La Mesa-Spring Valley runs schools through 8th grade. Its 18 public elementary schools run from the 18th to the 76th 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
La Mesa-Spring Valley · grades K–8
Another district · grades 9–12
Elementary · 18 schools
from 18th to 76th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
The average elementary school in La Mesa-Spring Valley had 18 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley score highest?
La Mesa Arts Academy is highest, at the 86th percentile.
That’s higher than 86 in 100 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in La Mesa-Spring Valley
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
The average middle school in La Mesa-Spring Valley had 23 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
The district
Where does La Mesa-Spring Valley’s money go, and what does it plan?
La Mesa-Spring Valley spent $19,552 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 61 cents of every La Mesa-Spring Valley 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
Instruction61%
Instruction support11%
Student services13%
Administration6%
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
$67.6 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 37 funded actions in 4 goals. That’s 32% of its $212.3 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, 136 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 42% of the money. The plan itself puts 82% of it toward staff.
Class Size Targets $14.0 million
Child Nutrition Services $8.7 million
Safe and Secure Facilities $6.0 million
34 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
4 of the plan’s 37 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name catch-up help or English learners
Catch-up help $2.6 million
English learners $3.7 million
Largest of these
Dual Language Program$2.9 million
Intervention Programs (modified for the 2025-26 school year)$2.6 million
Additional Supports for Long Term English Learners (added for the 2025-26 school year)$607,439
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 $29.4 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $29.7 million and estimates it spent $29.9 million, within 1% of the plan.
$29.9 million spent (estimated)$29.7 million planned
What changed
The total is $1.5 million (2%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is ELOP, which went from $1.8 million to $5.5 million.
Largest cuts
Partnerships and Mentorships for Social-Emotional and Mental Health Supports−$1.7 million
Standards Aligned Materials−$684,594
Transportation Services−$484,287
Largest increases
ELOP+$3.7 million
Class Size Targets+$1.3 million
Intervention Programs (modified for the 2025-26 school year)+$444,269
New in the 2026–27 plan
Additional Supports for Long Term English Learners (added for the 2025-26 school year)$607,439
Professional Development to Support Academic and Behavioral Outcomes$185,000
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 2024–25Goal 1 · Achieve
48%
50%
up 2 pts
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1 · Achieve
37%
39%
up 2 pts
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2 · Engage
21 in 100
19 in 100
2 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 2 · Engage
3.0%
3.0%
no change
Goal 4 tracks named schools and Goal 3 tracks other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
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
Class Size Targets · $13,996,189
Child Nutrition Services · $8,671,151
Safe and Secure Facilities · $6,050,000
The full plan4 goals, 32 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 ($67.6 million).
Where does the money go?
56% to Goal 3, Equip. 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 1Achieve$14.8 million22% of action budgets
“We will increase achievement for all of our students while decreasing performance gaps and educational inequities” p. 20 ↗
9 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $15.0 million (−$206,302)
Largest funded actions
Collaboration Time for Classroom Teachers$4.2 millionaction 1.8 · p. 87 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.8 million is state funding counted toward those services
Dual Language Program$2.9 millionaction 1.7 · p. 87 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Intervention Programs (modified for the 2025-26 school year)$2.6 millionaction 1.5 · p. 87 ↗
Professional Learning and Coaching for Certificated Staff$1.4 millionaction 1.1 · p. 87 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $927,730 is state funding counted toward those services
Professional Learning and Coaching for Certificated Administrators · action 1.3 · p. 87 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $557,908 is state funding counted toward those services$1.0 million
Regular Monitoring of Formative and Summative Student Data · action 1.4 · p. 87 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $734,319 is state funding counted toward those services$0.8 million
Additional Supports for Long Term English Learners (added for the 2025-26 school year) · action 1.9 · p. 87 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $108,579 is state funding counted toward those services$0.6 million
Teachers on Special Assignment · action 1.2 · p. 87 ↗$0.2 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Regular Monitoring of Formative and Summative Student Data−$0.5 million$1.3 million → $0.8 million · p. 87 ↗
Intervention Programs (modified for the 2025-26 school year)+$0.4 million$2.1 million → $2.6 million · p. 87 ↗
Dual Language Program−$0.4 million$3.3 million → $2.9 million · p. 87 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Collaboration Time for Classroom Teachers · $4.0 million → $4.2 million · p. 87 ↗+$0.2 million
Professional Learning and Coaching for Certificated Staff · $1.7 million → $1.4 million · p. 87 ↗−$0.3 million
Special Education · $1.2 million → $1.1 million · p. 87 ↗−$0.1 million
Professional Learning and Coaching for Certificated Administrators · $1.1 million → $1.0 million · p. 87 ↗−$0.2 million
Additional Supports for Long Term English Learners (added for the 2025-26 school year) · $607,439 · p. 87 ↗new or renamed
Teachers on Special Assignment · $149,637 → $150,547 · p. 87 ↗+$910
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 10 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 20 ↗.
