Dana Elementary

Summary:

Dana Elementary is a public elementary school located in Nipomo, California, serving 600 students in grades K-6. It is part of the Lucia Mar Unified School District, which is ranked 587 out of 1,568 districts in the state.

Dana Elementary faces several challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates, consistently lower academic performance compared to the district and state averages, and subgroup disparities. The school's chronic absenteeism rate has risen significantly from 8.0% in 2018-2019 to 31.8% in 2021-2022, notably higher than the district average of 15.6%. Academically, Dana Elementary underperforms the district and state in Smarter Balanced Assessments across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 37.18% of Dana Elementary students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 52.26% in the district and 47.04% statewide. The school's performance across various student subgroups, such as female, male, Hispanic, White, English Language Learners, and Special Education students, is also consistently lower than the state averages for those subgroups.

Interestingly, the nearby Nipomo Elementary and Lange (Dorothea) Elementary, which are also part of the Lucia Mar Unified School District, generally perform better than Dana Elementary across various academic metrics. Additionally, Dana Elementary's performance has declined over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 2345 out of 5,530 California elementary schools in 2012-2013 to 3312 out of 5,862 in 2023-2024. The significant increase in chronic absenteeism rates at Dana Elementary may be a contributing factor to the school's underperformance in academic assessments, suggesting that addressing attendance issues could be a crucial step in improving overall student achievement.


Detail:

Public K-6

 920 West Tefft St.
       Nipomo, CA  93444-9624


(805) 474-3790

District: Lucia Mar Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
3312th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $4,703 Help


Students who attend Dana Elementary usually attend:

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

Student/teacher ratio:  22.8 Help
Number of students:  600

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
67.7%
White:
25.5%
Two or more races:
4.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  75.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Dana Elementary ranks worse than 56.5% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 9th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Lucia Mar Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.76. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Dana Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Lucia Mar Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (67.7%), White (25.5%), two or more races (4.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 75.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dana Elementary is 22.8. 9 elementary schools in the Lucia Mar Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Dana Elementary employs 26.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dana Elementary is $4,703. 7 elementary schools in the Lucia Mar Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dana Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Dana Elementary 3312th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Dana Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Lucia Mar Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Lucia Mar Unified 587th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Dana Elementary?

