School Profile · Truckee
Sierra Expeditionary Learning: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.
Sierra Expeditionary Learning posts 40.8% exceeding the standard — versus 21.3% 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.
11603 Donner Pass Road, 96161 (opens in new tab)·Tahoe-Truckee Unified·Truckee·Grades K-8·216 students·20% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(530) 582-3701·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
70
🌱 Building Momentum · Solid
ranked #513 statewide · #2 of 6 in Tahoe-Truckee Unified
Sierra Expeditionary Learning scores 70 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 91st 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 “65% proficient” and call it done. Sierra Expeditionary Learning deserves a closer read. It sits at the 91st percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.
The headline number: +6.3pp 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, Sierra Expeditionary Learning 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 2024–25Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.
58%
8%
34%
Grade 3 · 66% proficient
43%
30%
27%
Grade 4 · 73% proficient
29%
38%
33%
Grade 5 · 67% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding falls 29.2pp across grades; the proficiency floor barely moves. 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
40.8%
State 21.3%
19.5pp above state avg
Met or exceeded
65.4%
State 42.7%
22.8pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-6.3pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
3.9%
State 17.9%
14.0pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.0%
State 1.6%
0.6pp 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.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
Planning ahead? 7 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby High Schools
2 within ~3 mi · avg 43
Tahoe Truckee High
Tahoe-Truckee Unified · 0.3 mi
Solid
59/100
Sierra High (Continuation)
Tahoe-Truckee Unified · 0 mi
Needs Support
28/100
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 ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic31.5%
White59.7%
Asian1.4%
Other7.4%
GenderFemale 53.2%Male 46.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 20.4% (43pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
216
404 below CA avg (~620)
Transitional Kindergarten
TK status unconfirmed
No TK enrollment is on file with the state for this school — that isn't the same as “no TK.” Confirm directly with the district.
Student-Teacher Ratio
22:1
1 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$18,885
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$66,810 – $138,430
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Sierra Expeditionary Learning in Truckee, 82.2% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 76.8% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Sierra Expeditionary Learning outperforms its district average for white students by 5.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (74.4% Math proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 90 students tested.
Subgroup Proficiency
White90 tested
ELA 82.2%·Math 74.4%· +5.5pp 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
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$132K
$47K above CA median
Median Home Value
$991K
$332K above CA median
Bachelor's+
62%
27pp above 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
12.4 years avg experience
10 teachers · 10% second-year
Teacher Credentials
89% fully credentialed
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 →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
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 · 43%
40.8%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 69th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
65.4%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 67th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
-6.3pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 76th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
3.9%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 73th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.0%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 24 | 58% | 8% | 25% | 8% | 67% | +23 |
| Grade 4 | 23 | 43% | 30% | 9% | 17% | 74% | +29 |
| Grade 5 | 24 | 29% | 38% | 21% | 13% | 67% | +19 |
| Grade 6 | 26 | 31% | 31% | 27% | 12% | 62% | +15 |
| Grade 7 | 23 | 13% | 30% | 22% | 35% | 43% | −4 |
| Grade 8 | 24 | 25% | 42% | 21% | 13% | 67% | +21 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 24 | 54% | 21% | 13% | 13% | 75% | +29 |
| Grade 4 | 23 | 30% | 17% | 48% | 4% | 48% | +6 |
| Grade 5 | 24 | 29% | 33% | 29% | 8% | 63% | +27 |
| Grade 6 | 26 | 46% | 19% | 8% | 27% | 65% | +30 |
| Grade 7 | 23 | 17% | 22% | 35% | 26% | 39% | +5 |
| Grade 8 | 24 | 38% | 21% | 29% | 13% | 58% | +26 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 48 | 23% | 38% | 38% | 2% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90 | 82.2% | +5 | +20 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Expeditionary Learning ← | — | 70 | 40.8% | 65.4% | −6.3 | 1.0% |
| Truckee Elementary | 0.6 mi | 44 | 23.7% | 42.1% | −2.2 | 0.6% |
| California average | — | 43 | 21.3% | 42.7% | −2.9 | 1.6% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #689 → #1360 → #1688 → #1574 → #513
What we can't show
- — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
Frequently asked questions
Is Sierra Expeditionary Learning a good elementary school?
Sierra Expeditionary Learning has a Scope Score of 70 out of 100, placing it in the 91st percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #513 statewide. 40.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 19.5 percentage points above 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 Sierra Expeditionary Learning's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 65.4% of students at Sierra Expeditionary Learning met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 40.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 24.6% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 40.8% 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. 142 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Sierra Expeditionary Learning rank in California?
Sierra Expeditionary Learning ranks #513 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 91st 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 Sierra Expeditionary Learning getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Sierra Expeditionary Learning decreases by 6.3 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 Sierra Expeditionary Learning?
3.9% of students at Sierra Expeditionary Learning are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.0%, 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 Sierra Expeditionary Learning compare to other schools in Truckee?
Sierra Expeditionary Learning scores 70/100 (91st 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 216 students. Use the schools in Truckee page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Sierra Expeditionary Learning serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Sierra Expeditionary Learning in Truckee, 82.2% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 76.8% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Sierra Expeditionary Learning outperforms its district average for white students by 5.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (74.4% Math proficient). Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 90 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.