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Golden Elementary

Public Grades K-6

14^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 100% of California elementary schools

Summary

Golden Elementary is a top-ranked K-6 public school serving 834 students in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified school district, consistently performing as one of the very best elementary schools in all of California.

The school's academic excellence is remarkable and consistent, with over 90% of students proficient in English and 89% in math, scores that far exceed both state averages and those of nearly all nearby schools. For over a decade, Golden has been a state leader, recently ranking 14th out of nearly 5,900 elementary schools. This success extends to all students, as the school is highly ranked for every student subgroup. A key factor is an exceptionally positive school culture, reflected in a chronic absenteeism rate of just 3.2%, which is dramatically lower than the district and state averages and helps ensure all students are present and ready to learn.

What makes Golden Elementary particularly interesting is how it achieves these results. It operates with a slightly higher student-teacher ratio and spends less per student than many neighboring schools like Topaz Elementary or Lakeview Elementary, yet its outcomes are superior. This suggests highly effective teaching and a strong, stable school environment. Even schools very close by, such as Brookhaven Elementary and Charles Wagner Elementary, show significantly different academic results, highlighting that Golden's specific practices and culture are the driving force behind its sustained excellence.

834

Students ?

26.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,668

Per pupil spending ?

23.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

740 East Golden Ave.
Placentia, CA 92870-1635

(714) 986-7160

District: Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified

Students who attend Golden Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Col. J. K. Tuffree Middle
High:	El Dorado High

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

53.4%

White:

19.4%

Hispanic:

17.1%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Golden Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 96th percentile in 2013 → 100th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (89% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 1% of California elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified

Worth a look

!Large classes — about 26 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school89%

District avg59%

California avg41%

14^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Top 1%▲ up 2 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 21Elementary Schools in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified

271^st of 1,543Placentia-Yorba Linda 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	98.9	14 of 5857	99.8%	★★★★★
2024	99.1	12 of 5869	99.8%	★★★★★
2023	98.8	36 of 5859	99.4%	★★★★★
2022	98.8	36 of 5883	99.4%	★★★★★
2019	98.2	53 of 5789	99.1%	★★★★★
2018	98.6	30 of 5662	99.5%	★★★★★
2017	98.7	32 of 5692	99.4%	★★★★★
2016	97.5	98 of 5614	98.3%	★★★★★
2015	97.8	125 of 5611	97.8%	★★★★★
2013	93.1	239 of 5530	95.7%	★★★★★
2012	93.5	193 of 5390	96.4%	★★★★★
2011	94.1	183 of 5377	96.6%	★★★★★
2010	94.4	175 of 5314	96.7%	★★★★★
2009	93.1	279 of 5193	94.6%	★★★★★
2008	90.8	440 of 5113	91.4%	★★★★★
2007	91.3	447 of 5113	91.3%	★★★★★
2006	95.5	189 of 4818	96.1%	★★★★★
2005	95.2	205 of 4822	95.7%	★★★★★
2004	94.0	278 of 4809	94.2%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	88.6	15 of 1203	98.8%	★★★★★
2024	87.9	21 of 1205	98.3%	★★★★★
2023	86.4	26 of 1190	97.8%	★★★★★
2022	86.4	28 of 1154	97.6%	★★★★★
2019	86.2	18 of 1149	98.4%	★★★★★
2018	87.3	12 of 1071	98.9%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	98.5	18 of 5597	99.7%	★★★★★
2024	98.4	30 of 5612	99.5%	★★★★★
2023	97.8	73 of 5609	98.7%	★★★★★
2022	97.8	76 of 5635	98.7%	★★★★★
2019	97.3	62 of 5492	98.9%	★★★★★
2018	98.1	32 of 5413	99.4%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	97.8	60 of 5107	98.8%	★★★★★
2024	99.1	24 of 5107	99.5%	★★★★★
2023	98.3	54 of 5087	98.9%	★★★★★
2022	93.3	253 of 5084	95.0%	★★★★★
2019	93.2	190 of 4963	96.2%	★★★★★
2018	99.3	20 of 4830	99.6%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	99.3	25 of 5460	99.5%	★★★★★
2024	99.8	12 of 5517	99.8%	★★★★★
2023	99.8	11 of 5363	99.8%	★★★★★
2022	98.8	60 of 5264	98.9%	★★★★★
2019	88.9	327 of 5173	93.7%	★★★★★
2018	99.1	16 of 5084	99.7%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	98.7	15 of 5628	99.7%	★★★★★
2024	99.2	12 of 5643	99.8%	★★★★★
2023	98.9	15 of 5638	99.7%	★★★★★
2022	98.8	20 of 5663	99.6%	★★★★★
2019	98.1	49 of 5510	99.1%	★★★★★
2018	98.5	31 of 5431	99.4%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	88.2	31 of 718	95.7%	★★★★★
2024	90.3	13 of 670	98.1%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	85.6	215 of 2598	91.7%	★★★★★
2024	87.3	168 of 2651	93.7%	★★★★★
2023	88.2	160 of 2661	94.0%	★★★★★
2022	88.6	156 of 2726	94.3%	★★★★★
2019	89.5	110 of 2834	96.1%	★★★★★
2018	89.0	123 of 2737	95.5%	★★★★★

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)

Male (2025)100th percentile~ school

Female (2025)100th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)100th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)99th percentile~ school

Asian (2025)99th percentile~ school

Multi-racial (2025)96th percentile-4 vs school

White (2025)92nd percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy90%+42 vs state

