Alta Sierra Elementary

Summary:

Alta Sierra Elementary is a public elementary school located in Grass Valley, California, serving 319 students in grades K-5. It is part of the Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary School District, which is ranked 519 out of 1,568 districts in the state.

Alta Sierra Elementary consistently outperforms its district and the state of California in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics. In 2023-2024, 53.8% of its students were proficient or better in ELA/Literacy, compared to 47.05% for the district and 47.04% for the state. In Mathematics, 50% of Alta Sierra students were proficient or better, compared to 40.26% for the district and 35.54% for the state. The school performs particularly well for its female and low socioeconomic status students, ranking 1,600 and 1,258 out of 5,605 and 5,511 California elementary schools, respectively. However, the school's performance for white and multi-racial students is relatively lower.

While Alta Sierra Elementary is a strong-performing school within its district, it has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 0% in 2017-2018 to 34.5% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average of 13.7% in 2020-2021. Nearby schools in the Grass Valley Elementary district, such as Grass Valley Charter and Bell Hill Academy, tend to outperform Alta Sierra in both ELA and Mathematics, suggesting that the school's performance may be more influenced by district-level factors.


Detail:

Public K-5

 16607 Annie Dr.
       Grass Valley, CA  95949-7147


(530) 272-2319

District: Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
1645th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,416 Help


Students who attend Alta Sierra Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Magnolia Intermediate
High:    Bear River High

Student/teacher ratio:  21.2 Help
Number of students:  319

Racial breakdown:

Two or more races:
53.3%
White:
34.8%
Hispanic:
11.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  34.5% Help


 See top rated California elementary schools

 Compare Alta Sierra Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Alta Sierra Elementary ranks better than 71.9% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks first among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.8. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 Racial makeup is: two or more races (53.3%), White (34.8%), Hispanic (11.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 34.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Alta Sierra Elementary is 21.2, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Alta Sierra Elementary employs 15 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Alta Sierra Elementary is $11,416. 1 elementary schools in the Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Alta Sierra Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Alta Sierra Elementary 1645th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Alta Sierra Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary 519th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Alta Sierra Elementary?

Rank History for Alta Sierra Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Alta Sierra Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 90.22 503rd 4809 89.5%
2005 93.11 320th 4822 93.4%
2006 89.45 511th 4818 89.4%
2007 89.09 560th 5113 89.0%
2008 85.06 748th 5113 85.4%
2009 81.09 950th 5193 81.7%
2010 77.04 1129th 5314 78.8%
2011 79.05 1060th 5377 80.3%
2012 79.09 1075th 5390 80.1%
2013 81.34 990th 5530 82.1%
2015 81.86 1041st 5611 81.4%
2016 68.34 1601st 5614 71.5%
2017 60.72 1979th 5692 65.2%
2018 68.25 1658th 5662 70.7%
2019 67.80 1705th 5789 70.5%
2021 75.21 327th 1417 76.9%
2022 68.97 1647th 5883 72.0%
2023 69.62 1595th 5874 72.8%
2024 68.80 1645th 5862 71.9%
See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Alta Sierra Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 26.00 479th 610 21.5%
2023 33.55 490th 669 26.8%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Alta Sierra Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 85.68 222nd 2420 90.8%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Alta Sierra Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.64 1652nd 5084 67.5%
2019 73.77 982nd 5173 81.0%
2021 54.01 427th 1110 61.5%
2022 72.94 1037th 5264 80.3%
2023 70.31 1216th 5374 77.4%
2024 70.19 1258th 5511 77.2%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Alta Sierra Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.07 1708th 5413 68.4%
2019 67.65 1623rd 5492 70.4%
2021 74.72 292nd 1267 77.0%
2022 75.08 1318th 5635 76.6%
2023 69.75 1502nd 5617 73.3%
2024 67.26 1600th 5605 71.5%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Alta Sierra Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 57.54 87th 293 70.3%
2022 66.84 474th 2227 78.7%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Alta Sierra Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.53 1640th 5431 69.8%
2019 65.04 1722nd 5510 68.7%
2021 72.81 316th 1272 75.2%
2022 59.87 1962nd 5663 65.4%
2023 67.11 1640th 5650 71.0%
2024 66.68 1671st 5636 70.4%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Alta Sierra Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.18 1978th 2737 27.7%
2019 34.02 2045th 2834 27.8%
2022 35.99 1848th 2726 32.2%
2023 46.45 1529th 2662 42.6%
2024 40.35 1697th 2647 35.9%
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.