Goal 2Engage$14.8 million22% of action budgets
“We will engage our students and the learning community in order to ensure the skills and supports necessary for social, emotional, and physical well-being” p. 37 ↗
14 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $13.1 million (+$1.7 million)
Community Schools$3.4 millionaction 2.16 · p. 88 ↗
Partnerships and Mentorships for Social-Emotional and Mental Health Supports$2.3 millionaction 2.6 · p. 88 ↗
School Attendance Teams$1.3 millionaction 2.9 · p. 88 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
District Behavior Team Support$0.7 millionaction 2.3 · p. 88 ↗
9 more funded actions in this goal
Parent Empowerment Program (PEP) · action 2.4 · p. 88 ↗$0.4 million
Professional Learning for Certificated Staff · action 2.1 · p. 87 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $84,977 is state funding counted toward those services$0.4 million
Parent/Caregiver Outreach and Education · action 2.13 · p. 88 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $139,736 is state funding counted toward those services$0.3 million
Professional Learning for Classified Staff · action 2.2 · p. 88 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $17,160 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
Engaging Newcomer Families · action 2.14 · p. 88 ↗$0.2 million
Alternatives to Suspension (modified for the 2025-26 school year) · action 2.7 · p. 88 ↗$0.1 million
Culture and Climate Survey · action 2.11 · p. 88 ↗under $0.1 million
Educational Partner Surveys · action 2.12 · p. 88 ↗under $0.1 million
Social Emotional Learning · action 2.5 · p. 88 ↗under $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
ELOP+$3.7 million$1.8 million → $5.5 million · p. 88 ↗
Partnerships and Mentorships for Social-Emotional and Mental Health Supports−$1.7 million$4.0 million → $2.3 million · p. 88 ↗
Community Schools+$0.2 million$3.2 million → $3.4 million · p. 88 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
School Attendance Teams · $1.5 million → $1.3 million · p. 88 ↗−$0.2 million
District Behavior Team Support · $776,603 → $691,921 · p. 88 ↗−$84,682
Parent Empowerment Program (PEP) · $466,095 → $448,784 · p. 88 ↗−$17,311
Professional Learning for Certificated Staff · $564,190 → $409,262 · p. 87 ↗−$154,929
Parent/Caregiver Outreach and Education · $339,862 → $330,117 · p. 88 ↗−$9,745
Professional Learning for Classified Staff · $109,151 → $187,383 · p. 88 ↗+$78,232
Site Discretionary Allocation · $144,453 → $149,299 · p. 89 ↗+$4,846
How the plan measures it · 7 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 59 ↗.
Goal 4 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalWithin three years, Bancroft Elementary will improve outcomes for student groups performing in the lowest…$522,8101% of action budgets
“Within three years, Bancroft Elementary will improve outcomes for student groups performing in the lowest Dashboard levels, specifically English Learners, Students with Disabilities, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged students, and Hispanic students, by increasing literacy achievement in English Language Arts, reducing chronic absenteeism, and decreasing suspension rates. Progress will be measured through CAASPP ELA results, local literacy benchmark data, chronic absenteeism rates, and suspension data reported on the California School Dashboard” p. 67 ↗
4 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Professional Development to Support Academic and Behavioral Outcomes$185,000action 4.3 · p. 89 ↗
Academic and Behavioral Support Resource Teacher$145,000action 4.1 · p. 89 ↗
Release Days for Collaboration and Data Analysis$112,665action 4.2 · p. 89 ↗
Instructional and Behavioral Support Materials$80,145action 4.4 · p. 90 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Professional Development to Support Academic and Behavioral Outcomes · $185,000 · p. 89 ↗new or renamed
Academic and Behavioral Support Resource Teacher · $145,000 · p. 89 ↗new or renamed
Release Days for Collaboration and Data Analysis · $112,665 · p. 89 ↗new or renamed
Instructional and Behavioral Support Materials · $80,145 · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 5 measures · 2 quoted
California Dashboard Chronic Absenteeism Ratesp. 69 ↗
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, 10,616 students
1Hispanic or Latino52%
2White26%
3Two or more races9%
4Black or African American7%
5Asian3%
6Filipino2%
7Not reported<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
63%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 6,628 of 10,595 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?
The state is giving La Mesa-Spring Valley extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 48% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (583 of 1,223 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
4 schools getting state support, 2025–26
1 in extra targeted support · 3 in targeted support
Bancroft ElementaryExtra targeted support: Black or African American students
Loma ElementaryTargeted support: Black or African American students
This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.
Which public schools in La Mesa-Spring Valley rank highest?
Elementary: 2 schools at the 76th percentile (Strong): Fletcher Hills Elementary and Murdock Elementary. Middle: La Mesa Arts Academy, 86th 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley good?
La Mesa-Spring Valley’s 18 public elementary schools run from the 18th to the 76th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 3 Strong, 5 Solid, 7 Developing and 3 Needs Support. La Mesa-Spring Valley’s 4 public middle schools run from the 19th to the 86th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Strong, 1 Solid, 1 Developing and 1 Needs Support. 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley compare with California?
The average elementary school in La Mesa-Spring Valley had 18 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley had 23 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley spend per student?
La Mesa-Spring Valley spent $19,552 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 61 cents of every La Mesa-Spring Valley 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $67.6 million into 37 funded actions in 4 goals, 32% of its $212.3 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $37.6 million, 56% 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley, 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.