Summary:
This analysis covers two elementary schools within the Jamestown Elementary district in California, serving grades K-8 and 3-6 in a rural area where a majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Parents will find a notable difference in performance between the two schools. Chinese Camp Elementary, a very small school of 30 students, stands out with significantly higher test scores in both English and math and an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 3.2%. In contrast, the larger Jamestown Elementary, with 409 students, has lower proficiency rates and higher absenteeism, though it shows strengths in specific grades like 3rd grade math and 8th grade English.
The data suggests smaller class sizes may be beneficial, as Chinese Camp has a 15-to-1 student-teacher ratio compared to Jamestown's 20-to-1. While both schools serve economically disadvantaged populations, the district's overall ranking is pulled down by the performance of the larger school. For families, this highlights the importance of looking at individual school data, as outcomes can vary widely even within the same district and under similar economic conditions.
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