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Smith River Elementary

Q: Is Smith River Elementary a good school?

Smith River Elementary ranks 3783 rd of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-8

3783^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 35% of California elementary schools

Summary

Smith River Elementary is a K-8 public school serving 258 students in the rural community of Smith River, California, within the Del Norte County Unified school district, where it stands out for its strong science program and remarkably low student absenteeism.

Academically, the school consistently performs better than the district average in all core subjects, with its science scores being a particular strength—nearly double the district rate and even exceeding the state average. While its statewide ranking has fluctuated in recent years, it currently performs better than most other schools in the district, such as Bess Maxwell Elementary and Joe Hamilton Elementary. A key differentiator is its very low chronic absenteeism rate of 13.2%, which is significantly better than the district and state averages and is a notable improvement from just a few years ago.

The school's K-8 structure appears beneficial, especially for older students, with 7th and 8th graders showing particularly strong results. Despite having a higher student-to-teacher ratio than some nearby schools like Mary Peacock Elementary, Smith River achieves solid outcomes. Its recent improvements in attendance correlate with gains in academic performance, indicating a positive and engaged school environment that is helping students succeed within the broader context of the district.

258

Students ?

24.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$23,534

Per pupil spending ?

67.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

134 First St.
Smith River, CA 95567-0280

(707) 464-0370

District: Del Norte County Unified

Students who attend Smith River Elementary usually attend:

High:

Del Norte High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

45.0%

White:

30.6%

American Indian:

17.4%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Smith River Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 14th percentile in 2013 → 35th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 21 percentile points since 2013

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (35% vs 41% meeting standards)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!English Language Arts/Literacy scores 11 pts below the California average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school35%

District avg26%

California avg41%

Elementary school

3,783^rd of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Bottom 35%▲ up 10 pts since 2015

From bottom 25% (2015) to bottom 35% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

1,163^rd of 2,761

California public middle schools ?

Top 42%▲ up 42 pts since 2015

From bottom 16% (2015) to top 42% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 7Elementary Schools in the Del Norte County Unified

1202^nd of 1,543Del Norte County Unified among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	32.2	3783 of 5857	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	20.0	4864 of 5869	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.4	3611 of 5859	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	25.8	4269 of 5883	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	31.9	3784 of 5789	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	31.8	3684 of 5662	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	21.2	4585 of 5692	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	23.6	4289 of 5614	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	24.3	4194 of 5611	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	19.7	4758 of 5530	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	15.1	4953 of 5390	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	15.2	4937 of 5377	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	30.5	3805 of 5314	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	27.3	3898 of 5193	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	22.9	4128 of 5113	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	34.7	3242 of 5113	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2006	33.2	3092 of 4818	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2005	50.3	2181 of 4822	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2004	38.7	2712 of 4809	43.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	31.1	3771 of 5597	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	21.3	4584 of 5612	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.7	3693 of 5609	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	25.9	4133 of 5635	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	40.1	3098 of 5492	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	31.5	3643 of 5413	32.7%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	29.5	3795 of 5107	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.4	4560 of 5107	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.5	4150 of 5087	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.8	4453 of 5084	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.7	3410 of 4963	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	27.5	3718 of 4830	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	25.7	4295 of 5460	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	15.6	5109 of 5517	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	25.3	4278 of 5363	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.0	3842 of 5264	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.8	3370 of 5173	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.5	3730 of 5084	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	34.6	3504 of 5628	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	19.5	4784 of 5643	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	44.6	2763 of 5638	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	22.0	4512 of 5663	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.4	3841 of 5510	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.3	3266 of 5431	39.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	25.3	2051 of 2598	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	50.7	1163 of 2761	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.8	1076 of 2783	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.7	1172 of 2781	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	35.3	1615 of 2740	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	26.2	1952 of 2715	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.3	1810 of 2480	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	27.2	1755 of 2508	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	16.9	2146 of 2497	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	18.0	2081 of 2477	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	54.6	1029 of 2379	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	34.9	1508 of 2259	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2011	21.5	1866 of 2236	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	20.7	1831 of 2179	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	23.2	1652 of 2063	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	24.0	1592 of 2005	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	34.2	1281 of 1999	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2006	40.4	998 of 1804	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2005	50.8	788 of 1777	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2004	40.9	964 of 1769	45.5%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	54.1	977 of 2533	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.0	986 of 2551	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.7	1139 of 2531	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	23.9	1885 of 2509	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	11.7	2221 of 2380	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	18.7	1892 of 2262	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	42.2	1278 of 2395	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	40.8	1244 of 2374	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.9	1129 of 2359	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	13.2	2063 of 2213	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	36.2	1290 of 2072	37.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	41.7	1352 of 2542	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.9	1011 of 2579	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	39.1	1368 of 2531	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.3	1525 of 2458	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	30.4	1677 of 2369	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.3	1712 of 2230	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	44.6	1236 of 2534	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.1	927 of 2538	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.3	1112 of 2527	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	40.4	1301 of 2407	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.5	1384 of 2273	39.1%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2018	10.7	1378 of 1496	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Male (2025)38th percentile~ school

