Summary:
The Mark West Union Elementary district in Santa Rosa serves approximately 1,361 students across four elementary schools, including three traditional K-6 schools and one K-8 charter school, all sharing a solid 3-star district rating.
Among these schools, San Miguel Elementary stands out as the highest performer, achieving the best statewide ranking and the strongest test scores in both English and math, particularly in the lower grades, while also maintaining the lowest rate of chronic student absenteeism. In contrast, Mark West Charter, despite having the highest per-student spending, shows concerning trends with the highest absenteeism and the weakest science scores in the district. Mark West Elementary and John B. Riebli Elementary deliver mid-range academic results, with John B. Riebli having the lowest free and reduced-price lunch rate but not the highest test scores.
Key takeaways for parents include the district's strong attendance record, beating the state average, and a notable dip in fifth-grade math performance across all schools that suggests a common instructional challenge. While the district generally meets or exceeds state averages in English and math, science is an area for growth. The analysis recommends that the district share successful strategies from top-performing schools and review curriculum approaches, especially for upper-grade math and science.
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