The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Math. The lowest is 37% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Cabrillo Elementary
Cabrillo Elementary is a small public school serving kindergarten through fourth grade in San Diego. The enrollment is heavily weighted toward kindergarten, with the school much smaller in the upper grades, a profile typical of some urban schools where families move as children progress or choose other settings. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting economic need in the surrounding community. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a secondary population of white students and smaller shares of Black, multiracial, and Asian students. Specific data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.
State test results from spring 2025 show proficiency rates that are modest. In English language arts, about a third of both third and fourth graders met the state's proficiency standard. Math performance was somewhat higher: about half of third graders and a bit more than a third of fourth graders reached proficiency. These rates place the school below the midpoint for overall proficiency when compared against other schools in San Diego County, meaning its academic results sit in the lower portion of the county's range. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand its instructional priorities, recent trends, and plans to address foundational reading and math skills in early grades.
The school is part of San Diego Unified, a large urban district that has made several district-wide shifts worth noting. The district adopted standards-based grading for secondary grades, removing non-academic factors like late work from academic grades and instead placing them in a separate citizenship grade; this is relevant to families whose children will move into the district's middle and high schools. San Diego Unified voters also approved a major facilities bond and made Ethnic Studies a graduation requirement for high school students. These reflect the district's current direction and values, which families choosing Cabrillo should understand.
Housing in the school's San Diego zip code is expensive relative to the broader region and the nation. Home values are substantially above both state and national medians, and monthly rent for a typical unit is also considerably high. For families considering Cabrillo, this context is important: the neighborhood carries a housing market cost that likely outpaces many parts of the country, though it is roughly in line with San Diego County as a whole. The local unemployment rate is low, and median household income in the area is solid, suggesting an economically stable region despite the high housing costs.
Cabrillo is a standard public elementary school with a straightforward K-4 configuration. It is not a magnet, charter, or specialized program school. The school itself appears to be the sole defining characteristic available; no other programs, staffing information, or enrollment policies were detailed in public records. For parents weighing early-elementary options in this part of San Diego, Cabrillo offers neighborhood-based, traditional public schooling in an economically mixed community with academic results that currently lag county peers and will warrant direct conversation with school leadership about instructional strengths and support systems.
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