Summary:
The Willows Unified school district in California operates four public schools serving grades K-12 for approximately 1,400 students, ranking in the bottom 18th percentile statewide while serving a community with high economic need.
Among the district's schools, Willows High stands out as the strongest performer, with a graduation rate of 96.5% that exceeds the state average and notably successful Spanish language programs. In contrast, Murdock Elementary receives the highest per-student funding yet ranks in the state's bottom 10%, and Willows Community High, a very small alternative school, faces a severe chronic absenteeism rate of 85.7% despite its high spending per student.
Key challenges across the district include academic proficiency rates in core subjects like English and Math that lag behind state averages, with a particularly sharp decline in Math scores between 6th and 8th grade at Willows Intermediate. The data suggests the district has effective student support systems driving high graduation rates but needs targeted academic interventions, especially in middle school mathematics and for its highest-need alternative population.
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