%, district 68%, state 56%83% · +5 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 50%, district 34%, state 15%50% · −28 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 85%, district 87%, state 72%85% · +7 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 60%, district 50%, state 32%60% · −18 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 79%, district 71%, state 56%79% · +1 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 39%, district 46%, state 32%39% · −39 vs school

5 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.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 8.2%, district 9.7%, state 17.9%8.2% · −9.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.5%, district —, state 1.6%1.5% · −0.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–66.7%
TK/K6.2%

Where the path goes

The zoned path continues to Black Mountain Middle, which scores 19 points lower than this school — worth weighing alongside everything above. Families here often look at charter or magnet options for middle school.

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 23:120:1
Teaching staff26 teachers
Avg. experience11.5 years
Fully credentialed90%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$58,959 – $127,725
Principal salary$160,698 – $181,289
Superintendent salary$362,500

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,604, CA average $14,815$19,604 · spent at this school
Federal share$148 per student

$148 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$15,880 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
Instruction65%
Instruction support12%
Student services8%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance9%
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$12,246 per pupil
2019$11,959 per pupil
2018$12,266 per pupil
2017$11,181 per pupil
2016$10,952 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White38.0%
District 37.6% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic21.0%
District 17.4% · CA 56.1%
Other20.8%
District 17.8% · CA 9.0%
Asian19.4%
District 25.5% · CA 10.2%
Black0.8%
District 1.6% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 13.1% (51pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$156K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.11M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+66% · CA 35%
ZIP population52,965
Median age42 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), 85% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Rolling Hills Elementary a good elementary school?

Rolling Hills Elementary has a Scope Score of 82 out of 100, placing it in the 98th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #112 statewide. 58.4% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 37.0 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 Rolling Hills Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 78.3% of students at Rolling Hills Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 58.4% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 19.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 58.4% 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. 450 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Rolling Hills Elementary rank in California?

Rolling Hills Elementary ranks #112 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 98th 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 Rolling Hills Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Rolling Hills Elementary increases by 13.4 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 Rolling Hills Elementary?

8.2% of students at Rolling Hills 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 1.5%, 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 Rolling Hills Elementary compare to other schools in San Diego?

Rolling Hills Elementary scores 82/100 (98th 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 490 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Rolling Hills Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Rolling Hills Elementary in San Diego, 84.6% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 72.4% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Rolling Hills Elementary outperforms its district average for white students by 12.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (81.5% Math proficient); Disabilities students (53.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 26.7 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 91 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%
58.4%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 86th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+13.4pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 74th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
78.3%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 77th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
8.2%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 66th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.5%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 51th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
26.9%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 63th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37053%21%17%9%74%+31
Grade 48349%20%13%17%70%+25
Grade 57276%17%3%4%93%+45
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36949%26%13%12%75%+30
Grade 48450%24%18%8%74%+32
Grade 57272%11%11%6%83%+48
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/117260%25%15%0%

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
White9184.6%+12+23
Students with Disabilities5253.8%+16+37
Asian4484.1%−3+10
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Rolling Hills Elementary ←8258.4%78.3%+13.41.5%
Design 39 Campus2.8 mi8355.2%82.7%−0.80.5%
Stone Ranch Elementary1.7 mi8256.5%79.3%+8.70.7%
Monterey Ridge Elementary2.7 mi7861.9%82.1%−13.00.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20197996#19758.8%83.5%5.1%1.6%+0.0pp
20226289#63150.0%76.7%18.0%0.4%-13.8pp
20237696#23559.2%81.8%14.1%0.4%-4.4pp
20247997#17160.2%80.9%11.4%1.4%+11.2pp
20258298#11258.4%78.3%8.2%1.5%+13.4pp
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
Female4.5%6.6%+2.1pp
Male5.2%8.2%+3.0pp
Asian6.0%5.6%-0.4pp
White12.0%0.0%-12.0pp
Hispanic/Latino2.7%18.9%+16.2pp
Two or More Races3.9%2.7%-1.2pp
Students with Disabilities6.2%12.7%+6.5pp
English Learners4.1%20.0%+15.9pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged4.9%19.1%+14.2pp
All Students4.9%7.5%+2.6pp
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