Mission Crest Elementary, Hesperia CA

Original Research by School Decision on Mission Crest Elementary

Mission Crest Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Hesperia, a city in San Bernardino County. The school enrolls roughly a thousand students, with a majority of students coming from Hispanic backgrounds and a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting an economically disadvantaged community. The student body is diverse: roughly three-quarters of students identify as Hispanic, with meaningful representation of Black, white, and Asian students.

State testing results from spring 2025 show proficiency rates that are low across both English language arts and math. In ELA, fewer than a quarter of students at each grade level tested met state standards, with results varying slightly by grade. In math, proficiency was even lower, ranging from single digits in sixth grade up to roughly a fifth in third grade. In the one science test administered at this school, fifth-grade proficiency was similarly low. Compared to other public schools in San Bernardino County whose data is available, Mission Crest's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile, meaning it underperforms most district elementary schools in the county on standardized measures.

These results reflect persistent academic challenge. Only one year of testing data is available, so it is not yet possible to track whether performance is improving, declining, or stable. A parent may want to ask the school directly about its response to these scores and what interventions are underway in reading and math instruction.

The school is a regular public elementary, not a magnet or charter, and is part of Hesperia Unified. The district has been building career and technical education pathways and dual-enrollment opportunities at the high school level in recent years, with students earning associate degrees while still enrolled. At the elementary level, no specialized program information was available from the school's data. State special education and English learner counts were not reported, so the profile of those student populations is unclear; a parent might contact the school to ask about support services available.

Housing in the Hesperia zip code is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks. Median home values are moderate, and monthly rental costs are below the national median, though affordability depends on household income. The local unemployment rate is stable, and median household income nationally is in the low six figures, though specific local income data was not available.

Mission Crest is appropriate for families seeking a neighborhood elementary school in a diverse, economically mixed community. The low test performance is a substantive reality that should inform your choice. The school's low standing on state measures matters especially if strong academic outcomes or enrichment are priorities. Families should engage directly with the school about how it is addressing achievement gaps, what classroom instruction looks like, and how it supports students who are not yet proficient.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 322%

School 22% · District 27% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 413%

School 13% · District 22% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 16% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 69%

School 9% · District 21% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 325%

School 25% · District 25%

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 416%

School 16% · District 26% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 525%

School 25% · District 29% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 624%

School 24% · District 31% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Science

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 16% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

This schoolHesperia Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income21%Higher-income32%11 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income18%Higher-income12%6 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income24%Higher-income29%6 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income22%Higher-income28%6 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income20%Higher-income25%5 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income13%Higher-income12%1 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income11%Higher-income15%4 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income9%Higher-income10%1 pp gap