Huntington Beach City Elementary runs schools through 8th grade. Its 7 public elementary schools run from the 62nd to the 94th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). High school is run by another district; confirm the school for your address with the district.
K5Elementary
68Middle
912High
Huntington Beach City Elementary · grades K–8
Another district · grades 9–12
Elementary · 7 schools
from 62nd to 94th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Ralph E. Hawes Elementary: 94th percentile, Strong
Agnes L. Smith Elementary: 85th percentile, Strong
Kinetic Academy: 72nd percentile, Solid
John R. Peterson Elementary: 62nd percentile, Solid
0Needs Support
0Developing
2Solid
5Strong
Middle · 3 schools
from 84th to 91st · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Isaac L. Sowers Middle: 91st percentile, Strong
Kinetic Academy: 89th percentile, Strong
Ethel Dwyer Middle: 84th percentile, Strong
0Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
3Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 1 of the 9 ranked schools teaches two levels, so it appears in more than one picture.
9 ranked schools
Schools around the Huntington Beach City Elementary district
The average elementary school in the Huntington Beach City Elementary district had 6 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in the Huntington Beach City Elementary district score highest?
Isaac L. Sowers Middle is highest, at the 91st percentile.
That’s higher than 91 in 100 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in the Huntington Beach City Elementary district
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean
The average middle school in the Huntington Beach City Elementary district had 9 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
The district
Where does Huntington Beach City Elementary’s money go, and what does it plan?
The Huntington Beach City Elementary district spent $17,808 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 64 cents of every Huntington Beach City Elementary dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction64%
Instruction support12%
Student services6%
Administration9%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$41.9 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 25 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 50% of its $84.0 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 125 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 83% of the money. The plan itself puts 95% of it toward staff.
Core Teachers $29.7 million
Transitional Kindergarten $2.5 million
Reduce Class Size $2.4 million
22 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
6 of the plan’s 25 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading, catch-up help or English learners
Reading $169,151
Catch-up help $36,495
English learners $297,640
Largest of these
Centralized PD, EL, SED, GATE Technical Assistance$283,545
Literacy Coaches$169,151
Targeted Interventions$32,495
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $10.0 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $5.1 million and estimates it spent $5.1 million, the same as planned.
$5.1 million spent (estimated)$5.1 million planned
What changed
The total is $8.1 million (24%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Core Teachers, which went from $26.5 million to $29.7 million.
Largest cuts
Literacy Coaches−$152,067
Largest increases
Core Teachers+$3.2 million
Reduce Class Size+$1.5 million
Professional Learning Communities (PLC)+$971,101
New in the 2026–27 plan
Transitional Kindergarten$2.5 million
Ask: What did Literacy Coaches pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $152,067 less?
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1 and 4
72%
71%
down 1 pt
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1 and 4
65%
64%
down 1 pt
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 3
9 in 100
9 in 100
no change
Suspended at least onceGoal 2
1.3%
1.3%
no change
Goal 5 isn’t shown because it tracks other measures.
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Core Teachers · $29,706,585
Transitional Kindergarten · $2,477,186
Reduce Class Size · $2,407,659
The full plan5 goals, 30 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($41.9 million).
Where does the money go?
84% to Goal 1. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1All students will demonstrate growth toward meeting standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math and…$35.1 million84% of action budgets
“All students will demonstrate growth toward meeting standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math and English Learners (ELs) will demonstrate progress in developing English language proficiency” p. 17 ↗
6 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $29.5 million (+$5.6 million)
Literacy Coaches · $321,218 → $169,151 · p. 84 ↗−$152,067
How the plan measures it · 3 measures · 2 quoted
CAASPP ELA- District % Meet or Exceeds Grades 3-8p. 17 ↗
Baseline
2022-2023 All- 69.64%
Target for year 3
All- 79%
Percentage of English learner students who make progress toward English proficiency- Districtp. 18 ↗
Baseline
2022-2023 50.9% making progress
Target for year 3
District: 60% making progress
1 more measure in the plan’s table.
