1
What's the vibe like in the hallways at Poinsettia Elementary right now?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
481
Elementary
DISTRICT 503 · STATE 465
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·CARLSBAD UNIFIED·NCES 060750011987
Poinsettia Elementary
2445 Mica Rd., Carlsbad, CA 92009 · (760) 331-6500 · San Diego County
GRADES KG–05ELEMENTARY12-CITYREGULAR SCHOOL481 STUDENTS
A+
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 97% of California public elementary schools
- A+Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- A+Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- CThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
22.4:1
22 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 22.6:1 · STATE 22.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
29%
139 students
DISTRICT 34% · STATE 65%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 129 | 27% |
| Grade 1 | 65 | 14% |
| Grade 2 | 64 | 13% |
| Grade 3 | 81 | 17% |
| Grade 4 | 68 | 14% |
| Grade 5 | 74 | 15% |
This year's kindergarten class (129) is 74% larger than its 5th grade class (74).
Student demographics
65%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 61% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
82.3%
CA avg 49.1% . +13.3pp since 2014
Math
81.0%
CA avg 37.7% . +18.0pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 82 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 81 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are up about 13 points since 2014, while math scores are up about 18 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 61.3% | 21.1% | 10.3% | 7.3% |
| Math | 51.7% | 29.3% | 13.7% | 5.4% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 82.3% | 81.0% |
| 2023-24 | 89.7% | 82.7% |
| 2022-23 | 85.4% | 82.4% |
| 2021-22 | 83.2% | 80.9% |
| 2018-19 | 78.7% | 76.1% |
| 2017-18 | 74.6% | 70.4% |
| 2016-17 | 72.8% | 69.9% |
| 2015-16 | 73.0% | 61.0% |
| 2014-15 | 69.0% | 63.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
OUTPERFORMING
Top 10% of CA schools after controlling for student poverty
Actual proficiency
83.9%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
62.6%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+21.3pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 84% of students here test proficient in math and reading, well above the roughly 63% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations ranks schools against others at the same poverty level, not by raw scores, so a school can post high scores and still fall short of its prediction, or post lower scores and still beat it. This school clears its prediction by about 21 points, placing it in California's top 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Poinsettia Elementary
Poinsettia Elementary's state test result (83.9% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poinsettia Elementary this school | 481 | 28.9% | 83.9% |
| Red Hill Elementary Santa Ana | 436 | 28.9% | 75.2% |
| Castille Elementary Mission Viejo | 482 | 27.6% | 80.0% |
| Walnut Canyon Elementary Moorpark | 486 | 27.8% | 69.9% |
| North Park Elementary Valencia | 441 | 25.4% | 68.5% |
| San Ramon Elementary Novato | 456 | 30.5% | 64.0% |
Matched among California elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Poinsettia Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In California | In San Diego County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 83.9% | #103 of 5,151 | #13 of 392 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 81.0% | #195 of 5,172 ▼ 46 | #25 of 393 ▼ 6 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 82.3% | #180 of 5,172 ▼ 159 | #24 of 393 ▼ 23 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -0.3pp | #1,691 of 5,116 | #149 of 387 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 481 | #2,668 of 5,915 | #201 of 453 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 22.4:1 | #2,488 of 5,352 | #156 of 418 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 65.4% | #1,207 of 5,354 | #113 of 418 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 28.9% | #4,798 of 5,625 | #351 of 442 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -9.1% | #2,799 of 3,837 | #199 of 279 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
481
+90 (+23%) vs 2020
-8% since 2010-11, when it was 522
Student : Teacher
22.4:1
was 20.6:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 481 | 21.5 | 22.4:1 | 29% (139) |
| 2023-24 | 509 | 23.3 | 21.9:1 | 20% (104) |
| 2022-23 | 480 | 21.7 | 22.1:1 | 17% (81) |
| 2020-21 | 391 | 19 | 20.6:1 | 20% (78) |
| 2017-18 | 529 | 21.5 | 24.6:1 | 24% (127) |
| 2015-16 | 540 | 20 | 27.0:1 | 22% (121) |
| 2010-11 | 522 | N/A | N/A | 26% (135) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Poinsettia Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 9% (529 to 481); teachers unchanged (21.5 to 21.5).
