Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Ellis Elementary

Public Grades K-5
1644th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 5,857 California Elementary Schools
Better than 72% of California elementary schools
Summary

Ellis Elementary is a large, well-regarded public school serving 768 students in kindergarten through 5th grade in the Sunnyvale area, consistently earning a 4-star rating and performing above state averages in English, Math, and Science.

Academically, Ellis holds a solid middle ground among nearby schools; it significantly outperforms lower-performing schools like Vargas Elementary and Bishop Elementary, but trails behind top-tier schools such as Cherry Chase Elementary and Cumberland Elementary. The school achieves these results efficiently, operating with a higher student-teacher ratio and lower per-student spending than many comparable schools in the Santa Clara Unified and Cupertino Union districts.

Key areas for parents to note include a significant strength in supporting English Language Learners, but a concerning and sharp decline in effectiveness for Special Education students that the school must address. There is also a notable performance gap between female and male students, and chronic absenteeism, while improving, remains higher than the district average. Ellis shows consistent academic performance across grades, though 5th-grade science scores are a relative weak spot, and it serves as a relative strength within its own Sunnyvale district.

768
Students ?
21.5
Student/teacher ratio ?
$22,501
Per pupil spending ?
24.6%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 550 East Olive Ave.
       Sunnyvale, CA  94086-6345

(408) 522-8260

District: Sunnyvale


Students who attend Ellis Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Sunnyvale Middle
High:    Fremont High
Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
40.9%
Asian:
39.7%
White:
11.7%
more
 See top rated California elementary schools

 Compare Ellis Elementary to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
Ranking trend: Improving — 60th percentile in 2013 → 72nd in 2025
Strengths
Test scores above the California average (52% vs 41% meeting standards)
Ranking is trending up — up 12 percentile points since 2013
Above the California median (72nd percentile)
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school52%
District avg53%
California avg41%
1,644th of 5,857
California public elementary schools ?
Top 28%▬ steady since 2015
See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
4th of 8Elementary Schools in the Sunnyvale
461st of 1,543Sunnyvale 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

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202569.11644 of 585771.9%★★★★☆
202473.51432 of 586975.6%★★★★☆
202369.61594 of 585972.8%★★★★☆
202267.71705 of 588371.0%★★★★☆
201975.11374 of 578976.3%★★★★☆
201859.92045 of 566263.9%★★★☆☆
201761.71935 of 569266.0%★★★☆☆
201666.31699 of 561469.7%★★★☆☆
201567.51595 of 561171.6%★★★★☆
201358.72192 of 553060.4%★★★☆☆
201261.21978 of 539063.3%★★★☆☆
201162.41876 of 537765.1%★★★☆☆
201046.62766 of 531447.9%★★☆☆☆
200959.21961 of 519362.2%★★★☆☆
200868.51475 of 511371.2%★★★★☆
200761.81729 of 511366.2%★★★☆☆
200669.61357 of 481871.8%★★★★☆
200561.91664 of 482265.5%★★★☆☆
200463.91530 of 480968.2%★★★☆☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202555.1691 of 120342.6%★★☆☆☆
202460.9600 of 120550.2%★★★☆☆
202364.7521 of 119056.2%★★★☆☆
202264.4511 of 115455.7%★★★☆☆
201954.5655 of 114943.0%★★☆☆☆
201847.2704 of 107134.3%★★☆☆☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
201961.0702 of 258572.8%★★★★☆
201838.31091 of 212848.7%★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202459.3756 of 316276.1%★★★★☆
202375.8353 of 324589.1%★★★★☆
202256.0928 of 331172.0%★★★★☆
201976.6376 of 327588.5%★★★★☆
201848.81309 of 324659.7%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202574.71302 of 559776.7%★★★★☆
202476.91214 of 561278.4%★★★★☆
202371.71428 of 560974.5%★★★★☆
202268.21596 of 563571.7%★★★★☆
201963.61815 of 549267.0%★★★☆☆
201847.42640 of 541351.2%★★★☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202540.52975 of 510741.7%★★☆☆☆
202439.52999 of 510741.3%★★☆☆☆
202332.43505 of 508731.1%★★☆☆☆
202238.23037 of 508440.3%★★☆☆☆
201941.32865 of 496342.3%★★☆☆☆
201823.34033 of 483016.5%★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202556.22067 of 546062.1%★★★☆☆
202438.93221 of 551741.6%★★☆☆☆
202348.42465 of 536354.0%★★★☆☆
202242.32812 of 526446.6%★★☆☆☆
201939.83144 of 517339.2%★★☆☆☆
201822.94273 of 508416.0%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202560.81939 of 562865.5%★★★☆☆
202465.11748 of 564369.0%★★★☆☆
202363.81772 of 563868.6%★★★☆☆
202262.71833 of 566367.6%★★★☆☆
201980.31059 of 551080.8%★★★★☆
201867.61580 of 543170.9%★★★★☆

