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Nichols Elementary

Q: Is Nichols Elementary a good school?

Nichols Elementary ranks 3815 th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

3815^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 35% of California elementary schools

Summary

Nichols Elementary is a public elementary school in Oceanside, California, serving 526 students in grades K-5. It is part of the Oceanside Unified School District, which is ranked 780 out of 1,565 districts in the state.

Academically, Nichols Elementary's performance is generally lower than the district and state averages across various grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 35.27% of Nichols students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 42.2% for Oceanside Unified and 48.81% for California. The school's performance is particularly low in 5th-grade Mathematics, with only 12.05% of students proficient or better, compared to 31.48% for Oceanside Unified and 36.03% for California. Additionally, Nichols Elementary has consistently higher chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 22.6% to 26.0%, compared to the state average of around 10-12%.

Compared to nearby schools within the Oceanside Unified district, Nichols Elementary's academic performance is generally lower. For instance, Christa McAuliffe Elementary and Ivey Ranch Elementary had significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics. However, Nichols Elementary's performance is better than some schools outside the district, such as Pablo Tac School of the Arts and Louise Foussat Elementary, which are also located in Oceanside.

522

Students ?

22.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,601

Per pupil spending ?

67.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4250 Old Grove Rd.
Oceanside, CA 92057-6539

(760) 435-7400

District: Oceanside Unified

Students who attend Nichols Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Martin Luther King Junior Middle
High:	El Camino High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

56.9%

White:

16.5%

Two or more races:

13.4%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Nichols Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 48th percentile in 2013 → 35th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (30% vs 41% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 13 percentile points since 2013

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school30%

District avg36%

California avg41%

3,815^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Bottom 35%▼ down 27 pts since 2015

From top 38% (2015) to bottom 35% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th of 14Elementary Schools in the Oceanside Unified

789^th of 1,543Oceanside 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	31.8	3815 of 5857	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.2	3594 of 5869	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	27.0	4169 of 5859	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	40.4	3061 of 5883	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	34.4	3576 of 5789	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.7	2672 of 5662	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	37.1	3303 of 5692	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	42.4	2934 of 5614	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2015	55.6	2147 of 5611	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	47.1	2857 of 5530	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	46.7	2835 of 5390	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2011	35.0	3618 of 5377	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	33.5	3579 of 5314	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	41.0	2991 of 5193	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	40.6	2907 of 5113	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2007	47.1	2486 of 5113	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	55.0	1961 of 4818	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2005	61.7	1669 of 4822	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2004	65.2	1484 of 4809	69.1%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	22.9	1868 of 2227	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	47.9	1040 of 2585	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	38.4	1084 of 2128	49.1%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	50.3	1156 of 3162	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	28.3	2645 of 3245	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	46.0	1413 of 3311	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	14.4	3272 of 3275	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	33.8	2137 of 3246	34.2%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	38.5	3198 of 5597	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.4	3108 of 5612	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.5	4081 of 5609	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.3	3702 of 5635	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	31.7	3695 of 5492	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.1	3209 of 5413	40.7%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	32.6	3573 of 5107	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.5	3157 of 5107	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.9	3471 of 5087	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.8	2682 of 5084	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.2	3011 of 4963	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	55.1	1892 of 4830	60.8%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	32.5	3785 of 5460	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.0	3454 of 5517	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.5	4197 of 5363	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	44.5	2645 of 5264	49.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.0	3510 of 5173	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	51.0	2297 of 5084	54.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	26.0	4187 of 5628	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.9	3824 of 5643	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	28.5	3919 of 5638	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.1	2439 of 5663	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	37.6	3224 of 5510	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	56.8	2075 of 5431	61.8%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	38.2	1419 of 2635	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.2	1322 of 2420	45.4%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	28.8	1973 of 2598	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.3	2166 of 2661	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.5	2134 of 2726	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	31.2	2113 of 2834	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	35.1	1951 of 2737	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆

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)63rd percentile+25 vs school

Special Education (2024)46th percentile+7 vs school

Female (2025)43rd percentile+8 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)31st percentile-4 vs school

Hispanic (2025)30th percentile-5 vs school

Male (2025)26th percentile-9 vs school

White (2025)24th percentile-11 vs school

Disabled (2022)16th percentile-32 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy35%-14 vs state

Mathematics31%-6 vs state

Science14%-18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Nichols Elementary