Goal 2HBCSD will expand opportunities to engage and educate parents, families and community in their schools and…$204,974under 1% of action budgets
“HBCSD will expand opportunities to engage and educate parents, families and community in their schools and district to ensure that they have opportunities to participate in school and district decision-making” p. 22 ↗
Goal 3HBCSD will improve overall perceptions of school climate and increase feelings of safety and belonging among…$136,000under 1% of action budgets
“HBCSD will improve overall perceptions of school climate and increase feelings of safety and belonging among students, staff, and parents/guardians” p. 28 ↗
Goal 4 · Focus GoalHBCSD will increase ELA and Math proficiency by 10 points distance from standard (DFS) over the course of the…$1.5 million4% of action budgets
“HBCSD will increase ELA and Math proficiency by 10 points distance from standard (DFS) over the course of the three year cycle for the following student groups: Students with Disabilities (SWD), English learners (ELs), Homeless (HOM), Hispanic (HI), Socio-economically disadvantaged (SED)” p. 34 ↗
3 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $1.5 million (unchanged)
Largest funded actions
Afterschool Enrichment$1.5 millionaction 4.3 · p. 85 ↗
Targeted Interventionsunder $0.1 millionaction 4.2 · p. 85 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Professional Development in EL and LTEL Strategiesunder $0.1 millionaction 4.4 · p. 85 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Afterschool Enrichment · $1.5 million → $1.5 million · p. 85 ↗unchanged
Targeted Interventions · $32,495 → $32,495 · p. 85 ↗unchanged
Professional Development in EL and LTEL Strategies · $1,000 → $1,000 · p. 85 ↗unchanged
Goal 5 · Maintenance of Progress GoalHBCSD will maintain 100% compliance with California State Priority 1- Basic Services, Priority 2…$4.9 million12% of action budgets
“HBCSD will maintain 100% compliance with California State Priority 1- Basic Services, Priority 2- Implementation of State Standards, and Priority 7- Course Access” p. 41 ↗
9 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $2.5 million (+$2.4 million)
Largest funded actions
Transitional Kindergarten$2.5 millionaction 5.9 · p. 86 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Continue Elementary and Middle School Counselors$0.8 millionaction 5.8 · p. 86 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Full Day Kindergarten$0.6 millionaction 5.3 · p. 86 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Classified Support Staff$0.4 millionaction 5.4 · p. 86 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Assistant Principals at Middle School$0.4 millionaction 5.6 · p. 86 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
4 more funded actions in this goal
Centralized PD, EL, SED, GATE Technical Assistance · action 5.1 · p. 85 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.3 million
Technology Support · action 5.2 · p. 85 ↗under $0.1 million
Bilingual Instructional Assistant Support · action 5.5 · p. 86 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Preschool · action 5.7 · p. 86 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Centralized PD, EL, SED, GATE Technical Assistance−$86,473$370,018 → $283,545 · p. 85 ↗
Continue Elementary and Middle School Counselors+$74,308$700,084 → $774,392 · p. 86 ↗
Full Day Kindergarten−$20,611$600,073 → $579,462 · p. 86 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Transitional Kindergarten · $2.5 million · p. 86 ↗new or renamed
Classified Support Staff · $412,947 → $412,947 · p. 86 ↗unchanged
Assistant Principals at Middle School · $369,010 → $369,010 · p. 86 ↗unchanged
Technology Support · $21,554 → $22,852 · p. 85 ↗+$1,298
Bilingual Instructional Assistant Support · $13,095 → $13,095 · p. 86 ↗unchanged
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 4,923 students
1White50%
2Hispanic or Latino22%
3Two or more races12%
4Asian11%
5Not reported3%
6Filipino<1%
7Black or African American<1%
8Pacific Islander<1%
9American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
31%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 1,518 of 4,921 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
Huntington Beach City Elementary isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 71% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (115 of 162 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
Which public schools in the Huntington Beach City Elementary district rank highest?
Elementary: Ralph E. Hawes Elementary, 94th percentile (Strong). Middle: Isaac L. Sowers Middle, 91st percentile (Strong). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Huntington Beach City 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.
More questions (5)
Are the public schools in the Huntington Beach City Elementary district good?
Huntington Beach City Elementary’s 7 public elementary schools run from the 62nd to the 94th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 5 Strong and 2 Solid. Huntington Beach City Elementary’s 3 public middle schools run from the 84th to the 91st percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 3 Strong. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How does chronic absence in the Huntington Beach City Elementary district compare with California?
The average elementary school in the Huntington Beach City Elementary district had 6 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in the Huntington Beach City Elementary district had 9 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does the Huntington Beach City Elementary district spend per student?
The Huntington Beach City Elementary district spent $17,808 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 64 cents of every Huntington Beach City 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 Huntington Beach City Elementary district’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $41.9 million into 25 funded actions in 5 goals, 50% of its $84.0 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $35.1 million, 84% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP) from spring 2026 and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by the Huntington Beach City Elementary district, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.