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La Mesa-Spring Valley: La Mesa-Spring Valley schools score 6.2 points below the state average. The trajectory from grade 3 to 5 falls 5.7 points.

Below Average2024–25 data22 schools · avg 38.7/100

La Mesa-Spring Valley has 22 ranked schools across elementary and middle levels with an average Scope Score of 38.7/100 — 6.2 points below the state average of 44.8. The highest-scoring school is Fletcher Hills Elementary at 56/100, where 39.6% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,669 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 3 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 20.6%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.

Avg Scope Score
38.7
State avg: 44.8
SchoolScope composite
Score Range
35.0
21.3 – 56.2
Avg Exceeded %
18.6%
State avg: 21.3%
Chronic Absenteeism
20.6%
State avg: 17.9%
Schools Ranked
22
With Scope Scores
Charter Schools
1
of 22 ranked
LevelAvg ScoreSchoolsExceededAbsent
ElementaryDeveloping
39.1/100
1819.0%19.6%
MiddleDeveloping
36.9/100
417.1%25.5%

La Mesa-Spring Valley's elementary schools average 39.1/100 — 5.8 points below the state average with a −5.7pp declining trajectory.

K–12 pipeline

The typical school path in La Mesa-Spring Valley, top-scoring shown first.

Elementary
39.1
avg score · 18 schools
Murdock Elementary
Developing
49/100
Murray Manor Elementary
Developing
47/100
+15 more elementary schools
Middle
36.9
avg score · 4 schools
La Mesa Arts Academy
Developing
46/100
Spring Valley Academy
Developing
38/100
+1 more middle schools

District Analysis

La Mesa-Spring Valley has 22 ranked schools with an average Scope Score of 38.7/100 — 6.2 points below the state average of 44.8 (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Strongest level: La Mesa-Spring Valley's elementary schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 39.1.

District-wide elementary growth averages -5.7pp (state avg: -2.9pp) — a declining trend worth examining school by school.

Score range of 35.0 points — showing significant variation between schools.

District chronic absenteeism averages 20.6%, 2.7pp above the state average of 17.9%.

District suspension rate averages 2.3%, near the state average of 1.6%.

Fletcher Hills Elementary leads the district at 56 with 39.6% exceeding standard.

How we score · Scope Score methodology

School archetypes in La Mesa-Spring Valley

4 Culture First3 Growth Engine3 On the Rise1 Solid Base11 Building Momentum

Hidden gems: 6 schools in La Mesa-Spring Valley are classified as Growth Engine (3) or On the Rise (3) — 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
52.9%
White
24.3%
Asian
3.2%
Black
7.5%
Other
12.1%
Free/Reduced Lunch
64%
Economic need indicator · district avg

District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data

District Funding

La Mesa-Spring Valley spends $13,669 per student in current expenditures — $1,145 below the state average of $14,815.

Per-Pupil Spending
$13,669
State avg: $14,815
District Enrollment
11,203
Students for funding calc
2016–2020 Trend
↑ 20.9%
$11,306 → $13,669
Spending Efficiency
2.83
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
$67,324–$125,159
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
Teaching Staff
636
Full-time equivalent teachers

CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25

For the data nerds

Every school in La Mesa-Spring Valley

ranked by Scope Score · 2024–25 CAASPP

Elementary Schools (18)

La Mesa-Spring Valley has 18 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 39.1 — 5.8 points below the state average of 44.8.

Growth averages -5.7pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring elementary school is Fletcher Hills Elementary with a Scope Score of 56 and 39.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1Fletcher Hills Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Solid Base
39.6%Solid
56/100
2Murdock Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Culture First
33.2%Developing
49/100
3Murray Manor Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Culture First
35.2%Developing
47/100
4Rolando Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Growth Engine
19.9%Developing
45/100
5Highlands Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Growth Engine
15.2%Developing
45/100
6La Mesa Dale Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
23.2%Developing
45/100
7Loma Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Growth Engine
13.3%Developing
45/100
8Lemon Avenue Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
33.2%Developing
44/100
9Sweetwater Springs Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley On the Rise
17.7%Developing
44/100
10Maryland Avenue Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Culture First
27.3%Developing
41/100
11Northmont Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
12.9%Developing
38/100
12Sparrow Academy
La Mesa-Spring Valley Culture First
13.1%Developing
37/100
13Kempton Street Literacy Academy
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
5.1%Developing
34/100
14La Presa Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
12.6%Developing
32/100
15Avondale Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
13.6%Developing
31/100
16Casa de Oro Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
12.3%Needs Support
26/100
17Rancho Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
8.9%Needs Support
24/100
18Bancroft Elementary
La Mesa-Spring Valley On the Rise
5.1%Needs Support
21/100

Middle Schools (4)

La Mesa-Spring Valley has 4 ranked middle schools averaging a Scope Score of 36.9 — 5.7 points below the state average of 42.6.

Growth averages -1.2pp district-wide — a declining trend worth examining.

The highest-scoring middle school is La Mesa Arts Academy with a Scope Score of 46 and 29.6% exceeding standard.

#SchoolExceededScore
1La Mesa Arts Academy
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
29.6%Developing
46/100
2Spring Valley Academy
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
9.2%Developing
38/100
3Parkway Sports and Health Science Academy
La Mesa-Spring Valley Building Momentum
17.3%Developing
32/100
4Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math A
La Mesa-Spring Valley On the Rise
12.1%Developing
31/100
Source: CDE CAASPP 2025 · 22 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley

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 La Mesa-Spring Valley a good school district?
La Mesa-Spring Valley has 22 ranked schools averaging a Scope Score of 38.7/100, which is 6.2 points below the state average. 18.6% 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley?
The highest-scoring school in La Mesa-Spring Valley is Fletcher Hills Elementary with a Scope Score of 56/100 and 39.6% exceeding standard. See methodology.
How much does La Mesa-Spring Valley spend per student?
La Mesa-Spring Valley spends $13,669 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 La Mesa-Spring Valley?
Teacher salaries in La Mesa-Spring Valley range from $67,324–$125,159 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.