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Sylvia Mendez Elementary

Q: Is Sylvia Mendez Elementary a good school?

Sylvia Mendez Elementary ranks 1325 th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

1325^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 77% of California elementary schools

Summary

Sylvia Mendez Elementary is a K-5 public school serving 379 students in the high-performing Berkeley Unified School District, consistently earning a 4-star rating and significantly outperforming state averages in English and Math.

When compared to other schools within its own district, Sylvia Mendez performs solidly but trails behind many of its Berkeley peers, particularly in science, where its proficiency rate is notably lower than schools like Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier and Washington Elementary. However, the school has shown a remarkable and successful focus on improving student attendance, achieving one of the largest reductions in chronic absenteeism in the area, which is a strong positive indicator for future learning.

It's important for parents to consider the district context; while Sylvia Mendez is in the middle of the pack within highly competitive Berkeley, it is a strong school that dramatically outperforms many nearby schools in other districts, such as Sankofa United Elementary in Oakland Unified. The school's performance for economically disadvantaged students has varied year-to-year, and its science scores present a clear area for targeted growth, but its strengths in English Language Arts and impressive attendance gains provide a solid foundation.

379

Students ?

21.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$23,749

Per pupil spending ?

27.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2840 Ellsworth St.
Berkeley, CA 94705-1029

(510) 644-6290

District: Berkeley Unified

Students who attend Sylvia Mendez Elementary usually attend:

High:

Berkeley High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

60.7%

White:

23.2%

Two or more races:

7.9%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Sylvia Mendez Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 83rd percentile in 2022 → 77th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (56% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 23% of California elementary schools

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 83rd-percentile peak (2022) to 77th (2025)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Near the bottom of Berkeley Unified's ranking

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school56%

District avg68%

California avg41%

1,325^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Top 23%▲ up 20 pts since 2015

From top 42% (2015) to top 23% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 11Elementary Schools in the Berkeley Unified

171^st of 1,543Berkeley Unified among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	76.2	1325 of 5857	77.4%	★★★★☆
2024	83.3	1029 of 5869	82.5%	★★★★☆
2023	82.2	1080 of 5859	81.6%	★★★★☆
2022	84.4	975 of 5883	83.4%	★★★★☆
2019	60.0	2074 of 5789	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.5	1739 of 5662	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	60.6	1990 of 5692	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	63.2	1852 of 5614	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2015	51.2	2379 of 5611	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2013	52.3	2549 of 5530	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2012	48.8	2689 of 5390	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2011	32.5	3795 of 5377	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	26.9	4092 of 5314	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	29.7	3731 of 5193	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	43.0	2785 of 5113	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2007	26.8	3794 of 5113	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	32.0	3175 of 4818	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2005	41.6	2629 of 4822	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2004	35.6	2904 of 4809	39.6%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2019	38.8	1855 of 3275	43.4%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	72.7	1381 of 5597	75.3%	★★★★☆
2024	78.6	1152 of 5612	79.5%	★★★★☆
2023	81.6	1033 of 5609	81.6%	★★★★☆
2022	81.8	1025 of 5635	81.8%	★★★★☆
2019	68.7	1560 of 5492	71.6%	★★★★☆
2018	73.3	1355 of 5413	75.0%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	76.9	867 of 5107	83.0%	★★★★☆
2024	87.3	462 of 5107	91.0%	★★★★★
2023	83.3	611 of 5087	88.0%	★★★★☆
2022	90.8	328 of 5084	93.5%	★★★★★
2019	68.5	1234 of 4963	75.1%	★★★★☆
2018	66.3	1309 of 4830	72.9%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	37.0	3427 of 5460	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	78.7	896 of 5517	83.8%	★★★★☆
2023	54.6	2061 of 5363	61.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	68.3	1252 of 5264	76.2%	★★★★☆
2019	25.1	4219 of 5173	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	51.5	2265 of 5084	55.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	77.7	1169 of 5628	79.2%	★★★★☆
2024	85.7	843 of 5643	85.1%	★★★★☆
2023	79.3	1121 of 5638	80.1%	★★★★☆
2022	83.6	935 of 5663	83.5%	★★★★☆
2019	43.2	2826 of 5510	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	55.7	2136 of 5431	60.7%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	81.4	364 of 2598	86.0%	★★★★☆
2024	87.7	154 of 2651	94.2%	★★★★★
2023	87.7	174 of 2661	93.5%	★★★★★
2022	86.4	217 of 2726	92.0%	★★★★★
2018	86.7	189 of 2737	93.1%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2025)86th percentile+9 vs school

Hispanic (2025)83rd percentile+6 vs school

Male (2025)79th percentile~ school

Female (2025)75th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2019)43rd percentile-21 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)37th percentile-40 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy64%+16 vs state

