Summary:
The Charter Oak Unified district serves about 3,900 students across nine schools, including five elementary schools, a middle school, two high schools, and an alternative school, in an area with significant economic need where roughly 73% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Performance varies widely across the district. Washington Elementary is the clear standout, achieving the highest test scores and a 4-star rating despite serving a high-need population, while Charter Oak High excels in non-academic metrics with a 98% graduation rate and very low dropout rate. However, Arrow High (Continuation) faces profound challenges with very low proficiency and high absenteeism, and science scores are a district-wide weakness, lagging behind the state average at most schools.
For parents, the district offers a strong elementary option in Washington and a high school with excellent graduation outcomes in Charter Oak High, with Royal Oak Middle serving as a solid feeder school. It's important to note that chronic absenteeism is slightly higher than the state average district-wide, and most schools have seen a decline in their statewide ranking percentile over the last few years, indicating potential post-pandemic challenges.
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