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Sierra Lakes Elementary · Fontana

Sierra Lakes Elementary: The scores are below where anyone wants them. Here's what they don't tell you.

Sierra Lakes posts low test scores — and test scores are one lens among several. If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

5740 Avenal Place, 92336 (opens in new tab)·Fontana Unified·Fontana·Grades K-5·902 students·63% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(909) 357-5270·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope2945
% Exceeded16%21%
% Met+36%43%
Growth-5.2-2.9
Absence21.6%17.9%
Suspension2.8%1.6%
Scope Score
29
🌱 Building Momentum · Needs Support
ranked #4,949 statewide · #30 of 31 in Fontana Unified

Sierra Lakes Elementary scores 29 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 14th 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.

Most rating sites would stop at “36% proficient” and call it done. Sierra Lakes deserves a closer read. The school sits in Fontana, where three in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Test scores are one lens, and at this school they're a rough one right now. The sections below show the fuller picture — including the parts that are working.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Slipped from the 52nd to the 14th percentile since 2019.

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

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 36% meet the standard today, versus 40% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 345%37%49%35%38%
Grade 445%44%36%43%40%
Grade 553%51%49%36%41%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 336%35%50%37%36%
Grade 440%31%32%34%41%
Grade 517%27%25%17%23%

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.

17%
21%
62%
Grade 3 · 38% proficient
22%
18%
60%
Grade 4 · 40% proficient
15%
27%
58%
Grade 5 · 42% proficient

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
15.7%
State 21.3%
5.6pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-5.2pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
36.4%
State 42.7%
6.2pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
21.6%
State 17.9%
3.7pp above state avg
Suspension rate
2.8%
State 1.6%
1.1pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
5.2%
State 18.0%
12.8pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what changed in the last two years, and what the school is asking families for. Growth shows up in these numbers a year or two after it shows up in classrooms.

  • 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 Sierra Lakes Elementary in Fontana, 35.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 38.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Sierra Lakes Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 3.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (28.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (35.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 34.0 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 310 students tested.

All students at this school: 36% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 36%, district —, state 43%36%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 32%, district 31%, state 32%32% · −4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 36%, district 32%, state 42%36% · −0 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 30%, district 32%, state 32%30% · −6 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 37%, district 33%, state 44%37% · +0 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 22%, district 28%, state 26%22% · −14 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 10%, district 9%, state 15%10% · −26 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 41%, district 38%, state 56%41% · +4 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 46%, district 54%, state 72%46% · +10 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 13%, district 7%, state 11%13% · −24 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 69%, district 68%, state 65%69% · +32 vs school

5 of 16 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 falls by 0.2pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +3.2pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 21.6%, district 24.8%, state 17.9%21.6% · +3.7pp 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 4–617.6%
TK/K26.1%

Where the path goes

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

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 23:1, district 22:123:1
Teaching staff49 teachers
Avg. experience15.3 years
Fully credentialed92%
Intern / emergency permit2.9%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$60,343 – $132,186
Principal salary$155,206 – $180,978
Superintendent salary$366,857

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $20,667, CA average $14,815$20,667 · spent at this school
Federal share$2,599 per student

$2,599 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$22,037 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 & maintenance10%

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$16,217 per pupil
2019$14,629 per pupil
2018$15,045 per pupil
2017$13,064 per pupil
2016$12,756 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic53.1%
District 85.8% · CA 56.1%
Black13.3%
District 5.2% · CA 4.8%
White12.0%
District 4.0% · CA 19.9%
Other11.1%
District 2.7% · CA 9.0%
Asian10.5%
District 2.2% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 63.3% (1pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$123K · CA $85K
Median home value$628K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+30% · CA 35%
ZIP population105,517
Median age36 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 902 students, this school is well above the typical California elementary school (≈480).

On the state's science test (CAST), 24% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sierra Lakes Elementary a good elementary school?

Sierra Lakes Elementary has a Scope Score of 29 out of 100, placing it in the 14th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #4,949 statewide. 15.7% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 5.6 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 Sierra Lakes Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 36.4% of students at Sierra Lakes Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 15.7% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 20.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 15.7% 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. 949 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Sierra Lakes Elementary rank in California?

Sierra Lakes Elementary ranks #4,949 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 14th 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 Lakes Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Sierra Lakes Elementary decreases by 5.2 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 Lakes Elementary?

21.6% of students at Sierra Lakes Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to 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 Sierra Lakes Elementary compare to other schools in Fontana?

Sierra Lakes Elementary scores 29/100 (14th 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 902 students. Use the schools in Fontana page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Sierra Lakes Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Sierra Lakes Elementary in Fontana, 35.2% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 38.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Sierra Lakes Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 3.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (28.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (35.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 34.0 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 310 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%
15.7%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 45th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-5.2pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 23th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
36.4%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 45th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
21.6%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 44th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.8%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 41th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
5.2%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 33th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 316917%21%22%39%38%−5
Grade 414122%18%20%40%40%−5
Grade 516215%27%20%39%41%−7
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 317015%21%19%45%36%−10
Grade 414315%25%31%28%41%−1
Grade 516410%13%22%55%23%−13
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111658%16%56%20%

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 Disadvantaged31035.2%−3−3
Hispanic/Latino23435.0%−4−4
Black/African American7025.7%−9−7
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Sierra Lakes Elementary ←2915.7%36.4%−5.22.8%
Falcon Ridge Elementary1.4 mi6740.5%68.6%−5.90.5%
David W. Long Elementary1.7 mi6735.0%64.9%+4.90.9%
Cecilia Lucero Solorio Elementary1.9 mi6336.3%63.8%−0.90.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194352#263816.7%39.5%6.5%1.3%-5.5pp
20223855#258215.0%37.4%35.1%1.7%+3.1pp
20233334#378216.8%40.4%22.9%1.0%-12.4pp
20243531#394414.6%33.5%19.8%1.8%-9.0pp
20252914#494915.7%36.4%21.6%2.8%-5.2pp
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
Female6.0%23.0%+17.0pp
Male6.7%20.3%+13.6pp
Asian4.2%14.0%+9.8pp
Black/African American8.0%23.1%+15.1pp
White4.9%6.8%+1.9pp
Hispanic/Latino6.5%25.6%+19.1pp
Two or More Races3.8%25.6%+21.8pp
Students with Disabilities12.7%29.5%+16.8pp
English Learners5.0%20.9%+15.9pp
Foster Youth12.5%
Homeless21.4%36.0%+14.6pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged8.5%24.3%+15.8pp
All Students6.4%21.7%+15.3pp
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