Schools
13
listed public schools. We score 11 elementary and four middle.
School district · Imperial County
El Centro Elementary schools
El Centro Elementary’s 11 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 69 to 78. Its 4 middle schools have Scope Scores from 74 to 82.
75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state.
Students
5,387
in the October 2024–25 enrollment count.
Spending
$21,578
per student in 2024–25. The typical California district spent $20,491.
The path
What is the path through the district?
El Centro Elementary has 11 elementary schools and four middle schools that we score.
Elementary
11schools
Scope Scores from 69 to 78.
See the elementary schools ↓Middle · 4 schools
- De Anza MagnetScope Score 82
- Imperial Valley Home School AcademyScope Score 79
- Wilson Jr.Scope Score 74
- KennedyScope Score 74
High school
Run by another district
Our records do not name that district. Ask El Centro Elementary which high school district serves your address.
Each score compares a school with California schools at its own level. The levels are not one ranking.
Elementary schools
Which elementary schools in the El Centro Elementary district score highest?
Lincoln Elementary is highest, with a Scope Score of 78. That is higher than 63 in 100 California elementary schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
Lincoln Elementary
Grades K–6 · 399 students
192754% below the standard
Scope Score 78Solid · 63rd percentile
Rank 2
Sunflower Elementary
Grades K–6 · 427 students
242254% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 55th percentile
Rank 3
De Anza Magnet
Grades K–8 · 504 students · Check how it admits students.
142264% below the standard
Scope Score 76Solid · 52nd percentile
Rank 4
Harding Elementary
Grades K–6 · 601 students
2267% below the standard
Scope Score 75Solid · 51st percentile
Rank 5
Ballington Academy for the Arts and SciencesCharter
Grades K–6 · 230 students · Check how it admits students.
182161% below the standard
Scope Score 74Developing · 47th percentile
Rank 6
Imperial Valley Home School AcademyCharter
Grades K–8 · 131 students · Check how it admits students.
132760% below the standard
Scope Score 74Developing · 46th percentile
Rank 7
McKinley Elementary
Grades K–6 · 456 students
132265% below the standard
Scope Score 74Developing · 42nd percentile
Rank 8
Desert Garden Elementary
Grades K–6 · 358 students
202159% below the standard
Scope Score 73Developing · 39th percentile
Rank 9
Margaret Hedrick Elementary
Grades K–6 · 446 students
1676% below the standard
Scope Score 72Developing · 31st percentile
Rank 10
Booker T. Washington Elementary
Grades K–6 · 351 students
1774% below the standard
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 14th percentile
Show the other 1 elementary school
Rank 11
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
Grades K–6 · 445 students
132067% below the standard
Scope Score 69Needs Support · 14th percentile
The average elementary school in the El Centro Elementary district had 15 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100.
Each score compares a school with the 5,726 California elementary schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in the El Centro Elementary district score highest?
De Anza Magnet is highest, with a Scope Score of 82. That is higher than 81 in 100 California middle schools we score.
AdvancedProficientBelow the standardEnglish and math tests combined
Rank 1
De Anza Magnet
Grades K–8 · 504 students · Check how it admits students.
213643% below the standard
Scope Score 82Strong · 81st percentile
Rank 2
Imperial Valley Home School AcademyCharter
Grades K–8 · 131 students · Check how it admits students.
213148% below the standard
Scope Score 79Solid · 70th percentile
Rank 3
Wilson Jr. High
Grades 7–8 · 605 students
132265% below the standard
Scope Score 74Developing · 43rd percentile
Rank 4
Kennedy Middle
Grades 7–8 · 434 students
2366% below the standard
Scope Score 74Developing · 42nd percentile
The average middle school in the El Centro Elementary district had 11 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
Each score compares a school with the 2,529 California middle schools we score. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026.
Against California
How does the district compare with California?
15 in 100 students at the average elementary school here were chronically absent. The California figure is 17 in 100.
Students who miss a lot of school
Average elementary school, students in 100
El Centro Elementary15 in 100
California17 in 100
Students from low-income families
Qualify for free or reduced-price meals
El Centro Elementary81%
California63%
Spending per student
Day-to-day spending, 2024–25
El Centro Elementary$21,578
Typical district$20,491
English learners who moved up a level
On the state’s English test (ELPAC)
El Centro Elementary49%
California47%
Absence: averages of school rates, each elementary school counted once, 2025–26. Meals: 4,339 of 5,387 students, 2024–25, summed from the state’s meal counts for every school listed under the district, charters included. Spending: day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, 2024–25. The typical district is the middle one when California districts are put in order. English learners: From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 49% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (782 of 1,601 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent. Source: California Department of Education, English learner progress files.
The district
Where does El Centro Elementary’s money go?
About 65 cents of every El Centro Elementary dollar went to classroom instruction.
$21,578
spent per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491.
Every dollar, by what it paid for
65¢12¢9¢8¢6¢
- Instruction65%
- Buildings & maintenance12%
- Instruction support9%
- Student services8%
- Administration6%
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $38.2 million into 22 funded actions in 4 goals. That is 36% of its $106.9 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts. The district reports what it spent in a later plan.
Spending is day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education, 2024–25. It covers the whole district, including central administration. Shares are rounded so they add up to 100. Planned amounts are from the yearly spending plan (LCAP) as posted to the California School Dashboard.
State records
Who attends, and is the state giving extra help?
5,387 students were enrolled in the October 2024–25 count. El Centro Elementary isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
Who goes to the district’s schools
- Hispanic or Latino 96%
- Other or not reported 4%
Is the state giving the district extra help?
El Centro Elementary isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard. Source: District help (CDE).Common questions
What do parents ask about this district?
Are the public schools in the El Centro Elementary district good?
El Centro Elementary’s 11 public elementary schools have Scope Scores from 69 to 78. Of those, 4 are Solid, 5 are Developing and 2 are Needs Support. El Centro Elementary’s 4 public middle schools have Scope Scores from 74 to 82. Of those, 1 is Strong, 1 is Solid and 2 are Developing. 75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How we score schools.
Which public schools in the El Centro Elementary district rank highest?
Lincoln Elementary is the highest elementary school, with a Scope Score of 78. It is Solid, at the 63rd percentile. De Anza Magnet is the highest middle school, with a Scope Score of 82. It is Strong, at the 81st percentile. Each score compares a school with the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
How does chronic absence in the El Centro Elementary district compare with California?
The average elementary school in the El Centro Elementary district had 15 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days. Each figure is an average of school rates. Each school counts once. The average middle school in the El Centro Elementary district had 11 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26. The average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
How much does the El Centro Elementary district spend per student?
The El Centro Elementary district spent $21,578 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 65 cents of every El Centro Elementary dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in the El Centro Elementary district’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $38.2 million into 22 funded actions in 4 goals. That is 36% of its $106.9 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $14.3 million, 37% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Does living in the El Centro Elementary district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
Where do these results come from?
The test results are from California’s state tests (CAASPP), spring 2026. Chronic-absence rates are for 2025–26. The California Department of Education publishes both. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Next
Which places nearby can you look at next?
Schools in El Centro
Every public school with a El Centro address.
Compare schoolsSee the same numbers for each school.
Open the mapSee these schools on the map.
Districts nearby
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by the El Centro Elementary district, with the district’s spending and state records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.
State tests are the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), spring 2026.
Download these schools (CSV) Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.