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Semitropic Elementary · Wasco

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

Semitropic posts 17.9% 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.

25300 Highway 46, 93280 (opens in new tab)·Semitropic Elementary·Wasco·Grades TK-8·140 students·61% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 758-6412·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3945
% Exceeded2%21%
% Met+18%43%
Growth-5.8-2.9
Absence8.1%17.9%
Suspension2.8%1.6%
Scope Score
39
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #3,360 statewide

Semitropic Elementary scores 39 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 42nd 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 “18% proficient” and call it done. Semitropic deserves a closer read. The school sits in Wasco, where three in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: +5.8pp 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.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Climbed from the 8th to the 42nd percentile since 2019 — past roughly 1700 elementary schools.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 18% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 330%44%0%—25%
Grade 49%24%37%0%—
Grade 529%24%53%42%30%
Grade 67%26%21%16%33%
Grade 727%5%29%17%44%
Grade 89%27%7%38%24%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 320%50%12%—17%
Grade 44%19%37%15%—
Grade 55%5%12%26%0%
Grade 60%11%5%5%17%
Grade 77%5%24%28%19%
Grade 80%9%7%13%0%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
2.1%
State 21.3%
19.2pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-5.8pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
17.9%
State 42.7%
24.7pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
8.1%
State 17.9%
9.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
2.8%
State 1.6%
1.1pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
14.1%
State 18.0%
3.9pp below 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.

  • Ask how teachers track each child's growth over the year, not just where the class lands on test day.
  • 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 Semitropic Elementary in Wasco, 31.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 31.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Semitropic Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (8.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (31.3% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 83 students tested.

All students at this school: 20% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 20%, district —, state 43%20%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 20%, district 20%, state 32%20% · −0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 20%, district 20%, state 32%20% · −0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 10%, district 10%, state 42%10% · −10 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 13%, district 13%, state 11%13% · −8 vs school

5 of 10 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 13.4pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +13.4pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 8.1%, district 8.1%, state 17.9%8.1% · −9.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.8%, district —, state 1.6%2.8% · +1.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–62.1%
Grades 7–80.0%
TK/K15.8%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 16:1, district 16:116:1
Teaching staff10 teachers
Avg. experience12.0 years
Fully credentialed83%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$50,153 – $79,925
Principal salary$0 – $0
Superintendent salary$140,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $31,486, CA average $14,815$31,486 · spent at this school
Federal share$2,674 per student

$2,674 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$30,396 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
Instruction58%
Instruction support11%
Student services7%
Administration12%
Buildings & maintenance12%

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$16,718 per pupil
2019$13,288 per pupil
2018$12,383 per pupil
2017$13,851 per pupil
2016$12,664 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic97.1%
District 97.1% · CA 56.1%
Black2.1%
District 2.1% · CA 4.8%
White0.7%
District 0.7% · CA 19.9%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 61.4% (2pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$51K · CA $85K
Median home value$275K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+6% · CA 35%
ZIP population27,407
Median age31 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 140 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California elementary school (≈480).

Transitional kindergarten is offered here — confirmed by actual Census Day enrollment, not just the listed grade span.

On the state's science test (CAST), 0% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Semitropic Elementary a good elementary school?

Semitropic Elementary has a Scope Score of 39 out of 100, placing it in the 42nd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,360 statewide. 2.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 19.2 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 Semitropic Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 17.9% of students at Semitropic Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 2.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 15.8% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 2.1% 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. 64 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Semitropic Elementary rank in California?

Semitropic Elementary ranks #3,360 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 42nd 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 Semitropic Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Semitropic Elementary decreases by 5.8 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 Semitropic Elementary?

8.1% of students at Semitropic 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 2.8%. 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 Semitropic Elementary compare to other schools in Wasco?

Semitropic Elementary scores 39/100 (42nd 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 140 students. Use the schools in Wasco page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

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

At Semitropic Elementary in Wasco, 31.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 31.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Semitropic Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (8.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (31.3% ELA proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 83 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

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

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%
2.1%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 31th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-5.8pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 75th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
17.9%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 31th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
8.1%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 66th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.8%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 41th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
14.1%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 47th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3120%25%25%50%25%−18
Grade 46——————
Grade 5200%30%40%30%30%−18
Grade 6180%33%28%39%33%−13
Grade 7166%38%31%25%44%−4
Grade 8210%24%48%29%24%−22
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3128%8%42%42%17%−29
Grade 46——————
Grade 5200%0%35%65%0%−35
Grade 6186%11%22%61%17%−18
Grade 7160%19%44%38%19%−15
Grade 8210%0%19%81%0%−32
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11410%0%83%17%

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 Disadvantaged8331.3%+0−7
Hispanic/Latino8331.3%+0−8
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Semitropic Elementary ←—392.1%17.9%−5.82.8%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
2019258#50664.0%16.1%12.5%0.1%-8.3pp
2022208#52597.8%27.5%26.1%0.1%-32.6pp
20235072#15789.1%25.0%23.4%0.1%+26.5pp
20243839#349811.8%20.9%17.6%0.5%—
20253942#33602.1%17.9%8.1%2.8%-5.8pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female12.6%3.1%-9.5pp
Male12.6%3.8%-8.8pp
Hispanic/Latino11.8%3.6%-8.2pp
Students with Disabilities18.8%0.0%-18.8pp
English Learners8.5%1.4%-7.1pp
Military-Connected0.0%——
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged13.4%3.0%-10.4pp
All Students12.6%3.5%-9.1pp
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

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