Rank History for Dana Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 41.96 2548th 4809 47.0%
2005 52.61 2063rd 4822 57.2%
2006 48.49 2255th 4818 53.2%
2007 49.85 2342nd 5113 54.2%
2008 53.90 2166th 5113 57.6%
2009 52.28 2346th 5193 54.8%
2010 48.23 2673rd 5314 49.7%
2011 51.89 2480th 5377 53.9%
2012 46.35 2855th 5390 47.0%
2013 56.07 2345th 5530 57.6%
2015 35.19 3313th 5611 41.0%
2016 39.75 3091st 5614 44.9%
2017 36.71 3329th 5692 41.5%
2018 48.29 2643rd 5662 53.3%
2019 45.67 2838th 5789 51.0%
2022 32.43 3665th 5883 37.7%
2023 34.57 3533rd 5874 39.9%
2024 37.76 3312th 5862 43.5%
See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.86 1942nd 3246 40.2%
2019 29.00 2567th 3275 21.6%
2022 30.97 2530th 3311 23.6%
2023 32.51 2359th 3250 27.4%
2024 41.47 1717th 3160 45.7%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 17.10 2355th 2420 2.7%
2024 32.25 1687th 2634 36.0%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.00 2754th 5084 45.8%
2019 46.72 2628th 5173 49.2%
2022 32.91 3588th 5264 31.8%
2023 29.87 3909th 5374 27.3%
2024 30.93 3855th 5511 30.0%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 45.52 176th 356 50.6%
2023 27.53 281st 336 16.4%
2024 38.07 232nd 364 36.3%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.61 2402nd 5413 55.6%
2019 45.85 2735th 5492 50.2%
2022 31.74 3600th 5635 36.1%
2023 36.20 3279th 5617 41.6%
2024 39.98 3062nd 5605 45.4%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.77 1149th 2128 46.0%
2019 25.55 2027th 2585 21.6%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.04 2720th 5431 49.9%
2019 45.57 2699th 5510 51.0%
2022 33.69 3487th 5663 38.4%
2023 32.95 3546th 5650 37.2%
2024 35.61 3366th 5636 40.3%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.42 2649th 4830 45.2%
2019 45.05 2610th 4963 47.4%
2022 36.21 3197th 5084 37.1%
2023 34.47 3358th 5098 34.1%
2024 38.50 3073rd 5102 39.8%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Dana Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.18 1573rd 2737 42.5%
2019 39.14 1877th 2834 33.8%
2022 24.35 2162nd 2726 20.7%
2023 33.32 1903rd 2662 28.5%
2024 36.19 1799th 2647 32.0%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Dana Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Dana Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 309 3 5 173 1 n/a n/a 0 491
1989 338 7 7 242 1 n/a n/a 0 595
1990 366 5 10 265 0 n/a n/a 0 646
1991 370 6 12 264 3 n/a n/a 0 655
1992 420 8 12 295 7 n/a n/a 0 742
1993 384 6 11 252 9 n/a n/a 0 662
1994 378 3 14 231 3 n/a n/a 0 629
1995 371 5 8 281 5 n/a n/a 0 670
1996 371 5 8 281 5 n/a n/a 0 670
1997 371 9 13 297 4 n/a n/a 0 694
1998 352 9 16 268 6 n/a n/a 0 651
1999 354 7 14 323 7 n/a n/a 0 705
2000 377 7 11 319 4 n/a n/a 0 718
2001 324 7 10 333 3 n/a n/a 0 677
2002 340 11 9 322 5 n/a n/a 3 690
2003 340 11 9 322 5 n/a n/a 3 690
2004 337 9 8 327 3 n/a n/a 15 699
2005 344 17 13 335 3 n/a n/a 26 738
2006 317 15 15 315 1 n/a n/a 34 697
2007 287 9 17 223 1 n/a n/a 31 568
2008 289 7 6 231 3 n/a n/a 0 536
2009 280 2 4 242 1 1 39 0 569
2010 271 2 6 272 1 3 14 0 569
2011 270 5 7 307 0 3 11 0 603
2012 267 5 9 316 1 4 5 0 607
2013 252 6 11 320 1 3 5 0 598
2014 254 6 16 335 4 3 11 0 629
2015 238 9 13 331 1 3 16 0 611
2016 213 5 8 341 1 3 13 0 584
2017 228 1 9 350 1 2 20 0 611
2018 187 2 9 370 3 2 26 0 599
2019 177 1 9 364 5 2 25 0 583
2020 180 1 6 362 3 2 25 1 580
2021 136 1 9 350 4 1 23 0 524
2022 154 3 10 375 2 0 32 0 576
2023 153 2 8 406 2 0 29 0 600

