Summary:
This analysis covers seven elementary schools (grades K-6) within the Calexico Unified school district, a high-needs area where all schools face significant academic challenges and serve a predominantly low-income student population.
When comparing schools, Cesar Chavez Elementary stands out as the top performer with the highest test scores and ranking, while Blanche Charles Elementary shows notable improvement and has the highest per-student spending. In contrast, Rockwood Elementary requires the most support, with the district's lowest scores and a critical chronic absenteeism rate of 58.7%. Overall, every school in the district performs below state averages in English, math, and science, with proficiency gaps of 18 to 21 points.
A key finding across all Calexico Unified elementary schools is a severe chronic absenteeism crisis, with rates ranging from 35.5% to 58.7%—far above the state average of 19.4%. This loss of instructional time is a major barrier to learning. Despite per-student funding being above the state average, academic outcomes remain low, suggesting that systemic challenges like poverty and attendance must be addressed directly. For parents, the data indicates that while some schools are making progress, the district as a whole has considerable work ahead to improve student success.
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