How does Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac compare to other middle schools in Palmdale?

Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac has a Scope Score of 19.3/100, ranked #1558 among California middle schools. 5% of students exceed standard, with a total of 1,485 students tested across grades and subjects.

What percentage of students exceed standards at Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac?

4.5% of students at Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac exceed the state standard on CAASPP assessments, while 19.3% meet or exceed it. The gap between these two numbers reveals whether the school pushes students beyond basic proficiency.

Is Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac improving or declining?

Based on CAASPP data, Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac's proficiency rate increases by 2.6 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This suggests the school may be adding value over time.

What is the chronic absenteeism rate at Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac?

39.2% of students at Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days). This metric reflects school culture and family engagement, and is weighted at 15% in the Scope Score.

Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac

Middle School

Palmdale Elementary PalmdaleLos Angeles County93550Magnet Program

📍 38060 20th Street East

Magnet program — a specialized public school with a focused theme (STEM, arts, language immersion, etc.). Admission is typically through a district lottery, not based on neighborhood attendance boundaries. Students from across the district may apply.

Scope Score

out of 100

State Rank

of 1,714 California middle schools

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Scope Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data from the California Dept. of Education (CAASPP, chronic absenteeism, suspension rates). They are not official CDE ratings and should not be the sole basis for school decisions. See methodology.

Dashboard indicators

How this school's scores changed from last year to this year

ELA Year-over-Year

Increased Significantly

+32.2 pts DFS change

Math Year-over-Year

Increased Significantly

+18.3 pts DFS change

EL Proficiency (ELPAC)

8.0%

English learners at Level 4 (Well Developed) · 176 tested

Data source: California School Dashboard 2025, ELPAC 2024

Performance breakdown

Performance breakdown for Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac
Category	Percentage
Exceeded Standard	4.5%
Met Standard	14.8%
Below Standard	80.7%

Score Factors

Helping

✓Growth (G6→G8): +2.6pp

Scores improve across grades (state avg +0.8pp)

15% weight

Holding Back

▼Exceeded standard: 4.5%

12.8pp below state avg (state avg 17.3%)

30% weight

▼Met or exceeded: 19.3%

20.2pp below state avg (state avg 39.5%)

20% weight

▼Chronic absenteeism: 39.2%

19.9pp above state avg (state avg 19.3%)

15% weight

▼Baseline proficiency: 19.3%

Below state baseline (state avg 39.5%)

10% weight

▼Suspension rate: 9.5%

5.4pp above state avg (state avg 4.1%)

10% weight

Unlike traditional school ratings, we show our work. Every factor, its weight, and how this school compares to the state average — so you can decide what matters most to your family. The middle school Scope Score is weighted across 6 dimensions. See full methodology →

What other rankings don't show you

Most rating sites report "19% proficient" for Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac and stop there. Here's what that number hides:

4.5% of students exceeded standard while 14.8% met it. That exceeded rate is 12.8 points below the state average of 17.3%. That's 3.8 points below the Palmdale Elementary district average of 8.3%. Nearby schools (within ~3 miles) average 5.2% exceeded — about the same. The gap between "met" and "exceeded" can reveal how much a school's curriculum challenges students beyond proficiency.

Students here improve by 2.6 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth, suggesting the school is adding value beyond what students arrive with.

California's Dashboard shows ELA performance increased significantly and Math increased significantly year-over-year. 8.0% of English learners reached Level 4 (Well Developed) on ELPAC.

Chronic absenteeism is 39.2%, above the state average of 19.3%.

Why the exceeded vs. met split matters →

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means