Elementary Schools in La Mesa, California: 12 schools. Average score 3.1 points below the state. Here is what that number does — and doesn't — tell you.
La Mesa, California has 12 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 35.8/100 — 3.1 points below the state average of 38.9. The highest-scoring school is Murdock Elementary at 46/100, where 33.2% of students exceed the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment. La Mesa schools average 20.8% exceeded standard (state: 21.4%) — this exceeded-vs-met distinction shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. Chronic absenteeism averages 14.3% (below the state average of 17.9%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
How La Mesa schools compare
La Mesa has 12 ranked elementary schools with an average Scope Score of 35.8/100 — 3.1 points below the state average of 38.9 (CDE CAASPP 2025).
The top-ranked school is Murdock Elementary with a Scope Score of 46 and 33.2% of students exceeding standard.
Chronic absenteeism in La Mesa averages 14.3% — below the state average of 17.9%.
How we score · Weighted composite of test performance, growth, and school climate · Full weights on the methodology page
Elementary school archetypes in La Mesa
Hidden gems: 2 schools in La Mesa are classified as On the Rise (2) — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Every school in La Mesa
ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP · levels never mixed
Elementary Schools (12)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murdock Elementary La Mesa-Spring Valley | 33.2% | 71st percentile · SolidScope Score 46/100 |
| 2 | Murray Manor Elementary La Mesa-Spring Valley | 35.2% | 67th percentile · SolidScope Score 43/100 |
| 3 | Lemon Avenue Elementary La Mesa-Spring Valley | 33.2% | 62nd percentile · SolidScope Score 41/100 |
| 4 | La Mesa Dale Elementary La Mesa-Spring Valley | 23.2% | 59th percentile · SolidScope Score 39/100 |
| 5 | Maryland Avenue Elementary La Mesa-Spring Valley | 27.3% | 57th percentile · SolidScope Score 39/100 |
| 6 | Rolando Elementary La Mesa-Spring Valley | 19.9% | 57th percentile · SolidScope Score 39/100 |
| 7 | The Learning Choice Academy - East County Grossmont Union High | 18.2% | 51st percentile · SolidScope Score 36/100 |
| 8 | Avocado Elementary Cajon Valley Union | 12.5% | 42nd percentile · DevelopingScope Score 33/100 |
| 9 | JCS - Manzanita San Diego County Office of Education | 11.5% | 41st percentile · DevelopingScope Score 32/100 |
| 10 | Northmont Elementary La Mesa-Spring Valley | 12.9% | 40th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 32/100 |
| 11 | Sparrow Academy La Mesa-Spring Valley | 13.1% | 36th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 31/100 |
| 12 | Vista La Mesa Academy Lemon Grove | 9.8% | 8th percentile · Needs SupportScope Score 19/100 |
Middle Schools (2)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Mesa Arts Academy La Mesa-Spring Valley | 29.6% | 85th percentile · StrongScope Score 56/100 |
| 2 | Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy La Mesa-Spring Valley | 17.3% | 53rd percentile · SolidScope Score 38/100 |
High Schools (2)
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helix High Grossmont Union High | 40.8% | 86th percentile · StrongScope Score 69/100 |
| 2 | Grossmont High Grossmont Union High | 20.5% | 47th percentile · DevelopingScope Score 52/100 |
Free to download, CC BY 4.0 with attribution.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
Private Schools in La Mesa
Private schools don't participate in California's standardized testing (CAASPP) and cannot be scored or ranked. Showing enrollment, student-teacher ratio, and affiliation where available.
Numbers tell you whether students are clearing the bar. A school visit tells you whether they're happy doing it. These metrics are intentionally missing from the Scope Score: class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality; arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs; teacher experience and turnover; campus safety and social-emotional support; parent and community engagement; quality of special education and gifted programs; how school zones and enrollment boundaries affect access. Full methodology