About Poinsettia Elementary
Poinsettia Elementary sits in Carlsbad, California, and is classified as an elementary school. It enrolls 481 students in 2024-25. The grades offered are kindergarten through 5.
Poinsettia Elementary is among 16 schools run by Carlsbad Unified, which serves 10,678 students.
About 49% of students at Poinsettia Elementary are White, the largest single group. The school is also 28% Hispanic, 13% multiracial, and 9% Asian. Among San Diego County residents, the White share is about 48%. On a 0 to 100 scale, the school's diversity index is 65, compared with 70 nationally.
Poinsettia Elementary lists 21.5 full-time-equivalent teachers; that is about 22.4 students per teacher. The average for elementary schools in California is about 22.3:1. Free or reduced-price lunch covers 29% of the student body. The average for public schools in San Diego County is 54%.
Poinsettia Elementary earns an A+ on the allk12 Grade, which blends test scores, results against poverty-based expectations, and the three-year trend. It scored higher than 97% of California public elementary schools.
Compared with California schools that have similar shares of low-income students, Poinsettia Elementary does better than predicted by 21.3 points. Its average proficiency rate across its state test results is 83.9%; the prediction is 62.6%.
For the population of San Diego County, the median household earns about $106,268 a year, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 43% of adults, and the poverty rate is about 7%. Across San Diego County, 766 public schools serve about 467,437 students.
Poinsettia Elementary is about 1.0 miles from Carrillo Elementary, its nearest public school. Around the school, at least 8 other public schools are within five miles. Its average proficiency rate of 83.9% is above the 70.4% average for nearby schools.
NCES assigns Poinsettia Elementary the locale City: Mid-size, meaning inside a principal city with a population between 100,000 and 250,000.
Over 4 years, enrollment rose by 90 students, from 391 to 481. From 2020-21 to 2024-25, the ratio increased from 20.6:1 to 22.4:1.
Parents, students, and staff can share information on pickup and drop-off, after-school programs, and teacher feedback here. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to post.
San Diego County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
3,288,774
Census ACS
Median income
$106,268
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
43%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
7%
Below federal line
Schools in county
766
467,437 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Carlsbad Unified
- Carlsbad HighHigh · 2,336 students
- Sage Creek HighHigh · 1,289 students
- Aviara Oaks MiddleMiddle · 991 students
- Valley MiddleMiddle · 807 students
- Hope ElementaryElementary · 659 students
- Calavera Hills MiddleMiddle · 655 students
Other schools in Carlsbad
- Carlsbad HighHigh · 2,336 students
- La Costa Canyon HighHigh · 1,774 students
- Sage Creek HighHigh · 1,289 students
- Aviara Oaks MiddleMiddle · 991 students
- Valley MiddleMiddle · 807 students
- Carrillo ElementaryElementary · 725 students
Other Poinsettia Elementary schools
One other US public school is named Poinsettia Elementary. Poinsettia Elementary is the largest of the 2.
- Poinsettia ElementaryVentura, CA · 351 students
Nearby schools
- Carrillo Elementary1.0 mi · 725
- La Costa Meadows Elementary1.3 mi · 725
- Aviara Oaks Elementary1.6 mi · 612
- Aviara Oaks Middle1.6 mi · 991
- La Costa Heights Elementary2.7 mi · 552
- Pivot Charter School - San Diego II2.7 mi · 90
Frequently asked questions
About Poinsettia ElementaryHow many students attend Poinsettia Elementary?
Poinsettia Elementary enrolls approximately 481 students in grades KG-05.
Is Poinsettia Elementary an elementary, middle, or high school?
Poinsettia Elementary is an elementary school covering grades KG-05.
How many teachers does Poinsettia Elementary have?
Poinsettia Elementary employs 22 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 22.4:1.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Poinsettia Elementary?
At Poinsettia Elementary, the student body is approximately 49% White, 28% Hispanic, 1% Black, 9% Asian, 13% Two or more.
Is Poinsettia Elementary public or private?
Poinsettia Elementary is a public K-12 school, overseen by Carlsbad Unified.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.