Drew (Charles) College Preparatory Academy

Drew (Charles) College Preparatory Academy is a public K-5 elementary school serving about 200 students in San Francisco's Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, operating within the San Francisco Unified school district.

Academically, the school has faced significant challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom 5% of California elementary schools for over a decade, with current test scores well below state averages. However, there are recent positive signs: chronic absenteeism has dropped sharply from 69% to 44.3% in recent years, and English Language Arts scores have improved. The school spends a considerable amount per student—$29,147—which is higher than most nearby schools, yet outcomes have remained low, a pattern also seen at Malcolm X Academy and Carver (George Washington) Elementary. Interestingly, a relative strength is the performance of its African American students, who score significantly better compared to the school's overall ranking.

A key finding is the stark contrast with the nearby Taylor (Edward R.) Elementary, which serves a similarly economically disadvantaged student population but achieves much higher test scores, a far better statewide ranking, and a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 16.4%, all while spending less per student. This comparison, along with the clear link between lower absenteeism and better academic outcomes at other schools like Flynn (Leonard R.) Elementary, suggests that school-level practices around culture and instruction can make a major difference, offering a potential path for improvement at Drew.