Mathematics89%+52 vs state

Science84%+51 vs state

1.5

2 ratings

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Schools Near Golden 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 6th 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 6th 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
Golden Elementary	Public	K-6	740 East Golden Ave.	Placentia	92870	Orange County	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 986-7160	834	31	26.4	23.9%	162 (19.4%)	8 (1.0%)	143 (17.1%)	445 (53.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	73 (8.8%)	98.9	14^th of 5857 public elementary schools	99.8%		99.1	12^th of 5869 public elementary schools	99.8%	2	83.7	83.7	84.8	91.1	91.8	92.1	90.5	90.2	89.1	89.3	89.4	89.4							$16,668	$897	$15,771
Brookhaven Elementary	Public	K-6	1851 North Brookhaven Ave.	Placentia	92870	Orange County	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 986-7110	482	23	20.9	27.4%	168 (34.9%)	11 (2.3%)	164 (34.0%)	116 (24.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (4.4%)	92.1	543^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	90.7%		95.4	310^th of 5869 public elementary schools	94.7%	233	54.6	54.6	73.5	67.7	79.6	83.3	76.0	77.9	61.8	70.9	74.7	71.4							$17,900	$897	$17,003
Charles Wagner Elementary	Public	K-6	717 East Yorba Linda Blvd.	Placentia	92870	Orange County	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 986-7180	440	21	20.5	27.7%	146 (33.2%)	1 (0.2%)	169 (38.4%)	88 (20.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (8.0%)	86.3	864^th of 5857 public elementary schools	85.2%		70.4	1579^th of 5869 public elementary schools	73.1%	715	47.7	47.7	85.7	78.2	71.4	64.6	75.6	76.8	71.4	52.3	41.7	61.8							$18,404	$989	$17,415
Rose Drive Elementary	Public	K-5	4700 Rose Dr.	Yorba Linda	92886	Orange County	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 986-7250	372	16	23.7	37.6%	136 (36.6%)	2 (0.5%)	125 (33.6%)	72 (19.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.9%)	92.7	501^st of 5857 public elementary schools	91.4%		93.5	469^th of 5869 public elementary schools	92.0%	32	49.0	49.0	79.7	80.4	80.4		80.1	84.6	78.4	58.8		74.9	98.0	98.0		98.0	98.0	98.0	$17,271	$897	$16,374
Olinda Elementary	Public	K-6	3145 East Birch St.	Brea	92821	Orange County	Brea-Olinda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 528-7475	649	26	24.9	24.5%	75 (11.6%)	4 (0.6%)	109 (16.8%)	397 (61.2%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.6%)	59 (9.1%)	95.2	311^th of 5857 public elementary schools	94.7%		94.5	381^st of 5869 public elementary schools	93.5%	70	58.2	58.2	72.5	78.2	79.1	87.2	79.1	83.9	85.1	72.7	76.7	79.3							$20,213	$1,269	$18,944
Morse Elementary	Public	K-6	431 East Morse Ave.	Placentia	92870	Orange County	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 524-6300	382	19	19.7	69.1%	45 (11.8%)	8 (2.1%)	263 (68.8%)	33 (8.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (8.4%)	65	1837^th of 5857 public elementary schools	68.6%		76.1	1335^th of 5869 public elementary schools	77.3%	502	41.3	41.3	43.1	76.9	47.8	57.9	55.4	43.4	66.7	37.0	45.6	47.2							$17,721	$869	$16,852
Lakeview Elementary	Public	K-5	17510 Lakeview Ave.	Yorba Linda	92886	Orange County	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 986-7190	381	17	22.3	22.3%	84 (22.0%)	1 (0.3%)	80 (21.0%)	178 (46.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (9.4%)	95.4	296^th of 5857 public elementary schools	94.9%		94.9	357^th of 5869 public elementary schools	93.9%	61	78.1	78.1	89.1	68.3	87.5		80.8	93.9	69.8	78.1		81.1							$18,836	$978	$17,858
Sierra Vista Elementary	Public	K-6	1811 North Placentia Ave.	Placentia	92870	Orange County	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 986-7270	454	18	25.7	33.7%	107 (23.6%)	10 (2.2%)	199 (43.8%)	95 (20.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	42 (9.3%)	95.1	325^th of 5857 public elementary schools	94.5%		87.6	837^th of 5869 public elementary schools	85.7%	512	74.1	74.1	76.4	82.1	88.9	71.9	79.7	78.2	82.1	70.4	62.5	73.7							$16,432	$922	$15,510
Topaz Elementary	Public	K-6	3232 Topaz Ln.	Fullerton	92831	Orange County	Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 993-9977	404	20	20.0	84.9%	20 (5.0%)	10 (2.5%)	357 (88.4%)	8 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	37.5	3380^th of 5857 public elementary schools	42.3%		43.1	2990^th of 5869 public elementary schools	49.1%	390	26.8	26.8	32.7	34.0	52.7	47.9	41.8	8.9	29.4	28.6	36.7	25.5							$20,519	$1,703	$18,816
Brea Country Hills Elementary	Public	K-6	150 North Associated Rd.	Brea	92821	Orange County	Brea-Olinda Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(714) 990-3221	498	19	26.2		106 (21.3%)	3 (0.6%)	191 (38.4%)	165 (33.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.6%)	79.2	1186^th of 5857 public elementary schools	79.8%		84.3	986^th of 5869 public elementary schools	83.2%	200	41.8	41.8	55.8	62.3	56.7	64.6	59.9	62.0	66.7	55.2	59.8	60.9	97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3	97.3	$20,145	$1,238	$18,907

Frequently Asked Questions about Golden Elementary

How many students attend Golden Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 834 students attended Golden Elementary.

Is Golden Elementary a good school?

Yes! Golden Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 14^th of 5857 California elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Golden Elementary?

Students at Golden Elementary are 53% Asian, 19% White, 17% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Golden Elementary attend?

Students who attend Golden Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Col. J. K. Tuffree Middle
High : El Dorado High

What district is Golden Elementary in?

Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified

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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.