Multi-racial

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202451.4388 of 67042.1%★★☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202522.02477 of 284713.0%★☆☆☆☆
202430.91771 of 263532.8%★★☆☆☆
202339.71225 of 242049.4%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankCalifornia percentileRating
202565.4928 of 259864.3%★★★☆☆
202469.2828 of 265168.8%★★★☆☆
202368.6848 of 266168.1%★★★☆☆
202260.81131 of 272658.5%★★★☆☆
201969.9827 of 283470.8%★★★★☆
201846.21626 of 273740.6%★★☆☆☆
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)
Female (2025)77th percentile+5 vs school
English Language Learner (2024)76th percentile~ school
Disabled (2019)73rd percentile-3 vs school
Male (2025)66th percentile-6 vs school
White (2025)64th percentile-8 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)62nd percentile-10 vs school
Asian (2025)43rd percentile-29 vs school
Multi-racial (2024)42nd percentile-34 vs school
Hispanic (2025)42nd percentile-30 vs school
Special Education (2025)13th percentile-59 vs school
By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?
English Language Arts/Literacy54%+5 vs state
Mathematics52%+15 vs state
Science44%+11 vs state

4.3
3 ratings · 3 written reviews
52
40
31
20
10
Rate Ellis Elementary
Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.
Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.
Tap a star to rate
What people are saying
by a parent
Friday, April 10, 2026

Open Quote Excellent school Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Open Quote As a mother of two children currently enrolled at Ellis Elementary, I am continually impressed by the school's unwavering commitment to academic excellence. We wanted an environment that prioritized rigorous, inquiry-based learning without sacrificing a nurturing classroom atmosphere. Ellis has exceeded our expectations on every front.

What truly sets Ellis apart is the faculty’s exceptional grasp of modern pedagogy. The teachers here do not merely teach to standardized tests they actively foster critical thinking and intellectual curiosity. I have seen both of my children benefit firsthand from differentiated instruction. The educators utilize data-driven insights and regular formative assessments to tailor their approach, ensuring that my kids, who have very different learning profiles and academic strengths are consistently challenged and fully supported.

The academic programming is remarkably robust for an elementary level. The literacy curriculum is comprehensive, bridging the gap between foundational phonics and deep, analytical reading comprehension. Similarly, the math and STEM initiatives focus heavily on conceptual understanding and real-world problem-solving rather than rote memorization. It is incredibly rewarding to hear my children come home and eagerly explain the why and how behind complex concepts, rather than just reciting facts.

Plus, the communication from the admin and teaching staff regarding academic progress is transparent and highly professional. We receive detailed, constructive feedback about our children's milestones and are frequently provided with excellent resources for at-home enrichment.

Ellis Elementary is a phenomenal institution for any parent who prioritizes a strong, intellectually stimulating education for their children. The school has provided my kids with a stellar academic foundation that I am confident will serve them well into middle school and beyond. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Open Quote It is a great disappointment that next year we are losing 1-2 teachers and have lost some great volunteers & school employees because of the lack of leadership since Ms. Butler has left.

It's interesting that so many people do not see what is really happening at the school because they either don't spend the time there, or have their own ulterior motives. I do hope that the remaining unhappy teachers can find a way to work with or around the current Principal and his lack of leadership skills so that we can keep our school rated as one of the top schools.

So many of us parents are hoping for a better year this year and that something improves or changes drastically at the leadership level.

We as parents should not be responsible for cleaning, planning or funding all the activities at the school for our children. These tasks are a huge responsibility that comes along w/the role and title of being a Principal and whose #1 goal should be to make sure that ALL his staff is happy and that our children's experiences while here are the best they can be. Close Quote





Schools Near Ellis Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Ellis Elementary

Students who attend Ellis Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sunnyvale Middle
High : Fremont High

Students at Ellis Elementary are 41% Hispanic, 40% Asian, 12% White, 6% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Ellis Elementary ranks 1644th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2024-25 school year, 768 students attended Ellis Elementary.


Rate Ellis Elementary!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Ellis Elementary!




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.





Diagnostics
u12_063846006460 retrieved from Memory in 0 milliseconds.
None retrieved from Database in 576 milliseconds.