La Mariposa, Camarillo CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on La Mariposa

La Mariposa is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade public school in Camarillo serving a diverse, family-oriented community in Ventura County. The school enrolls a student body that mirrors the economic and ethnic diversity of the broader region: just over a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is split roughly between White and Hispanic students, with a smaller Asian population and smaller numbers of students from other backgrounds.

On state assessments administered in spring 2025, La Mariposa's overall proficiency stood in the top quartile relative to other districts in Ventura County. In English language arts, proficiency across grades three through five averaged around four in five students meeting or exceeding the standard, with the strongest performance in fifth grade and solid scores in third and fourth grade. Mathematics proficiency was somewhat lower, ranging from around seven in ten in third grade down to about seven in ten in fifth grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade, where it is tested, sat around seven in ten. These results place the school solidly above the county median on combined proficiency and suggest consistent, grade-level-appropriate achievement without dramatic weakness in any single area. A parent might note the slight downward trend from third to fifth grade in math, which is not uncommon but could warrant a conversation with the school about whether interventions or supports are available for students beginning to struggle with more abstract reasoning.

The school's enrollment is stable and well-distributed across its grades, with each cohort ranging from about a hundred to a hundred and twenty students. This means La Mariposa functions as a conventional-sized elementary school where classroom sizes are likely manageable and the school community is large enough to offer variety in instruction and enrichment without feeling impersonal.

Camarillo itself is a mixed-use Ventura County city blending advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, aerospace, and other technical industries alongside retail and residential life. The city has a walkable historic core in Old Town along Ventura Boulevard, anchored by Constitution Park and the Metrolink station, though the broader city is suburban and car-dependent. Recent residential growth has focused on new master-planned communities like Springville and Anacapa Canyon, with townhomes and single-family homes attracting young families. Home values in the area are substantial, and rental costs are moderate relative to ownership, making the city accessible primarily to households with solid income. The town has good civic anchors: the Camarillo Public Library, parks with free summer programming, and both local and intercity transit options.

Pleasant Valley School District, which operates La Mariposa, transitioned in 2022 from at-large board elections to a by-trustee-area system, a move driven by voting rights considerations. Under this structure, the district is divided into five geographic trustee areas and voters in each area elect their own representative. This change means families now have direct representation from a board member living in their specific neighborhood, though election timing is staggered across the two cycles, which is a detail worth knowing if you vote in school elections.

State testing data was unavailable for kindergarten through second grade, as California does not administer state assessments at those levels. English learner enrollment and special education rates were not provided in the available information, so a parent interested in those supports should contact the school directly. Overall, La Mariposa presents as a solid neighborhood elementary school with above-county-median proficiency, stable enrollment, and a student body drawn from a prosperous suburban community with strong family engagement in residential growth.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 382%

School 82% · District 65% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Grade 472%

School 72% · District 57% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Grade 570%

School 70% · District 52% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 376%

School 76% · District 60% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Grade 478%

School 78% · District 57% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 587%

School 87% · District 66% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

Science

Grade 570%

School 70% · District 45% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▲ 41 pts above state median · ▲ 41 pts above county median

This schoolPleasant Valley, 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-income64%Higher-income81%17 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income56%Higher-income87%32 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income72%Higher-income93%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income71%Higher-income86%15 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income54%Higher-income81%27 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income36%Higher-income81%45 pp gap