School Profile · La Mesa
Sparrow Academy: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.
Sparrow Academy posts 32% meeting the standard and 13.1% exceeding it, against 43% and 21.3% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.
5150 Wilson Street, 91941 (opens in new tab)·La Mesa-Spring Valley·La Mesa·Grades K-5·156 students·34% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(619) 439-6327·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
Scope Score
36
🤝 Culture First · Developing
ranked #3,444 statewide · #12 of 18 in La Mesa-Spring Valley
Sparrow Academy scores 36 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 40th 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 →
Most rating sites would stop at “32% proficient” and call it done. Sparrow Academy deserves a closer read. The school sits in La Mesa, where one in three students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
As a charter, Sparrow Academy enrolls by application, not address — the score reads the same, the enrollment path doesn't.
The story this school is actually telling
The school, grade by grade
ELA · CAASPP 2024–25Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.
17%
30%
53%
Grade 3 · 47% proficient
23%
23%
54%
Grade 4 · 46% proficient
12%
23%
65%
Grade 5 · 35% proficient
The honest read: the share exceeding falls 5.1pp across grades; the floor slips 12.1pp. 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 5 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
13.1%
State 21.3%
8.2pp below state avg
Met or exceeded
32.1%
State 42.7%
10.6pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-8.3pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Chronic absenteeism
11.1%
State 17.9%
6.8pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.2%
State 1.6%
0.4pp 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.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Sparrow Academy
36/100
This school
▼
Middle
▼
High School
No feeder data available for this level
Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.
Planning ahead? 8 licensed preschools near this school →
Your other options
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 66
Green Elementary
San Diego Unified · 2.7 mi
Strong
72/100
Benchley/Weinberger Elementary
San Diego Unified · 2.1 mi
Solid
68/100
Fletcher Hills Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley · 2 mi
Solid
59/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic48.1%
White39.1%
Asian0.6%
Black0.6%
Other11.5%
GenderFemale 47.4%Male 52.6%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 34.0% (30pp below CA avg)
Resources & Access
Enrollment
156
324 below CA avg (~480)
Transitional Kindergarten
TK status unconfirmed
No TK enrollment is on file with the state for this school — that isn't the same as “no TK.” Confirm directly with the district.
Student-Teacher Ratio
22:1
1 more students per teacher than CA avg
Per-Pupil Spending
$13,669
CA avg: $14,815 · District avg · NCES F-33
Teacher Salary Range
$67,324 – $125,159
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Sparrow Academy in La Mesa, 32.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 37.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Sparrow Academy trails its district average for low-income students by 5.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (12.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (34.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 7.3 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 31 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Math · Low-Income−7.3pp
14.3% vs 21.6% overall · n=21
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income32 tested
ELA 32.3%·Math 12.5%· -5.1pp vs district
Hispanic33 tested
ELA 34.4%·Math 24.2%· -4.8pp vs district
White28 tested
ELA 46.4%·Math 21.4%· -19.1pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Subgroup Growth by Grade
Change in proficiency from lowest tested grade. Shows which groups are gaining ground.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$115K
$30K above CA median
Median Home Value
$929K
$270K above CA median
Bachelor's+
47%
12pp above CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
6.6 years avg experience
7 teachers · 14% second-year
Teacher Credentials
87% fully credentialed
6.5% on intern/emergency permit
Source: CDE SARC, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
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 · 43%
13.1%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 42th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
32.1%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 42th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 15%
-8.3pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 45th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
11.1%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 61th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.2%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 54th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 30 | 17% | 30% | 27% | 27% | 47% | +3 |
| Grade 4 | 30 | 23% | 23% | 13% | 40% | 47% | +2 |
| Grade 5 | 26 | 12% | 23% | 31% | 35% | 35% | −13 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 30 | 13% | 7% | 40% | 40% | 20% | −26 |
| Grade 4 | 31 | 10% | 19% | 48% | 23% | 29% | −13 |
| Grade 5 | 26 | 4% | 12% | 27% | 58% | 15% | −20 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 26 | 8% | 15% | 65% | 12% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 31 | 32.3% | −5 | −6 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 32 | 34.4% | −5 | −4 |
| White | 28 | 46.4% | −19 | −15 |
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparrow Academy ← | — | 36 | 13.1% | 32.1% | −8.3 | 1.2% |
| Green Elementary | 2.7 mi | 72 | 49.0% | 77.2% | +8.1 | 0.3% |
| Benchley/Weinberger Elementary | 2.1 mi | 68 | 45.2% | 73.2% | −6.6 | 0.3% |
| Fletcher Hills Elementary | 2 mi | 59 | 39.6% | 67.7% | −8.9 | 1.2% |
| California average | — | 43 | 21.3% | 42.7% | −2.9 | 1.6% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #3410 → #2364 → #2131 → #3153 → #3444
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means
Frequently asked questions
Is Sparrow Academy a good elementary school?
Sparrow Academy has a Scope Score of 36 out of 100, placing it in the 40th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,444 statewide. 13.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 8.2 percentage points below the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are Sparrow Academy's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 32.1% of students at Sparrow Academy met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 13.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 19.0% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 13.1% 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. 173 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Sparrow Academy rank in California?
Sparrow Academy ranks #3,444 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 40th 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 Sparrow Academy getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Sparrow Academy decreases by 8.3 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 Sparrow Academy?
11.1% of students at Sparrow Academy are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.2%, 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 Sparrow Academy compare to other schools in La Mesa?
Sparrow Academy scores 36/100 (40th 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 156 students. Use the schools in La Mesa page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
How does Sparrow Academy serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Sparrow Academy in La Mesa, 32.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 37.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Sparrow Academy trails its district average for low-income students by 5.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (12.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (34.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 7.3 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 31 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.