New ranking says California’s best public elementary schools are in these areas
A new ranking from Niche, a school review website, says California’s top 10 elementary schools are split between Northern and Southern California — mostly concentrated in the Bay and Los Angeles areas.
Its 2023 Best Public Elementary School ranking used a tiered system to compile the overall grades.
Niche used the following factors, which each included surveys of parents, teachers and/or students, in its ranking methodology:
Academic grades based on state testing
Teacher grades based on salary, state test results and absences
District grade based on parent and student survey responses
Culture and diversity school culture, racial and economic student diversity
Resources and Facilities: expenses utilized per student and staffing
Clubs and activities: expenses utilized for extracurricular activities
Sports grade: based on the athletic sports offered at the school, and participation
Seven of the 10 following schools also made the state’s official 2023 distinguished elementary school list, which included more than 350 schools across the state. Sacramento County had seven schools honored.
These 7 Sacramento County elementary schools are among state’s best. What does the award mean?
Here’s which elementary schools Niche says are the best in California:
Best California elementary schools, Niche says
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: alternative school
Student proficiency snapshot: 77% of students are proficient in math and 87% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 291
Address: 4350 Mt. Everest Blvd., San Diego
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: charter school
Student proficiency snapshot: 55% of students are proficient in math and 76% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 5,462
Address: 10535 Zelzah Ave., Granada Hills
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: public school
Student proficiency snapshot: 85% of students are proficient in math and 88% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 368
Address: 3195 Woodside Road, Woodside
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: public school
Student proficiency snapshot: 86% of students are proficient in math and 81% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 340
Address: 705 Alsester Ave., Palo Alto
5. Palm Crest Elementary School
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: public school
Student proficiency snapshot: 87% of students are proficient in math and 88% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 620
Address: 5025 Palm Drive, La Cañada Flintridge
6. Lucille M. Nixon Elementary School
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: public school
Student proficiency snapshot: 83% of students are proficient in math and 86% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 359
Address: 1711 Stanford Ave. Stanford
7. La Canada Elementary School
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: public school
Student proficiency snapshot: 90% of students are proficient in math and 90% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 622
Address: 4540 Encinas Drive, La Cañada Flintridge
8. Walter Hays Elementary School
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: public school
Student proficiency snapshot: 83% of students are proficient in math and 83% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 259
Address: 1525 Midfield Road, Palo Alto
9. Paradise Canyon Elementary School
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: public school
Student proficiency snapshot: 86% of students are proficient in math and 87% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 680
Address: 471 Knight Way., La Cañada Flintridge
Niche overall grade: A+
Type of school: immersion charter
Student proficiency snapshot: 94% of students are proficient in math and 94% are proficient in reading.
Student population: 555
Address: 1086 Alcatraz Ave., Oakland
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