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El Centro Elementary: El Centro Elementary schools score within 1.6 points of the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 2.9 points.

Near Average2024–25 data11 schools · avg 43.3/100

El Centro Elementary has 11 ranked schools across elementary levels with an average Scope Score of 43.3/100 — within 1.6 points of the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Lincoln Elementary at 53/100, where 14.6% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $15,218 per student (above the state average of $14,815). 3 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 17.3%, near the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
43.3
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
28.2
24.8 – 53.0
Avg Exceeded %
14.2%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
17.3%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
11
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
2
of 11 ranked

El Centro Elementary's elementary schools average 43.3/100 — within 1.6 points of the state average with a −2.9pp declining trajectory.

District Analysis

El Centro Elementary has 11 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 43.3/100 — within 1.6 points of the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

District-wide elementary growth averages -2.9pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 28.2 points — showing notable variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 17.3%, 0.6pp near the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 1.3%, near the state average of 1.6%.

Lincoln Elementary leads the district at 53 with 14.6% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in El Centro Elementary

3 Growth Engine2 On the Rise1 Culture First5 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 5 schools in El Centro Elementary are classified as Growth Engine (3) or 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

Student demographics

Hispanic
95.3%
White
2.3%
Asian
0.3%
Black
0.7%
Other
1.4%
Free/Reduced Lunch
80%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

El Centro Elementary spends $15,218 per student in current expenditures — $404 above the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$15,218
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
5,292
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 48.3%
$10,265 → $15,218
Spending Efficiency
2.84
Scope Score per $1K spent
Spending Breakdown
Instruction 61%Support 32%Other 7%
NCES F-33 Finance · District-level data — not school-specific

Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020

Teacher compensation

Salary Range
$72,376–$145,460
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
268
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in El Centro Elementary

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (11)

El Centro Elementary has 11 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 43.3 — within 1.6 points of the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -2.9pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Lincoln Elementary with a Scope Score of 53 and 14.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Lincoln Elementary
El Centro Elementary Building Momentum
14.6%Solid
53/100
2De Anza Magnet
El Centro Elementary Growth Engine
16.9%Solid
53/100
3McKinley Elementary
El Centro Elementary Growth Engine
18.2%Developing
50/100
4Ballington Academy for the Arts and Sciences
El Centro Elementary Growth Engine
20.6%Developing
49/100
5Margaret Hedrick Elementary
El Centro Elementary On the Rise
7.0%Developing
47/100
6Imperial Valley Home School Academy
El Centro Elementary Culture First
15.5%Developing
47/100
7Harding Elementary
El Centro Elementary On the Rise
9.7%Developing
39/100
8Desert Garden Elementary
El Centro Elementary Building Momentum
13.7%Developing
39/100
9Booker T. Washington Elementary
El Centro Elementary Building Momentum
11.0%Developing
37/100
10Sunflower Elementary
El Centro Elementary Building Momentum
19.2%Developing
37/100
11Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
El Centro Elementary Building Momentum
10.4%Needs Support
25/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 11 schoolsMethodology · Explore all schools

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.

What Scope Scores can't tell you about El Centro Elementary

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 resources are distributed across schools within the district. Full methodology

Frequently asked questions

Is El Centro Elementary a good school district?
El Centro Elementary has 11 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 43.3/100, which is within 1.6 points of the state average. 14.2% of students exceed the state standard on average. The Scope Score measures academic performance and school climate across seven dimensions. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What is the best school in El Centro Elementary?
The highest-scoring school in El Centro Elementary is Lincoln Elementary with a Scope Score of 53/100 and 14.6% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does El Centro Elementary spend per student?
El Centro Elementary spends $15,218 per student in current expenditures. The state average is $14,815. Spending data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data Fiscal Survey (F-33). Higher spending does not automatically mean better outcomes — the Scope Score measures what happens in the classroom regardless of budget.
What is the teacher salary range in El Centro Elementary?
Teacher salaries in El Centro Elementary range from $72,376–$145,460 based on the district's salary schedule (CDE Form J-90). The California statewide median teacher salary is approximately $98,000.
What does the Scope Score measure?
The Scope Score is SchoolScope's proprietary composite rating (0–100) based on seven dimensions of publicly available California school data: the exceeded-vs-met standard split, overall proficiency, grade-level growth, chronic absenteeism, suspension rate, ELPAC English Learner proficiency, and baseline proficiency. Full methodology and weights.