Summary:
Empire, California is served by two public schools—Empire Elementary (grades K-8) and Teel School in Empire (grades 7-12)—both of which serve student populations with high economic need, but they show very different performance and trajectories.
Empire Elementary, part of the Empire Union Elementary District, is the higher-performing school, though its test scores in English, math, and science are still well below state averages. It shows positive signs of improvement, having moved up in statewide rankings and earned a performance rating, and it operates with a more typical student-teacher ratio and lower per-student spending. In contrast, Teel School in Empire, overseen by the Stanislaus County Office of Education, faces severe challenges, with proficiency rates in the single digits, an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of over 60%, and a dropout rate of 44.2%, despite having a very low student-teacher ratio and the highest per-pupil spending of the two.
The key takeaway for families is the significant performance gap between the elementary and high school options in Empire. While both schools have room for improvement compared to the state, Teel School's outcomes are critically low, particularly in core academic subjects and student retention, indicating it requires substantial support. Empire Elementary, while also below average, demonstrates a clearer path of recent progress within its community context.
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