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Solana Highlands Elementary · San Diego

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

Solana Highlands posts 59.2% 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.

3520 Long Run Drive, 92130 (opens in new tab)·Solana Beach Elementary·San Diego·Grades K-6·384 students·12% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(858) 794-4300
2023–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope7745
% Exceeded59%21%
% Met+85%43%
Growth-6.3-2.9
Absence5.6%17.9%
Suspension0.3%1.6%
Scope Score
77
⭐ High Ceiling · Strong
ranked #206 statewide · #3 of 4 in Solana Beach Elementary

Solana Highlands Elementary scores 77 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 96th 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 “85% proficient” and call it done. Solana Highlands deserves a closer read. It sits at the 96th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.

The headline number: 59.2% 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 96th-percentile line every tested year since 2023.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathBlue(Increased Significantly)
ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 386%89%87%78%92%
Grade 482%83%81%70%
Grade 580%68%83%
Grade 674%85%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 395%87%82%81%92%
Grade 479%73%81%86%
Grade 571%65%89%
Grade 676%86%

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.

72%
20%
8%
Grade 3 · 92% proficient
53%
18%
29%
Grade 4 · 71% proficient
49%
34%
17%
Grade 5 · 83% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 23.2pp across grades; the floor slips 9.1pp. 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 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
59.2%
State 21.3%
37.9pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-6.3pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
85.3%
State 42.7%
42.7pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
5.6%
State 17.9%
12.4pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.3%
State 1.6%
1.3pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
39.0%
State 18.0%
21.0pp 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.

  • 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 Solana Highlands Elementary in San Diego, 82.2% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 84.7% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Solana Highlands Elementary trails its district average for white students by 2.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (85.7% Math proficient); Asian students (94.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.2 percentage points for white students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 90 students tested.

All students at this school: 87% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 87%, district —, state 43%87%
MaleMale: this school 91%, district 83%, state 42%91% · +5 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 84%, district 83%, state 56%84% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 81%, district 83%, state 44%81% · −6 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 94%, district 92%, state 72%94% · +8 vs school

9 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 5.6%, district 4.4%, state 17.9%5.6% · −12.4pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.3%, district —, state 1.6%0.3% · −1.3pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–64.5%
TK/K7.0%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 21:1, district 22:121:1
Teaching staff23 teachers
Avg. experience17.0 years
Fully credentialed90%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$65,292 – $141,388
Principal salary$181,165 – $0
Superintendent salary$253,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $24,064, CA average $14,815$24,064 · spent at this school
Federal share$117 per student

$117 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$25,543 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
Instruction60%
Instruction support10%
Student services9%
Administration10%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Other3%

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$20,410 per pupil
2019$18,291 per pupil
2018$18,531 per pupil
2017$17,930 per pupil
2016$16,483 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White46.1%
District 44.5% · CA 19.9%
Asian28.4%
District 27.6% · CA 10.2%
Other15.4%
District 13.7% · CA 9.0%
Hispanic9.6%
District 13.7% · CA 56.1%
Black0.5%
District 0.5% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 12.0% (52pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$206K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.75M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+82% · CA 35%
ZIP population60,768
Median age40 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 75% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Solana Highlands Elementary a good elementary school?

Solana Highlands Elementary has a Scope Score of 77 out of 100, placing it in the 96th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #206 statewide. 59.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 37.9 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 Solana Highlands Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 85.3% of students at Solana Highlands Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 59.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 59.2% 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. 320 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Solana Highlands Elementary rank in California?

Solana Highlands Elementary ranks #206 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 96th 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 Solana Highlands Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Solana Highlands Elementary 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 Solana Highlands Elementary?

5.6% of students at Solana Highlands 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 0.3%, 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 Solana Highlands Elementary compare to other schools in San Diego?

Solana Highlands Elementary scores 77/100 (96th 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 384 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Solana Highlands Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Solana Highlands Elementary in San Diego, 82.2% of white students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 84.7% district-wide and 61.8% statewide. Solana Highlands Elementary trails its district average for white students by 2.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: White students (85.7% Math proficient); Asian students (94.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.2 percentage points for white students. 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.

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%
59.2%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 87th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-6.3pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 51th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
85.3%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 83th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
5.6%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 70th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.3%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 61th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
39.0%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 79th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37572%20%7%1%92%+49
Grade 44053%18%30%0%70%+25
Grade 54149%34%12%5%83%+35
Grade 63342%42%12%3%85%+38
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37762%30%5%3%92%+47
Grade 44358%28%14%0%86%+44
Grade 54461%27%11%0%89%+53
Grade 63757%30%8%5%86%+51
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/114443%32%25%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
White9082.2%−3+20
Asian3694.4%+5+20
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Solana Highlands Elementary ←7759.2%85.3%−6.30.3%
Sage Canyon2.9 mi9366.0%85.3%+11.30.7%
Carmel Del Mar Elementary1.1 mi9266.8%87.5%+1.60.4%
Ocean Air2.3 mi8767.5%89.2%−6.50.1%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20236992#46256.3%79.3%7.7%0.2%-8.7pp
20246183#97551.7%75.6%6.0%0.3%-13.0pp
20257796#20659.2%85.3%5.6%0.3%-6.3pp
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female2.0%5.3%+3.3pp
Male4.1%3.7%-0.4pp
Asian1.0%5.5%+4.5pp
Hispanic/Latino13.3%5.4%-7.9pp
Two or More Races3.7%4.8%+1.1pp
Students with Disabilities6.9%7.4%+0.5pp
English Learners0.0%7.8%+7.8pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged0.0%10.0%+10.0pp
All Students3.1%4.4%+1.3pp
Filipino0.0%
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