Howard Pence Elementary, San Diego CA

Original Research by School Decision on Howard Pence Elementary

Howard Pence Elementary is a public school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in San Diego, located in a residential area near the southwest tip of the city. The school enrolls a small-to-mid-sized student body, with a predominantly Hispanic student population and a substantial share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

The school's state assessment results show proficiency well below state and county averages. In English language arts, overall proficiency across the tested grades sits in the low range, with fifth grade performing somewhat better than third and fourth grades. Math proficiency is considerably lower, hovering in single digits for third and fourth grades and reaching into the low double digits by fifth and sixth grade. Science results, reported only for fifth grade, also reflect limited proficiency. Across the school's tested subjects and grades, Howard Pence ranks in the bottom quartile when compared to other schools in San Diego County. A parent may want to look into the school's instructional strategies, support systems, and resource allocation to understand how the school is working to close these proficiency gaps.

The school sits within South Bay Union School District, which faces significant headwinds. Enrollment district-wide has declined substantially over the past decade, and the district is managing multimillion-dollar deficits. The board has voted to close three elementary schools, with Central Elementary closing after the current school year and Sunnyslope and Berry Elementary closing in subsequent years. This consolidation will shift hundreds of students across the remaining campuses, and families may want to clarify whether Howard Pence is among the schools remaining open long term. Additionally, the district and its teachers union have been in unresolved contract negotiations since May 2024, with teachers preparing for a possible strike as early as January 2026. Teachers have reportedly left the district, and recruitment and retention have become difficult. This labor instability is a factor families weigh when considering school stability.

On the community and economic side, housing in the 92154 zip code is moderately valued and has declined slightly year over year. Rents are substantial relative to area median income. Voters recently approved two bonds, Measure QQ and Measure PP, that will fund school infrastructure improvements and add to property tax obligations going forward.

The school operates as a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation. Data on special education services, English learner support, and staffing were not available.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 311%

School 11% · District 26% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Grade 410%

School 10% · District 25% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 26% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 613%

School 13% · District 20% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 315%

School 15% · District 28% · ▼ 13 pts below district

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

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 30% · ▼ 13 pts below district

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

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 41% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 627%

School 27% · District 37% · ▼ 10 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 22% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

This schoolSouth Bay Union, 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-income10%Higher-income27%17 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income19%Higher-income13%6 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income27%Higher-income50%23 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income28%Higher-income25%3 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income3%Higher-income27%24 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income11%Higher-income6%5 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income16%Higher-income35%19 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income15%Higher-income8%7 pp gap