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Coming soon: We're expecting this year's test scores from the California Department of Education any day now — new rankings will be posted the moment they're released!

Coming soon: This year's test scores are expected from the California Department of Education any day now — new rankings will follow the moment they're released!

Dana Elementary

Q: Is Dana Elementary a good school?

Dana Elementary ranks 3989 th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

3989^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 32% of California elementary schools

Summary

Dana Elementary is a K-6 public school serving 612 students in Nipomo, California, within the Lucia Mar Unified school district, and it has seen a notable decline in its statewide academic ranking over the past decade, now placing in the 32nd percentile.

Academically, the school's test scores are below both district and state averages, with science proficiency being a particular area of concern at only 14%, which is less than half the state average. While the school spends more per student than neighboring schools like Lange (Dorothea) Elementary and Nipomo Elementary, its academic outcomes are lower, and there are significant performance gaps between different student groups and across grade levels. However, a major positive achievement is the dramatic reduction in chronic absenteeism, which has fallen to 14.7% and is now better than the state average.

When compared to other local schools, Dana Elementary is the lowest-performing of the three elementary schools in its own district, but it outperforms some schools in neighboring districts like Santa Maria-Bonita. The success in improving student attendance provides a strong foundation that the school could build upon to address its academic challenges, potentially by learning from higher-performing peers like Lange (Dorothea) Elementary, which serves a similar student population.

612

Students ?

19.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,152

Per pupil spending ?

77.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

920 West Tefft St.
Nipomo, CA 93444-9624

(805) 474-3790

District: Lucia Mar Unified

Students who attend Dana Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Mesa Middle
High:	Central Coast New Technical High
	Nipomo High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

68.3%

White:

26.3%

Two or more races:

4.2%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Dana Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 58th percentile in 2013 → 32nd in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (29% vs 41% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 26 percentile points since 2013

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school29%

District avg45%

California avg41%

3,989^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Bottom 32%▼ down 9 pts since 2015

From bottom 41% (2015) to bottom 32% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

9^th of 11Elementary Schools in the Lucia Mar Unified

582^nd of 1,543Lucia Mar 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	29.7	3989 of 5857	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.8	3318 of 5869	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.6	3527 of 5859	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.4	3665 of 5883	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.7	2838 of 5789	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.3	2643 of 5662	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	36.7	3329 of 5692	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	39.7	3091 of 5614	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	35.2	3313 of 5611	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2013	56.1	2345 of 5530	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	46.4	2855 of 5390	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2011	51.9	2480 of 5377	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2010	48.2	2673 of 5314	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	52.3	2346 of 5193	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	53.9	2166 of 5113	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2007	49.9	2342 of 5113	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2006	48.5	2255 of 4818	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2005	52.6	2063 of 4822	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2004	42.0	2548 of 4809	47.0%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2019	25.5	2027 of 2585	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	36.8	1149 of 2128	46.0%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	41.5	1718 of 3162	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.5	2356 of 3245	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.0	2530 of 3311	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.0	2567 of 3275	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	36.9	1942 of 3246	40.2%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	33.7	3573 of 5597	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.0	3068 of 5612	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.2	3277 of 5609	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.7	3600 of 5635	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.8	2735 of 5492	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.6	2402 of 5413	55.6%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	28.0	3885 of 5107	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.5	3077 of 5107	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.5	3351 of 5087	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.2	3197 of 5084	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.1	2610 of 4963	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.4	2649 of 4830	45.2%	★★☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	37.2	296 of 429	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.1	232 of 364	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	27.5	280 of 335	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	45.5	176 of 356	50.6%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	29.2	4047 of 5460	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.9	3859 of 5517	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.9	3904 of 5363	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.9	3588 of 5264	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.7	2628 of 5173	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	44.0	2754 of 5084	45.8%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	27.0	4101 of 5628	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	35.6	3371 of 5643	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.9	3542 of 5638	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.7	3487 of 5663	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.6	2699 of 5510	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	45.0	2720 of 5431	49.9%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	26.6	2222 of 2847	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.3	1688 of 2635	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	17.1	2355 of 2420	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	21.7	2136 of 2598	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.2	1803 of 2651	32.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.3	1904 of 2661	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.4	2162 of 2726	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	39.1	1877 of 2834	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.2	1573 of 2737	42.5%	★★☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2024)46th percentile~ school

Female (2025)36th percentile+4 vs school

Homeless (2025)31st percentile~ school

Male (2025)27th percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)26th percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2025)24th percentile-8 vs school

Special Education (2025)22nd percentile-10 vs school

Disabled (2019)22nd percentile-29 vs school

White (2025)18th percentile-14 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy34%-15 vs state