Mathematics55%+18 vs state

Science38%+5 vs state

★

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Schools Near Sylvia Mendez Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)				% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sylvia Mendez Elementary	Public	K-5	2840 Ellsworth St.	Berkeley	94705	Alameda County	Berkeley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 644-6290	379	18	21.0	27.4%	88 (23.2%)	29 (7.7%)	230 (60.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.9%)	76.2	1325^th of 5857 public elementary schools	77.4%		83.3	1029^th of 5869 public elementary schools	82.5%	296	37.9	37.9	59.6	68.9	65.0	64.3	55.8	62.2	50.0	55.4	93.3	97.3	97.3		97.3		$23,749	$711	$23,038
Berkeley Independent Study K-8	Public	K-8	2701 Martin Luther King Jr Way	Berkeley	94703	Alameda County	Berkeley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 644-6159	19	2	9.4	36.8%	4 (21.1%)	2 (10.5%)	7 (36.8%)	1 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (21.1%)								(n/a)						76.9				46.2							$88,030	$678	$87,352
Peralta Elementary	Public	K-5	460 63rd St.	Oakland	94609	Alameda County	Oakland Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 879-3145	355	12	30.8	30.4%	145 (40.8%)	29 (8.2%)	51 (14.4%)	30 (8.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	98 (27.6%)	90.4	635^th of 5857 public elementary schools	89.2%		89.8	714^th of 5869 public elementary schools	87.8%	79	51.9	51.9	71.4	80.0	77.8	75.9	81.0	71.1	53.7	69.1	95.5			95.5		95.5	$23,556	$4,243	$19,313
Emerson Elementary	Public	K-5	2800 Forest Ave.	Berkeley	94705	Alameda County	Berkeley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 644-6890	283	13	21.7	29.7%	128 (45.2%)	47 (16.6%)	42 (14.8%)	21 (7.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (15.2%)	89.8	667^th of 5857 public elementary schools	88.6%		92.8	511^th of 5869 public elementary schools	91.3%	156	56.5	56.5	86.7	67.4	73.3	75.9	84.8	55.8	65.2	68.9							$24,973	$820	$24,153
Malcolm X Elementary	Public	K-5	1731 Prince St.	Berkeley	94703	Alameda County	Berkeley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 644-6313	469	23	20.3	31.6%	198 (42.2%)	74 (15.8%)	71 (15.1%)	39 (8.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	83 (17.7%)	86	877^th of 5857 public elementary schools	85.0%		85.7	920^th of 5869 public elementary schools	84.3%	43	56.5	56.5	75.0	65.6	62.4	67.4	76.4	60.3	56.5	64.1							$25,419	$748	$24,671
Sankofa United Elementary	Public	K-5	581 61st St.	Oakland	94609	Alameda County	Oakland Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 879-2194	216	12	18.7	75.9%	36 (16.7%)	91 (42.1%)	45 (20.8%)	12 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (13.9%)	14.6	5300^th of 5857 public elementary schools	9.5%		42	3070^th of 5869 public elementary schools	47.7%	2230	15.4	15.4	0.0	29.0	21.4	17.4	0.0	29.0	7.7	14.7	68.3	68.3	73.2	70.7	70.7	70.7	$32,817	$4,510	$28,307
Washington Elementary	Public	K-5	2300 Martin Luther King Jr. Wa	Berkeley	94704	Alameda County	Berkeley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 644-6310	401	16	24.6	33.4%	157 (39.2%)	42 (10.5%)	72 (18.0%)	48 (12.0%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (1.0%)	75 (18.7%)	92.2	530^th of 5857 public elementary schools	91.0%		91.6	601^st of 5869 public elementary schools	89.8%	71	63.9	63.9	68.9	70.6	77.4	72.3	73.8	75.0	67.2	72.1							$23,563	$581	$22,982
John Muir Elementary	Public	K-5	2955 Claremont Ave.	Berkeley	94705	Alameda County	Berkeley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 644-6410	293	14	20.9	30.7%	148 (50.5%)	27 (9.2%)	35 (11.9%)	33 (11.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (16.7%)	90.2	646^th of 5857 public elementary schools	89.0%		90.6	663^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	88.7%	17	54.0	54.0	70.5	83.7	69.4	73.8	70.5	74.4	65.1	69.3							$25,211	$902	$24,309
Chabot Elementary	Public	K-5	6686 Chabot Rd.	Oakland	94618	Alameda County	Oakland Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 879-2106	576	24	24.0	35.4%	229 (39.8%)	98 (17.0%)	95 (16.5%)	33 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	118 (20.5%)	91.7	567^th of 5857 public elementary schools	90.3%		92	569^th of 5869 public elementary schools	90.3%	2	63.6	63.6	71.7	71.8	71.6	71.7	77.8	70.6	63.6	71.0	95.2			98.1	95.2		$24,381	$4,027	$20,354
Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier	Public	K-5	1645 Milvia St.	Berkeley	94709	Alameda County	Berkeley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(510) 644-6225	407	19	21.4	29.2%	190 (46.7%)	37 (9.1%)	58 (14.3%)	39 (9.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	81 (19.9%)	94	395^th of 5857 public elementary schools	93.3%		94.5	385^th of 5869 public elementary schools	93.4%	10	81.3	81.3	78.7	71.2	84.4	78.0	67.2	74.2	76.6	72.8							$21,556	$472	$21,084

Frequently Asked Questions about Sylvia Mendez Elementary

Is Sylvia Mendez Elementary a good school?

Sylvia Mendez Elementary ranks 1325^th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Sylvia Mendez Elementary attend?

Students who attend Sylvia Mendez Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Berkeley High

What is the racial makeup of Sylvia Mendez Elementary?

Students at Sylvia Mendez Elementary are 61% Hispanic, 23% White, 8% Two or more races, 8% African American.

What district is Sylvia Mendez Elementary in?

Berkeley Unified

How many students attend Sylvia Mendez Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 379 students attended Sylvia Mendez Elementary.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.