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Dana Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 491 20.0 24.5 n/a
1989 595 23.0 25.8 n/a
1990 646 25.0 25.8 n/a
1991 655 26.5 24.7 n/a
1992 742 26.9 27.5 48.2
1993 662 26.8 24.7 46.7
1994 629 24.5 25.7 49.6
1995 670 30.0 22.3 52.8
1996 670 30.0 22.3 52.8
1997 694 27.7 25.1 55.9
1998 651 28.9 22.5 58.2
1999 705 36.3 19.4 56.9
2000 718 32.5 22.1 55.6
2001 677 33.5 20.2 59.5
2002 690 33.5 20.6 63.3
2003 690 33.5 20.6 63.3
2004 699 32.0 21.8 60.1
2005 738 33.5 22.0 50.4
2006 697 32.0 21.8 55.7
2007 568 28.0 20.3 52.7
2008 536 29.0 18.5 50.4
2009 569 30.0 18.4 50.1
2010 569 26.0 21.8 66.3
2011 603 n/a n/a 64.5
2012 607 24.6 24.6 n/a
2013 598 23.5 25.3 64.9
2014 629 25.7 24.4 68.2
2015 611 26.0 23.5 65.3
2016 584 25.0 23.3 67.3
2017 611 26.0 23.5 59.4
2018 599 25.5 23.4 66.6
2019 583 24.0 24.2 65.9
2020 580 n/a n/a 65.2
2021 524 26.0 20.0 81.1
2022 576 26.8 21.4 74.3
2023 600 26.2 22.8 75.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Dana Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 491 20.0 24.5 n/a
1989 595 23.0 25.8 n/a
1990 646 25.0 25.8 n/a
1991 655 26.5 24.7 n/a
1992 742 26.9 27.5 48.2
1993 662 26.8 24.7 46.7
1994 629 24.5 25.7 49.6
1995 670 30.0 22.3 52.8
1996 670 30.0 22.3 52.8
1997 694 27.7 25.1 55.9
1998 651 28.9 22.5 58.2
1999 705 36.3 19.4 56.9
2000 718 32.5 22.1 55.6
2001 677 33.5 20.2 59.5
2002 690 33.5 20.6 63.3
2003 690 33.5 20.6 63.3
2004 699 32.0 21.8 60.1
2005 738 33.5 22.0 50.4
2006 697 32.0 21.8 55.7
2007 568 28.0 20.3 52.7
2008 536 29.0 18.5 50.4
2009 569 30.0 18.4 50.1
2010 569 26.0 21.8 66.3
2011 603 n/a n/a 64.5
2012 607 24.6 24.6 n/a
2013 598 23.5 25.3 64.9
2014 629 25.7 24.4 68.2
2015 611 26.0 23.5 65.3
2016 584 25.0 23.3 67.3
2017 611 26.0 23.5 59.4
2018 599 25.5 23.4 66.6
2019 583 24.0 24.2 65.9
2020 580 n/a n/a 65.2
2021 524 26.0 20.0 81.1
2022 576 26.8 21.4 74.3
2023 600 26.2 22.8 75.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Dana Elementary

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPolioHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMMR
201297.0%1.0%0.0%2.0%98.0%99.0%99.0%98.0%98.0%
201398.0%2.0%0.0%0.0%98.0%98.0%98.0%98.0%98.0%
201493.0%7.0%0.0%0.0%93.0%93.0%93.0%93.0%93.0%
201599.0%1.0%0.0%0.0%99.0%99.0%99.0%99.0%99.0%
201695.0%2.0%0.0%2.0%96.0%96.0%98.0%95.0%96.0%
2017≥98.0%≤2.0%≤2.0%≤2.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%
201894.0%0.0%0.0%3.0%94.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%95.0%96.0%
2019≥98.0%≤2.0%≤2.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%
202090.4%0.0%5.3%96.5%93.9%94.7%97.4%
202195.2%0.0%0.0%96.4%95.2%
202298.0%0.0%1.0%

Data source: California Department of Public Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Dana Elementary

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $4,702

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dana Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 2838th of 5789 Elementary schoolsRanks 3533rd of 5874 Elementary schools
 11.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Dana Elementary)47.417.2
 30.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Lucia Mar Unified)53.341
 12.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.543
 5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dana Elementary)48.733
 15.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Lucia Mar Unified)54.143.8
 10.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (California)50.245.1
 5.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Dana Elementary)39.428.6
 10.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Lucia Mar Unified)55.348.6
 6.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.543.7
 5.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dana Elementary)39.425.4
 14.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Lucia Mar Unified)50.241.9
 8.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (California)44.940.8
 4.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Dana Elementary)53.635
 18.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Lucia Mar Unified)59.852.6
 7.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dana Elementary)23.827.5
 3.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Lucia Mar Unified)41.635.5
 6.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (California)3833.4
 4.6%
5th Grade Science (Dana Elementary)23.825.9
 2.1%
   5th Grade Science (Lucia Mar Unified)39.238.2
 1%
   5th Grade Science (California)31.731.9
 0.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Dana Elementary)52.848.3
 4.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Lucia Mar Unified)54.851.4
 3.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Dana Elementary)38.227
 11.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Lucia Mar Unified)43.435
 8.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students583600
 2.9%
African American12
 100%
American Indian52
 60%
Asian98
 11.1%
Hispanic364406
 11.5%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White177153
 13.6%
Two or More Races2529
 16%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients65.9%75.5%
 9.6%


Schools Near Dana Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Dana Elementary

Students at Dana Elementary are 68% Hispanic, 26% White, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 600 students attended Dana Elementary.

Students who attend Dana Elementary usually go on to attend:

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

Dana Elementary ranks 3312th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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.





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