Mathematics30%-8 vs state

Science14%-19 vs state

★

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Schools Near Dana Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CSA Spanish Overall (2025)			CSA Spanish Listening (2025)			CSA Spanish Writing (2025)			CSA Spanish Reading (2025)			CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)					% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	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	CSA Spanish Overall 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall All Grades	CSA Spanish Listening 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening All Grades	CSA Spanish Writing 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing All Grades	CSA Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading All Grades	CAST Science 5th 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 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 All Grades	% Completely Immunized 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
Dana Elementary	Public	K-6	920 West Tefft St.	Nipomo	93444	San Luis Obispo County	Lucia Mar Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 474-3790	612	31	19.9	77.1%	161 (26.3%)	1 (0.2%)	418 (68.3%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.2%)	29.7	3989^th of 5857 public elementary schools	31.9%		37.8	3318^th of 5869 public elementary schools	43.5%	671													14.0	14.0	37.8	33.8	30.4	35.3	34.1	43.2	26.1	22.6	27.7	29.6	98.0					$14,152	$11,334	$2,818
Lange (Dorothea) Elementary	Public	K-6	1661 Via Alta Mesa	Nipomo	93444	San Luis Obispo County	Lucia Mar Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 474-3670	577	26	22.4	67.2%	209 (36.2%)	0 (0.0%)	340 (58.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.3%)	46.7	2781^st of 5857 public elementary schools	52.5%		41.3	3102^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	47.1%	321													23.5	23.5	49.4	44.7	40.2	43.9	44.4	54.3	40.0	23.5	38.3	38.3						$14,626	$11,834	$2,792
Nipomo Elementary	Public	K-6	190 East Price St.	Nipomo	93444	San Luis Obispo County	Lucia Mar Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 474-3780	436	22	19.9	83.7%	74 (17.0%)	2 (0.5%)	351 (80.5%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.4%)	25.1	4388^th of 5857 public elementary schools	25.1%		27.3	4170^th of 5869 public elementary schools	28.9%	218													24.1	24.1	13.0	21.6	35.6	41.9	29.4	21.7	17.7	28.1	21.3	22.3	95.4	96.9		96.9		$15,541	$12,676	$2,865
Ontiveros (Juan Pacifico) Elementary	Public	K-6	930 West Rancho Verde	Santa Maria	93458	Santa Barbara County	Santa Maria-Bonita	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 361-7680	869	35	24.8	94.2%	8 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	840 (96.7%)	10 (1.2%)	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	40.6	3177^th of 5857 public elementary schools	45.8%		44.8	2878^th of 5869 public elementary schools	51.0%	299													22.1	22.1	32.5	44.4	40.2	37.7	38.5	49.6	46.3	30.1	22.8	37.2						$21,512	$19,834	$1,678
Bonita Elementary	Public	K-6	2715 West Main St.	Santa Maria	93458	Santa Barbara County	Santa Maria-Bonita	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 361-8290	535	30	18.1	97.8%	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	529 (98.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	11.3	5548^th of 5857 public elementary schools	5.3%		12.7	5504^th of 5869 public elementary schools	6.2%	44													4.3	4.3	14.3	11.1	14.3	27.0	16.7	19.5	13.9	11.4	18.9	16.0						$25,957	$24,212	$1,745
Oakley (Calvin C.) Elementary	Public	K-6	1120 West Harding St.	Santa Maria	93458	Santa Barbara County	Santa Maria-Bonita	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 361-7620	849	40	21.0	95.9%	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	830 (97.8%)	11 (1.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	15	5261^st of 5857 public elementary schools	10.2%		14.8	5321^st of 5869 public elementary schools	9.3%	60													13.5	13.5	14.2	25.9	20.0	17.2	19.4	18.2	33.0	12.7	11.1	19.0	95.6			96.4		$22,073	$20,412	$1,661
Mary Buren Elementary	Public	K-4	1050 Peralta St.	Guadalupe	93434	Santa Barbara County	Guadalupe Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 343-2411	738	39	18.9	90.1%	25 (3.4%)	1 (0.1%)	702 (95.1%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.7%)	10.9	5579^th of 5857 public elementary schools	4.7%		12.8	5495^th of 5869 public elementary schools	6.4%	84	12.8	7.5	10.1	51.3	20.0	35.4	18.0	20.0	19.0	7.7	5.0	6.3			19.8	20.6			20.2	17.9	12.3			14.8						$30,531	$27,332	$3,199
Bruce (Robert) Elementary	Public	K-6	601 West Alvin Ave.	Santa Maria	93458	Santa Barbara County	Santa Maria-Bonita	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 361-6940	1,050	47	22.3	96.1%	10 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1,026 (97.7%)	4 (0.4%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.6%)	10.8	5583^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	4.7%		10.7	5651^st of 5869 public elementary schools	3.7%	68													8.6	8.6	12.0	17.1	26.3	11.9	16.5	17.6	20.5	14.2	6.7	14.6	98.1					$20,386	$18,294	$2,092
Taylor (Ida Redmond) Elementary	Public	K-6	1921 North Carlotti Dr.	Santa Maria	93454	Santa Barbara County	Santa Maria-Bonita	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 361-6250	849	45	19.0	85.7%	36 (4.2%)	2 (0.2%)	762 (89.8%)	33 (3.9%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	12 (1.4%)	17.3	5074^th of 5857 public elementary schools	13.4%		18.2	5009^th of 5869 public elementary schools	14.7%	65													12.4	12.4	17.2	26.3	20.7	30.3	24.3	19.0	21.6	10.7	24.1	19.0	98.3		98.3		98.3	$23,943	$21,272	$2,671
Rice (William) Elementary	Public	K-6	700 East Vickie Ave.	Santa Maria	93454	Santa Barbara County	Santa Maria-Bonita	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 361-7740	887	40	21.9	95.2%	16 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	847 (95.5%)	3 (0.3%)	7 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (1.6%)	11	5567^th of 5857 public elementary schools	5.0%		13	5480^th of 5869 public elementary schools	6.6%	87													5.1	5.1	19.7	13.0	13.8	25.6	18.1	24.1	13.4	6.8	13.3	14.4						$21,406	$19,548	$1,858

Frequently Asked Questions about Dana Elementary

Is Dana Elementary a good school?

Dana Elementary ranks 3989^th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Dana Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 612 students attended Dana Elementary.

What district is Dana Elementary in?

Lucia Mar Unified

What schools do graduates of Dana Elementary attend?

Students who attend Dana Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Mesa Middle
High : Central Coast New Technical High
High : Nipomo High

What is the racial makeup of Dana Elementary?

Students at Dana Elementary are 68% Hispanic, 26% White, 4% Two or more races.

Rate Dana Elementary!

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Latest California data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataMar 13, 2026

2024–25 CSA Spanish test scoresDec 22, 2025

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 14, 2025

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.