Sierra Elementary, Lancaster CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Sierra Elementary

Sierra Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Lancaster, a mid-sized desert city in the Antelope Valley, about an hour north of downtown Los Angeles. The school draws from a community where affordable housing, aerospace and military employment, and a revitalized downtown cultural district shape daily life.

The school enrolls a broad student population, roughly evenly split across its grade band. A substantial share of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic composition of the area. The student body is diverse, with African American, Hispanic, and white students each representing meaningful portions of enrollment, plus smaller numbers of Asian, multiracial, and Native Hawaiian students.

State test results from the 2024-25 school year show proficiency rates that are low across both English language arts and math. In ELA, third-graders posted the lowest rate, with proficiency rising modestly through fifth grade. Math proficiency is even lower in all grades tested, declining as students advance. Fifth-grade science proficiency was also low. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, Sierra's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile when compared to other elementary schools across Los Angeles County. These results suggest that students are not yet demonstrating command of grade-level standards in foundational areas, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what support systems are in place, what the school's instructional priorities are, and what opportunities exist for skill-building both in class and through additional help.

The school is situated within Lancaster School District, which in late 2024 secured voter approval of a substantial general obligation bond focused on school facility repairs and upgrades. Many district schools, including those that may have been built decades ago, stand to benefit from renovations to aging infrastructure, classrooms, science labs, and instructional technology. This investment will unfold over time and speaks to the district's commitment to improving the physical learning environment.

Lancaster itself is a growing city with a defined downtown anchored by a revitalized boulevard featuring public art, local businesses, and civic institutions like the public library and performing arts center. The Metrolink station connects the city to Los Angeles, and major regional employers include aerospace firms, a military base, and a hospital, creating a diversified local economy. Housing costs in the area are moderate relative to broader Los Angeles County, and the community continues to develop residential and industrial capacity.

Sierra Elementary offers a traditional public-school curriculum in a regular classroom structure for early elementary grades. The school is not a charter, magnet, or specialized program; it functions as a neighborhood elementary serving its immediate area. Specific detail about programs, staffing levels, special education services, or English learner supports was not available in the data, so interested families may want to visit the school or contact the district directly to learn more about those aspects of support.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 312%

School 12% · District 24% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Grade 49%

School 9% · District 17% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Grade 57%

School 7% · District 11% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 317%

School 17% · District 24% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 24% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 25% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 515%

School 15% · District 15%

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

This schoolLancaster Elementary, 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 5Lower-income23%Higher-income54%31 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income5%Higher-income23%18 pp gap