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Sonia Sotomayor Elementary · Chula Vista

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

Sonia Sotomayor posts 55% meeting the standard, and 31.6% going well past it. Most kids here keep up. Fewer get pushed further. Ask the school what it does for a child who already finds the work easy.

2025–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5045
% Exceeded32%21%
% Met+55%43%
Growth-9.9-2.9
Absence9.0%17.9%
Suspension0.9%1.6%
Scope Score
50
🤝 Culture First · Solid
ranked #1,870 statewide · #25 of 50 in Chula Vista Elementary

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary scores 50 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 67th 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 →

🤝 Culture First — Ask whether the low absenteeism and suspension numbers come from what the school does or from the community it serves — both can produce the same numbers, and only a visit tells you which.

Most rating sites would stop at “55% proficient” and call it done. Sonia Sotomayor deserves a closer read. The school sits in Chula Vista, where two in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 9.0% chronic absenteeism — versus 17.9% statewide. Attendance is the quietest strong signal a school can post.

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.

38%
32%
30%
Grade 3 · 70% proficient
32%
22%
46%
Grade 4 · 54% proficient
37%
20%
43%
Grade 5 · 57% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor slips 12.2pp. 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
31.6%
State 21.3%
10.2pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-9.9pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
54.8%
State 42.7%
12.1pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
9.0%
State 17.9%
8.9pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.9%
State 1.6%
0.8pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
14.3%
State 18.0%
3.7pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • 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 Sonia Sotomayor Elementary in Chula Vista, 48.1% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.5% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Sonia Sotomayor Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 2.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (34.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (59.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 14.7 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 108 students tested.

All students at this school: 57% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 57%, district —, state 43%57%
MaleMale: this school 57%, district 50%, state 42%57% · +1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 56%, district 52%, state 44%56% · −1 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 41%, district 40%, state 32%41% · −15 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 50%, district 43%, state 32%50% · −6 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 73%, district 77%, state 65%73% · +16 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 53%, district 64%, state 56%53% · −4 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 9%, district 18%, state 15%9% · −48 vs school

6 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.

Low-income student ELA proficiency falls by 25.6pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +9.7pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 9.0%, district 13.4%, state 17.9%9.0% · −8.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.9%, district —, state 1.6%0.9% · −0.8pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–69.0%
TK/K9.4%

Where the path goes

The path below is estimated from nearby schools in the same district — scores shown for each next step.

Estimated K-12 Path
Elementary
Sonia Sotomayor Elementar…
50
This school

Estimated K-12 path based on district and proximity. Actual attendance zones may differ. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 22:120:1
Teaching staff26 teachers
Avg. experience11.9 years
First-year teachers12%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$62,145 – $124,885
Principal salary$164,483 – $0
Superintendent salary$329,850

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $18,265, CA average $14,815$18,265 · spent at this school
Federal share$477 per student

$477 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$18,972 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
Instruction62%
Instruction support8%
Student services13%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance7%
Other4%

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$13,624 per pupil
2019$12,563 per pupil
2018$10,900 per pupil
2017$11,672 per pupil
2016$11,287 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Other42.0%
District 15.1% · CA 9.0%
Hispanic37.1%
District 72.1% · CA 56.1%
Black11.9%
District 3.7% · CA 4.8%
White6.3%
District 6.8% · CA 19.9%
Asian2.7%
District 2.2% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 41.8% (22pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$129K · CA $85K
Median home value$812K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+43% · CA 35%
ZIP population57,721
Median age36 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), 33% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sonia Sotomayor Elementary a good elementary school?

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary has a Scope Score of 50 out of 100, placing it in the 67th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,870 statewide. 31.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 10.2 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 Sonia Sotomayor Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 54.8% of students at Sonia Sotomayor Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 31.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 31.6% 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. 418 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Sonia Sotomayor Elementary rank in California?

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary ranks #1,870 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 67th 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 Sonia Sotomayor Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Sonia Sotomayor Elementary decreases by 9.9 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 Sonia Sotomayor Elementary?

9.0% of students at Sonia Sotomayor 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 0.9%, 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 Sonia Sotomayor Elementary compare to other schools in Chula Vista?

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary scores 50/100 (67th 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 488 students. Use the schools in Chula Vista page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Sonia Sotomayor Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Sonia Sotomayor Elementary in Chula Vista, 48.1% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 45.5% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Sonia Sotomayor Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 2.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (34.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (59.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 14.7 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 108 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%
31.6%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 60th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-9.9pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 41th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
54.8%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 59th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
9.0%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 64th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.9%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 56th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
14.3%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 46th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36938%32%14%16%70%+26
Grade 46532%22%15%31%54%+9
Grade 57537%20%13%29%57%+9
Grade 64736%40%13%11%77%+30
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36933%20%25%22%54%+8
Grade 46626%23%21%30%48%+7
Grade 57423%23%18%36%46%+11
Grade 64736%17%19%28%53%+18
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/117513%20%55%12%

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 Disadvantaged10848.1%+3+10
Hispanic/Latino9159.3%+10+20
Filipino6376.2%−4+4
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Sonia Sotomayor Elementary ←5031.6%54.8%−9.90.9%
McMillin (Corky) Elementary1.6 mi6841.0%64.8%+12.30.5%
Parkview Elementary2.2 mi6745.3%68.5%+2.10.8%
Wolf Canyon Elementary1.2 mi6240.5%64.0%−4.61.6%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female7.3%
Male9.4%
Asian0.0%
Black/African American19.7%
White3.3%
Hispanic/Latino11.0%
Two or More Races3.4%
Students with Disabilities19.1%
English Learners9.1%
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged16.1%
All Students8.4%
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