Female (2025)33rd percentile-3 vs school

Hispanic (2025)26th percentile-10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)21st percentile-14 vs school

White (2025)21st percentile-14 vs school

Middle school

Female (2025)61st percentile+4 vs school

Male (2025)51st percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)47th percentile-11 vs school

Hispanic (2025)47th percentile-11 vs school

White (2018)8th percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

Science41%+9 vs state

English Language Arts/Literacy38%-11 vs state

Mathematics30%-7 vs state

★

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Schools Near Smith River Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)							Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)							% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Smith River Elementary	Public	K-8	134 First St.	Smith River	95567	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 464-0370	258	11	24.3	67.8%	79 (30.6%)	1 (0.4%)	116 (45.0%)	2 (0.8%)	45 (17.4%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.8%)	32.2	3783^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	35.4%		20	4864^th of 5869 public elementary schools	17.1%	1081	37.5	45.2	41.3	29.2	21.4	43.8	32.1	37.0	61.3	38.2	37.5	25.0	28.1	17.9	33.3	38.7	30.0							$23,534	$2,901	$20,633
Redwood Elementary	Public	K-8	6900 Lake Earl Dr.	Crescent City	95531	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 464-0360	452	19	23.2	59.1%	241 (53.3%)	1 (0.2%)	87 (19.2%)	14 (3.1%)	48 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (13.5%)	43.1	2995^th of 5857 public elementary schools	48.9%		47.9	2672^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	54.5%	323	22.6	19.6	21.1	38.1	44.4	41.5	52.7	62.5	50.9	49.0	39.5	33.3	27.8	34.6	48.2	23.2	34.3	93.6				93.6		$15,914	$1,665	$14,249
Pine Grove Elementary	Public	K-5	900 Pine Grove Rd.	Crescent City	95531	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 464-0350	265	12	21.9	83.4%	124 (46.8%)	3 (1.1%)	72 (27.2%)	12 (4.5%)	25 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (10.9%)	12.6	5458^th of 5857 public elementary schools	6.8%		14.2	5371^st of 5869 public elementary schools	8.5%	87	13.6		13.6	18.0	29.4	22.7				22.7	18.0	14.7	4.6				12.5	93.8	95.0		96.3	95.0	96.3	$17,103	$1,915	$15,188
Mary Peacock Elementary	Public	K-5	1720 Arlington	Crescent City	95331	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 464-0301	251	13	19.3	62.5%	142 (56.6%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (27.9%)	11 (4.4%)	16 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.8%)	29.1	4029^th of 5857 public elementary schools	31.2%		26.7	4238^th of 5869 public elementary schools	27.8%	209	30.8		30.8	20.6	25.0	38.5				28.3	29.4	27.5	30.8				29.2	92.9	92.9		92.9	92.9	92.9	$27,349	$2,732	$24,617
Mountain Elementary	Public	K-8	55 Azalea Ln.	Gasquet	95543	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 457-3211	44	3	14.5	50.0%	28 (63.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (25.0%)	1 (2.3%)	2 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.5%)								(n/a)										51.7							31.0							$48,250	$16,883	$31,367
Bess Maxwell Elementary	Public	K-5	1124 El Dorado St.	Crescent City	95531	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 464-0310	217	11	19.7	86.2%	102 (47.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (23.5%)	7 (3.2%)	36 (16.6%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (9.7%)	8.7	5702^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	2.6%		10.5	5659^th of 5869 public elementary schools	3.6%	43	9.4		9.4	15.2	7.9	18.8				13.6	21.2	10.5	6.3				12.6	93.8		93.8				$23,590	$3,016	$20,574
Joe Hamilton Elementary	Public	K-5	1050 E St.	Crescent City	95531	Del Norte County	Del Norte County Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 464-0330	298	15	20.4	81.5%	135 (45.3%)	1 (0.3%)	66 (22.1%)	18 (6.0%)	41 (13.8%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (12.4%)	12.2	5487^th of 5857 public elementary schools	6.3%		27.5	4158^th of 5869 public elementary schools	29.2%	1329	14.8		14.8	12.2	12.5	28.3				18.3	14.6	14.6	13.0				14.0	91.9	91.9	91.9	91.9	91.9	91.9	$23,591	$3,465	$20,126

Frequently Asked Questions about Smith River Elementary

How many students attend Smith River Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 258 students attended Smith River Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Smith River Elementary?

Students at Smith River Elementary are 45% Hispanic, 31% White, 17% American Indian, 6% Two or more races.

What district is Smith River Elementary in?

Del Norte County Unified

What schools do graduates of Smith River Elementary attend?

Students who attend Smith River Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Del Norte High

Is Smith River Elementary a good school?

Smith River Elementary ranks 3783^rd of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Smith River Elementary!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.