Aspire Capitol Heights Academy, Sacramento CA

Original Research by School Decision on Aspire Capitol Heights Academy

Aspire Capitol Heights Academy is a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade charter school in Sacramento. The school serves a predominantly Black student body, with a substantial share also identifying as Hispanic or multiracial. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a low-income enrollment.

The most consequential context for any family considering this school is its charter status and authorization. In November 2025, Sacramento City Unified School District voted to deny renewal of the school's charter, citing low academic performance and fiscal concerns including deficit spending. The school appealed that decision to the Sacramento County Office of Education, with a hearing outcome determined for February 2026. That appeal's resolution directly determines whether the school remains authorized to operate, making this an unresolved and high-stakes question for any family enrolling now.

On academic measures, the school's proficiency rates on California state assessments are very low across both English language arts and mathematics. In the most recent testing cycle, overall proficiency in ELA stands in the low teens, and in math it is in the single digits. Performance varies by grade, with a few grades showing slightly higher rates in upper elementary and lower middle grades, but several grades, including sixth and eighth, show zero proficiency. Science proficiency in the one tested grade falls in the low teens. Among the county's school districts on the measure of overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades, this school falls in the bottom quartile.

The school's enrollment is small, around two hundred students distributed across nine grades. Housing in the school's 95826 zip code carries median values below the state benchmark, and rental costs are moderate, suggesting a neighborhood with lower barriers to entry for low-income families. Unemployment in the area sits near the low side of recent ranges, and median household income locally is comparable to the national average.

The school does not report data on special education enrollment, English learner status, chronic absenteeism, or discipline. Without those details, the full picture of student needs and school responses remains incomplete. A parent weighing enrollment may want to inquire directly with the school about how these populations are served and what support systems exist.

The backdrop of the charter denial and pending appeal means a family considering this school faces genuine uncertainty about its future. The combination of very low test performance, ongoing fiscal challenges, and the authorization question creates risk that extends beyond typical school choice considerations. For families drawn to this location or school community, these realities warrant direct conversation with school leadership about their appeal strategy and timeline, and candid assessment of what continuity looks like in either scenario.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 39%

School 9% · district not reported

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 424%

School 24% · district not reported

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

Grade 54%

School 4% · district not reported

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 60%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 79%

School 9% · district not reported

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

Grade 80%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 314%

School 14% · district not reported

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · district not reported

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

Grade 518%

School 18% · district not reported

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 60%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 44 pts below state median · ▼ 43 pts below county median

Grade 722%

School 22% · district not reported

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

Grade 80%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 44 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

Science

Grade 511%

School 11% · district not reported

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

Grade 80%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

This schoolDistrict average, 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.