Summary:
The city of Mojave, California, is served by two public schools within the Mojave Unified district: Mojave Elementary (grades K-5) and Mojave Junior/Senior High (grades 6-12), which together educate about 820 students in a district that ranks among the lowest in the state.
Both schools face significant academic challenges, with proficiency rates in English, math, and science far below state averages. Mojave Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 1% of elementary schools statewide, while Mojave Junior/Senior High performs somewhat better in comparison but still has a high dropout rate of 21.6%. A critical issue for both is chronic absenteeism, with over half of students missing significant school, which severely impacts learning. The schools also serve a student population where over 84% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating high economic need.
Despite receiving higher-than-typical per-student funding, academic outcomes remain low, pointing to complex challenges. Mojave Junior/Senior High has a 76.5% graduation rate and spends the most per student. In contrast, Mojave Elementary shows some incremental improvement in English scores as students advance grades. For parents, this indicates a school system where student attendance and foundational skill development are major areas of concern across the entire Mojave Unified district.
Thank you for your feedback!