Summary
Cox Academy is a public charter elementary school serving 464 students in grades K-5 in Oakland, California. The school is part of the Cox Academy District, which is ranked 1229 out of 1565 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Unfortunately, Cox Academy has consistently ranked in the bottom 25% of California elementary schools over the past several years, with a ranking between 4182-5599 out of around 5,800-5,900 schools.
The school faces significant challenges, with students significantly underperforming the state average in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2024-2025, only 27.72% of Cox Academy students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to the state average of 48.81%. In math, the proficiency rate was 29.06% compared to 37.3% statewide. Cox Academy has also struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 20-30% in recent years, well above the state average. The school serves a high-need population, with 86-91% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in recent years, significantly higher than the state average.
Interestingly, the schools closest to Cox Academy, such as Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy, Esperanza Elementary, and Reach Academy, also struggle academically and have similar demographic profiles. This suggests the challenges Cox Academy faces may be systemic issues within the broader community. However, the nearby Francophone Charter School of Oakland, which serves a more socioeconomically diverse population, outperforms Cox Academy and other nearby district schools across most academic measures, indicating that the charter school model may be a more effective approach for this community.
Thank you for your feedback!