Kit Carson Union Elementary

The Kit Carson Union Elementary district in Hanford, California, consists of two K-8 schools serving a total of 405 students, both of which serve a community with significant economic need.

Parents will find distinct differences between the two schools. Kit Carson Elementary, the larger school, is the district's primary academic performer, with its 7th graders excelling in English Language Arts and the school reporting a very low rate of chronic student absenteeism. Mid Valley Alternative Charter, a much smaller school, operates with significantly less funding per student but stands out for its exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate and shows specific strengths in 8th-grade science and English.

Overall, the district faces academic challenges, with proficiency rates in English, math, and science notably below state averages. A significant and puzzling data point is the district's reported chronic absenteeism rate, which is alarmingly high and contradicts the much lower rates reported by each individual school, suggesting a need for further investigation. Performance also varies widely between grade levels at Kit Carson Elementary, indicating that a student's experience may differ considerably depending on their grade.