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






Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

by a parent
Thursday, August 29, 2013

Open Quote Besides a wonderful academic atmosphere, Alta Sierra school offers a caring, respectful and family type environs for all of the students. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Alta Sierra Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 445 2 3 7 2 n/a n/a 0 459
1989 482 0 7 5 1 n/a n/a 0 495
1990 527 2 9 7 1 n/a n/a 0 546
1991 528 4 8 10 2 n/a n/a 0 552
1992 492 5 9 8 2 n/a n/a 0 516
1993 505 5 6 11 2 n/a n/a 0 529
1994 530 5 9 18 0 n/a n/a 0 562
1995 486 4 7 17 3 n/a n/a 0 517
1996 486 4 7 17 3 n/a n/a 0 517
1997 450 7 6 17 7 n/a n/a 0 487
1998 431 6 9 18 5 n/a n/a 0 469
1999 421 7 10 17 2 n/a n/a 0 457
2000 431 5 10 17 1 n/a n/a 0 464
2001 398 6 9 13 3 n/a n/a 0 429
2002 374 5 12 23 6 n/a n/a 0 420
2003 374 5 12 23 6 n/a n/a 0 420
2004 391 7 4 21 3 n/a n/a 0 426
2005 310 5 5 20 9 n/a n/a 57 406
2006 327 6 5 18 1 n/a n/a 42 399
2007 309 5 1 23 0 n/a n/a 17 355
2008 292 2 1 14 n/a n/a n/a 0 309
2009 303 8 2 14 0 0 0 0 327
2010 252 4 2 26 0 0 7 0 291
2011 266 1 4 24 2 0 27 0 324
2012 264 1 2 23 3 0 18 0 311
2013 289 1 2 16 2 1 17 0 328
2014 260 1 2 12 3 2 13 0 293
2015 254 2 2 16 1 2 12 0 289
2016 291 0 3 17 2 2 10 0 325
2017 275 0 3 15 1 1 9 0 304
2018 275 2 2 16 1 1 7 0 304
2019 227 1 4 23 1 1 51 0 308
2020 222 1 3 31 0 1 77 0 335
2021 191 1 0 22 1 0 111 0 326
2022 137 1 1 28 0 0 160 0 327
2023 111 0 0 38 0 0 170 0 319

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 Alta Sierra Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 459 19.0 24.1 n/a
1989 495 19.7 25.1 n/a
1990 546 23.0 23.7 n/a
1991 552 24.0 23.0 n/a
1992 516 24.4 21.1 13.8
1993 529 24.0 22.0 14.6
1994 562 23.5 23.9 15.1
1995 517 21.0 24.6 14.7
1996 517 21.0 24.6 14.7
1997 487 25.0 19.5 15.2
1998 469 23.8 19.7 16.2
1999 457 23.8 19.2 14.9
2000 464 23.0 20.2 17.2
2001 429 21.8 19.7 10
2002 420 20.8 20.2 14.5
2003 420 20.8 20.2 14.5
2004 426 20.5 20.8 13.4
2005 406 20.7 19.6 13.2
2006 399 19.7 20.3 11.2
2007 355 20.0 17.8 9.5
2008 309 19.0 16.3 11.7
2009 327 16.0 19.2 15
2010 291 14.0 20.7 20.6
2011 324 n/a n/a 29.6
2012 311 16.0 19.4 n/a
2013 328 17.0 19.2 29.9
2014 293 15.6 18.7 32.4
2015 289 14.0 20.6 28
2016 325 16.0 20.3 29.8
2017 304 16.0 19.0 30.3
2018 304 16.0 19.0 42.4
2019 308 14.0 22.0 35.4
2020 335 n/a n/a 33.7
2021 326 15.0 21.7 29.8
2022 327 16.1 20.2 26.3
2023 319 15.0 21.2 34.5

