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South El Monte High · South El Monte

South El Monte High: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

South El Monte posts 35% meeting the standard and 12.9% exceeding it, against 36% and 15.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

1001 Durfee Avenue, 91733 (opens in new tab)·El Monte Union High·South El Monte·Grades 9-12·1,125 students·92% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(626) 258-5600·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4844
% Exceeded13%16%
% Met+35%36%
Grad rate92.6%87.6%
College readiness51.1%35.4%
Absence20.4%30.2%
Suspension1.8%3.6%
Scope Score
48
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #914 statewide · #4 of 7 in El Monte Union High

South El Monte High scores 48 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 58th percentile of 2,160 California high 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 “35% proficient” and call it done. South El Monte deserves a closer read. The school sits in South El Monte, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

South El Monte's low-income kids hit 55.6% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,160 high schools statewide

Has stayed near the 58th percentile since 2019.

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

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 35% meet the standard today, versus 42% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1161%55%47%54%57%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 1123%17%14%17%13%

The story this school is actually telling

Proficient by 11th grade
35%
State 36%
Graduate
93%
State 88%
Pass an AP exam
51%
State 35%

Of 100 students here: 35 are proficient by 11th grade → 93 graduate → 51 pass an AP exam. The gaps between those bars are the questions to ask.

55.6%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

South El Monte's most underrated number

55.6% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.

South El Monte low-income: 55.6%State low-income: 38.2%South El Monte EL: 7.8%State EL: 10.4%

The 7 things our score weighs

Graduation rate
92.6%
State 87.6%
5.0pp above state avg
Exceeded standard
12.9%
State 15.8%
3.0pp below state avg
College readiness
51.1%
State 35.4%
AP exam pass rate above state avg
Met or exceeded
35.1%
State 35.7%
0.6pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
20.4%
State 30.2%
9.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.8%
State 3.6%
1.8pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
16.7%
State 18.0%
1.3pp 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 whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • 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 South El Monte High in South El Monte, 55.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 56.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. South El Monte High trails its district average for low-income students by 0.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (12.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (54.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 49.4 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 266 students tested.

All students at this school: 35% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 35%, district —, state 36%35%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 34%, district 42%, state 32%34% · −1 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 33%, district 34%, state 32%33% · −2 vs school
MaleMale: this school 34%, district 42%, state 42%34% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 36%, district 46%, state 44%36% · +1 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 4%, district 10%, state 11%4% · −31 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 6%, district 10%, state 15%6% · −29 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 32%, district 39%, state 22%32% · −3 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 67%, district 77%, state 72%67% · +32 vs school
WhiteWhite: too few students to report‹11
Foster YouthFoster Youth: too few students to report‹11
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: too few students to report‹11
this school district, same group California, same group

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 20.4%, district 29.7%, state 30.2%20.4% · −9.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.8%, district —, state 3.6%1.8% · −1.8pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 9–1219.8%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 22:1, district 21:122:1
Teaching staff72 teachers
Avg. experience17.2 years
Fully credentialed84%
First-year teachers1%
Intern / emergency permit3.4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$71,151 – $140,515
Principal salary$0 – $202,179
Superintendent salary$310,188

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

Course Breadth
AP courses offered19
AP exam qualifiers93 students
CTE pathway completers43 students

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $25,828, CA average $14,815$25,828 · spent at this school
Federal share$2,495 per student

$2,495 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$25,007 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
Instruction51%
Instruction support10%
Student services16%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance14%
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$15,158 per pupil
2019$16,014 per pupil
2018$15,285 per pupil
2017$14,911 per pupil
2016$13,460 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic94.3%
District 77.8% · CA 56.1%
Asian4.4%
District 20.0% · CA 10.2%
White0.5%
District 0.8% · CA 19.9%
Other0.5%
District 1.1% · CA 9.0%
Black0.3%
District 0.3% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 92.3% (28pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$68K · CA $85K
Median home value$622K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+12% · CA 35%
ZIP population41,255
Median age38 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 9% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is South El Monte High a good high school?

South El Monte High has a Scope Score of 48 out of 100, placing it in the 58th percentile of California high schools and ranked #914 statewide. 12.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 3.0 percentage points below the California average of 15.8%. The Scope Score weights 7 dimensions for high schools: graduation rate (25%), exceeded standard (22%), college/career readiness (20%), met or exceeded (proficient) (18%), 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 South El Monte High's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 35.1% of students at South El Monte High met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 12.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 22.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 12.9% 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. 568 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does South El Monte High rank in California?

South El Monte High ranks #914 among California high schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 58th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), 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.

What is the attendance and school culture like at South El Monte High?

20.4% of students at South El Monte High are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 30.2%. The suspension rate is 1.8%, 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 South El Monte High compare to other schools in South El Monte?

South El Monte High scores 48/100 (58th percentile) among California high 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 1,125 students. Use the schools in South El Monte page or the map view to compare all high schools nearby.

How does South El Monte High serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At South El Monte High in South El Monte, 55.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 56.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. South El Monte High trails its district average for low-income students by 0.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (12.7% Math proficient); Hispanic students (54.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 49.4 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 266 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

All schools in South El Monte →

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
Graduation rate · 25%
92.6%
↑ vs CA 87.6% · 56th pctile
Exceeded standard · 22%
12.9%
↓ vs CA 15.8% · 47th pctile
College readiness · 20%
51.1%
↑ vs CA 35.4% · 59th pctile
Met or exceeded · 18%
35.1%
↓ vs CA 35.7% · 50th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
20.4%
↑ vs CA 30.2% · 58th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.8%
↑ vs CA 3.6% · 58th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
16.7%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 51th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 1128322%36%23%20%57%+10
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 112854%9%28%59%13%−10
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11323%6%53%38%

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 Disadvantaged26655.6%−1+17
Hispanic/Latino26454.9%+4+16
English Learners517.8%−2−3
03Peer comparison · nearest high schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
South El Monte High ←—4812.9%35.1%—1.8%
El Monte High2.1 mi5527.7%55.4%—4.8%
Mountain View High2.4 mi4610.2%28.3%—2.8%
California average—4415.8%35.7%—3.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Graduation Rate
92.6%
AP Exam Prepared
51.1%
A-G Completion
54.5%
A-G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-Going Rate
77.9%
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195262#76813.4%42.1%8.9%2.8%—
20224966#71216.5%36.4%26.4%2.3%—
20234554#98710.5%30.4%27.2%4.6%—
20244760#86513.2%35.8%23.7%5.1%—
20254858#91412.9%35.1%20.4%1.8%—
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
Female9.3%21.6%+12.3pp
Male6.6%18.4%+11.8pp
Asian7.3%7.7%+0.4pp
Hispanic/Latino7.9%20.4%+12.5pp
Students with Disabilities12.0%24.0%+12.0pp
English Learners12.4%24.2%+11.8pp
Foster Youth0.0%——
Homeless13.3%19.5%+6.2pp
Military-Connected0.0%——
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged8.1%20.6%+12.5pp
All Students8.0%19.8%+11.8pp
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,160 high 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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