Summary:
The Thomas Edison Charter Academy District consists of a single K-8 charter school, Thomas Edison Charter Academy, located in San Francisco and serving 574 students with a high-needs population where over 71% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Academic performance at the school is currently below state averages, with about 33% of students proficient in English and 29% in math, though its statewide ranking has improved from the 22nd to the 30th percentile over the past few years. A significant challenge is chronic absenteeism, affecting 28% of students, which is notably higher than the state average and is a known factor that can impact learning. Despite this, the school spends more per student than the California average, and one notable strength is its 8th-grade math scores, which exceed the state average.
For parents, the key takeaways are that the school serves a high-needs community and is showing signs of recent improvement in its rankings, but faces a major hurdle with student attendance. The variation in performance across different grades, especially the strong 8th-grade math results, suggests that some programs are effective and could be models for other areas. The district's single-school status means resources and focus are concentrated on this one campus as it works to address its challenges and build on its strengths.
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