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Washington Elementary · Bellflower

Washington Elementary: Scores climb 10.6 points from grade 3 to grade 5. But one in four miss a month of school or more.

Washington's strongest signal is real. Attendance is the number to ask about — and both belong on the same page.

9725 East Jefferson Street, 90706 (opens in new tab)·Bellflower Unified·Bellflower·Grades TK-6·579 students·91% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(562) 804-6535
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4445
% Exceeded11%21%
% Met+26%43%
Growth+10.6-2.9
Absence25.8%17.9%
Suspension0.6%1.6%
Scope Score
44
🚀 Growth Engine · Developing
ranked #2,594 statewide · #6 of 11 in Bellflower Unified

Washington Elementary scores 44 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 55th 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 →

🚀 Growth Engine — Ask how the school tracks each kid's growth year to year, and what happens when a kid stalls instead of gaining.

Most rating sites would stop at “26% proficient” and call it done. Washington deserves a closer read. The school sits in Bellflower, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: +10.6pp separates this year's grade 3 from its grade 5. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Following the same students from 2023 G3 → 2025 G5 points the same way.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Climbed from the 5th to the 55th percentile since 2019 — past roughly 2600 elementary schools.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathYellow(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 26% meet the standard today, versus 31% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 341%19%14%20%26%
Grade 442%23%19%17%14%
Grade 524%24%28%25%46%
Grade 631%38%27%26%28%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 345%16%20%20%25%
Grade 422%14%8%19%16%
Grade 511%6%19%12%26%
Grade 611%15%15%19%16%

The story this school is actually telling

The trajectory · grade 3→5
+10.6pp

separates this year's grade 3 from its grade 5. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Following the same students from 2023 G3 → 2025 G5 points the same way.

↑ the school's value-add, not the zip code's
The catch · chronic absence
25.8%

of students miss a month or more of school, versus 17.9% statewide. High absence often tracks community stress — worth asking about on a tour.

↓ the part no ranking site shows you

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

17%
9%
74%
Grade 3 · 26% proficient
8%
86%
Grade 4 · 14% proficient
12%
35%
53%
Grade 5 · 47% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 5.5pp across grades; the floor rises 20.3pp. 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
11.0%
State 21.3%
10.3pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+10.6pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
25.7%
State 42.7%
16.9pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
25.8%
State 17.9%
7.9pp above state avg
Suspension rate
0.6%
State 1.6%
1.1pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
14.7%
State 18.0%
3.3pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school tracks and follows up on attendance. High absence often reflects community stress, not classroom quality — a visit will tell you which.

  • Ask how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
  • Ask how teachers track each child's growth over the year, not just where the class lands on test day.
  • 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 Washington Elementary in Bellflower, 27.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 43.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Washington Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 15.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (20.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (28.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 14.6 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 280 students tested.

All students at this school: 25% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 25%, district —, state 43%25%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 24%, district 34%, state 32%24% · −1 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 25%, district 35%, state 32%25% · −0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 29%, district 37%, state 42%29% · +4 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 21%, district 39%, state 44%21% · −4 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 14%, district 14%, state 11%14% · −12 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 11%, district 12%, state 15%11% · −14 vs school

10 of 17 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 rises by 17.3pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +4.8pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 25.8%, district 23.0%, state 17.9%25.8% · +7.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.6%, district —, state 1.6%0.6% · −1.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–623.7%
TK/K25.7%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Washington Elementary
44/100
This school

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

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 staff40 teachers
Avg. experience11.5 years
Fully credentialed91%
First-year teachers8%
Intern / emergency permit3.1%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$66,974 – $130,922
Principal salary$171,484 – $202,666
Superintendent salary$299,425

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,562, CA average $14,815$19,562 · spent at this school

These measure different things: this figure is spending attributed to this campus, while district-wide figures also include central administration, districtwide programs, and the state's pension contributions made on the district's behalf — costs that never get assigned to a single school. The district number runs higher at nearly every school, not just this one.

Federal share$354 per student

$354 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$23,582 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
Instruction64%
Instruction support12%
Student services9%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Other1%

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$13,446 per pupil
2019$12,599 per pupil
2018$13,391 per pupil
2017$12,198 per pupil
2016$11,313 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic77.9%
District 68.3% · CA 56.1%
Black7.8%
District 12.5% · CA 4.8%
Other5.3%
District 8.9% · CA 9.0%
White4.8%
District 6.1% · CA 19.9%
Asian4.2%
District 4.2% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 90.8% (27pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$79K · CA $85K
Median home value$706K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+22% · CA 35%
ZIP population76,819
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), 20% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Washington Elementary a good elementary school?

Washington Elementary has a Scope Score of 44 out of 100, placing it in the 55th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #2,594 statewide. 11.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 10.3 percentage points below 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 Washington Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 25.7% of students at Washington Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 11.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 14.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 11.0% 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. 466 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Washington Elementary rank in California?

Washington Elementary ranks #2,594 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 55th 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 Washington Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Washington Elementary increases by 10.6 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 growth. This upward trajectory suggests the school is adding measurable value — students leave with higher proficiency rates than they entered with. 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 Washington Elementary?

25.8% of students at Washington Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.6%, 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 Washington Elementary compare to other schools in Bellflower?

Washington Elementary scores 44/100 (55th 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 579 students. Use the schools in Bellflower page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Washington Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Washington Elementary in Bellflower, 27.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 43.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Washington Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 15.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (20.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (28.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 14.6 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 280 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%
11.0%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 40th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+10.6pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 74th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
25.7%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 37th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
25.8%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 37th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.6%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 59th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
14.7%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 46th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 36917%9%28%46%26%−17
Grade 4798%6%15%71%14%−31
Grade 58412%35%15%38%46%−1
Grade 6744%24%32%39%28%−18
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 37111%14%23%52%25%−20
Grade 4794%13%15%68%16%−25
Grade 58414%12%26%48%26%−9
Grade 6745%11%27%57%16%−19
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11842%18%60%20%

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 Disadvantaged28027.5%−16−11
Hispanic/Latino23928.5%−16−10
English Learners8714.9%−1+5
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Washington Elementary ←4411.0%25.7%+10.60.6%
Las Flores Home Education Independent Study Academ1.2 mi7031.1%64.6%−4.00.6%
Bragg Elementary3.4 mi6538.2%70.6%+0.50.1%
Studebaker Elementary2.7 mi6027.9%52.5%+1.10.1%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
2019235#520611.1%30.8%11.8%0.4%-25.9pp
20222622#44633.4%16.8%41.3%0.0%-2.9pp
20233232#38995.7%18.0%36.5%0.4%+6.9pp
20243019#46346.0%18.6%26.8%0.8%-1.3pp
20254455#259411.0%25.7%25.8%0.6%+10.6pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Low-income students here trail the state average for their group by 11 points in ELA — worth asking how the school is closing that gap.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female11.6%26.5%+14.9pp
Male12.0%26.1%+14.1pp
Asian5.6%8.0%+2.4pp
Black/African American24.3%38.2%+13.9pp
White7.1%18.8%+11.7pp
Hispanic/Latino11.1%25.9%+14.8pp
Students with Disabilities22.0%41.6%+19.6pp
English Learners8.0%21.1%+13.1pp
Foster Youth37.5%
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged11.8%26.9%+15.1pp
All Students11.8%26.3%+14.5pp
Two or More Races36.4%
Homeless46.9%
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