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 Alta Sierra Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 459 19.0 24.1 n/a
1989 495 19.7 25.1 n/a
1990 546 23.0 23.7 n/a
1991 552 24.0 23.0 n/a
1992 516 24.4 21.1 13.8
1993 529 24.0 22.0 14.6
1994 562 23.5 23.9 15.1
1995 517 21.0 24.6 14.7
1996 517 21.0 24.6 14.7
1997 487 25.0 19.5 15.2
1998 469 23.8 19.7 16.2
1999 457 23.8 19.2 14.9
2000 464 23.0 20.2 17.2
2001 429 21.8 19.7 10
2002 420 20.8 20.2 14.5
2003 420 20.8 20.2 14.5
2004 426 20.5 20.8 13.4
2005 406 20.7 19.6 13.2
2006 399 19.7 20.3 11.2
2007 355 20.0 17.8 9.5
2008 309 19.0 16.3 11.7
2009 327 16.0 19.2 15
2010 291 14.0 20.7 20.6
2011 324 n/a n/a 29.6
2012 311 16.0 19.4 n/a
2013 328 17.0 19.2 29.9
2014 293 15.6 18.7 32.4
2015 289 14.0 20.6 28
2016 325 16.0 20.3 29.8
2017 304 16.0 19.0 30.3
2018 304 16.0 19.0 42.4
2019 308 14.0 22.0 35.4
2020 335 n/a n/a 33.7
2021 326 15.0 21.7 29.8
2022 327 16.1 20.2 26.3
2023 319 15.0 21.2 34.5

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

Alta Sierra Elementary

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPolioHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMMR
201263.0%12.0%0.0%25.0%64.0%76.0%76.0%63.0%71.0%
201377.0%5.0%0.0%18.0%77.0%89.0%80.0%80.0%78.0%
201480.0%13.0%0.0%7.0%80.0%87.0%80.0%80.0%80.0%
201584.0%5.0%0.0%11.0%90.0%90.0%92.0%87.0%84.0%
201686.0%8.0%0.0%1.0%88.0%88.0%88.0%88.0%86.0%
201796.0%3.0%0.0%1.0%97.0%96.0%97.0%97.0%97.0%
201893.0%0.0%1.0%3.0%94.0%93.0%97.0%93.0%94.0%
201995.0%2.0%0.0%95.0%97.0%95.0%95.0%95.0%
202085.5%1.5%5.8%95.7%97.1%88.4%95.7%94.2%
202185.1%3.0%1.5%85.1%94.0%85.1%85.1%85.1%
202290.9%0.0%0.0%90.9%96.4%90.9%90.9%90.9%

Data source: California Department of Public Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Alta Sierra Elementary

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $11,416

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Alta Sierra 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 1705th of 5789 Elementary schoolsRanks 1595th of 5874 Elementary schools
 2.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Alta Sierra Elementary)57.734.6
 23.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary)57.635.8
 21.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.543
 5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Alta Sierra Elementary)62.846.2
 16.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary)60.340.1
 20.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (California)50.245.1
 5.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Alta Sierra Elementary)5447.6
 6.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary)48.440.4
 8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.543.7
 5.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Alta Sierra Elementary)4447.6
 3.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary)46.339.1
 7.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (California)44.940.8
 4.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Alta Sierra Elementary)70.364
 6.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary)61.450.4
 11%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Alta Sierra Elementary)4666
 20.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary)42.548.2
 5.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (California)3833.4
 4.6%
5th Grade Science (Alta Sierra Elementary)43.270
 26.8%
   5th Grade Science (Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary)45.648.6
 2.9%
   5th Grade Science (California)31.731.9
 0.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students308319
 3.6%
African American10
 100%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian40
 100%
Hispanic2338
 65.2%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White227111
 51.1%
Two or More Races51170
 233.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients35.4%34.5%
 0.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Alta Sierra Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 319 students attended Alta Sierra Elementary.

Alta Sierra Elementary ranks 1645th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Alta Sierra Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Magnolia Intermediate
High : Bear River High

Students at Alta Sierra Elementary are 53% Two or more races, 35% White, 12% Hispanic.


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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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