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)	% Polio (2022)	% DTP (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	CSA Spanish Overall 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall All Grades	CSA Spanish Listening 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening All Grades	CSA Spanish Writing 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing All Grades	CSA Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading All Grades	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	% DTP KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Nichols Elementary	Public	K-5	4250 Old Grove Rd.	Oceanside	92057	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 435-7400	522	24	22.2	67.2%	86 (16.5%)	22 (4.2%)	297 (56.9%)	39 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.5%)	70 (13.4%)	31.8	3815^th of 5857 public elementary schools	34.9%		34.2	3594^th of 5869 public elementary schools	38.8%	221																	14.5		14.5	46.1	32.5	28.1				35.3	51.3	31.0	12.1				31.0	96.9	96.9	96.9	$11,601	$1,749	$9,852
Scholarship Prep - Oceanside	Public, Charter	K-8	4070 Mission Ave.	Oceanside	92057	San Diego County	Scholarship Prep - Oceanside District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(442) 262-3249	626	23	27.2	72.5%	111 (17.7%)	32 (5.1%)	438 (70.0%)	18 (2.9%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (1.8%)	15 (2.4%)	67.3	1724^th of 5857 public elementary schools	70.6%		68.2	1673^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	71.5%	51																	30.5	32.6	31.4	51.6	68.3	47.5	49.3	70.4	69.8	58.6	69.4	74.6	37.3	40.6	49.1	48.8	53.6				$18,441	$2,195	$16,246
Louise Foussat Elementary	Public	K-5	3800 Pala Rd.	Oceanside	92058	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 721-2200	755	31	24.3	76.4%	84 (11.1%)	29 (3.8%)	526 (69.7%)	36 (4.8%)	2 (0.3%)	13 (1.7%)	65 (8.6%)	23	4595^th of 5857 public elementary schools	21.5%		21.3	4754^th of 5869 public elementary schools	19.0%	159																	20.5		20.5	23.1	24.3	39.3				29.1	23.3	28.0	19.7				23.5				$10,583	$1,167	$9,416
Libby Elementary	Public	K-5	423 West Redondo Dr.	Oceanside	92057	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 901-7000	482	22	21.9	89.2%	26 (5.4%)	9 (1.9%)	412 (85.5%)	15 (3.1%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	15 (3.1%)	54	2364^th of 5857 public elementary schools	59.6%		46.9	2738^th of 5869 public elementary schools	53.3%	374																	31.9		31.9	32.1	50.8	62.3				47.2	27.7	46.0	71.0				47.0	96.3			$10,592	$1,352	$9,240
Ivey Ranch Elementary	Public	K-5	4275 Via Rancho Rd.	Oceanside	92057	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 966-4800	698	29	24.0	42.6%	230 (33.0%)	29 (4.2%)	258 (37.0%)	59 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.3%)	105 (15.0%)	74.4	1403^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	76.0%		79.2	1189^th of 5869 public elementary schools	79.7%	214																	40.5		40.5	61.7	62.1	55.9				59.9	66.4	60.2	40.5				55.7	98.2			$10,912	$1,210	$9,702
Pablo Tac School of the Arts	Public	K-5	3535 Hacienda Dr.	Oceanside	92054	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 721-2300	425	19	22.3	80.0%	54 (12.7%)	15 (3.5%)	314 (73.9%)	9 (2.1%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.7%)	28 (6.6%)	26.6	4266^th of 5857 public elementary schools	27.2%		33.6	3632^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	38.1%	634																	24.6		24.6	26.0	28.9	36.4				30.4	35.1	14.8	25.8				26.3				$12,238	$1,215	$11,023
Del Rio Elementary	Public	K-5	5200 North River Rd.	Oceanside	92057	San Diego County	Oceanside Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 901-7300	353	15	23.5	81.6%	39 (11.0%)	9 (2.5%)	240 (68.0%)	12 (3.4%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (4.2%)	37 (10.5%)	42.9	3011^th of 5857 public elementary schools	48.6%		35.8	3456^th of 5869 public elementary schools	41.1%	445																	34.4		34.4	40.0	30.4	45.9				39.5	42.1	37.0	29.5				36.0				$11,594	$7,259	$4,335
Empresa Elementary	Public	K-5	4850 Avenida Empresa	Oceanside	92056	San Diego County	Vista Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 940-8454	705	29	24.7	41.3%	293 (41.6%)	11 (1.6%)	270 (38.3%)	29 (4.1%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	99 (14.0%)	83.3	1001^st of 5857 public elementary schools	82.9%		86.8	870^th of 5869 public elementary schools	85.2%	131																	46.5		46.5	68.7	70.1	55.3				64.2	77.8	71.1	54.4				67.1	96.9			$17,059	$1,949	$15,110
Alamosa Park Elementary	Public	K-5	5130 Alamosa Park Dr.	Oceanside	92057	San Diego County	Vista Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 940-0700	549	24	23.1	48.5%	184 (33.5%)	4 (0.7%)	265 (48.3%)	27 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.1%)	63 (11.5%)	70.9	1558^th of 5857 public elementary schools	73.4%		72.6	1466^th of 5869 public elementary schools	75.0%	92	7.7	20.0	11.1	11.7	28.2	15.0	50.0	29.9	20.5	35.0	11.1	22.1	10.3	15.0	5.6	10.4	37.3		37.3	49.4	58.1	56.7				54.6	62.9	61.6	43.3				57.0	95.0			$18,496	$2,542	$15,954
Bonsall West Elementary	Public	K-6	5050 El Mirlo Dr.	Oceanside	92057	San Diego County	Bonsall Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 721-8001	383	17	22.1	38.1%	173 (45.2%)	6 (1.6%)	120 (31.3%)	26 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	57 (14.9%)	76.6	1307^th of 5857 public elementary schools	77.7%		78.5	1221^st of 5869 public elementary schools	79.2%	86																	44.1		44.1	53.0	62.8	61.0	78.4			62.0	66.7	51.0	42.4	67.6			56.3				$17,078	$529	$16,549

Frequently Asked Questions about Nichols Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Nichols Elementary?

Students at Nichols Elementary are 57% Hispanic, 16% White, 13% Two or more races, 7% Asian, 4% African American, 2% Pacific Islander.

Is Nichols Elementary a good school?

Nichols Elementary ranks 3815^th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Nichols Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 522 students attended Nichols Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Nichols Elementary attend?

Students who attend Nichols Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Martin Luther King Junior Middle
High : El Camino High

What district is Nichols Elementary in?

Oceanside Unified

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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.