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Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary

Public Grades K-5

545^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 91% of California elementary schools

Summary

Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary is a standout public K-5 school serving 309 students in San Jose, part of the San Jose Unified district, known for its highly effective Montessori program and strong academic results.

The school excels academically, with over 70% of students proficient in English and an impressive 74% proficient in math, far exceeding both district and state averages. It has earned a 5-star rating and ranks in the top 10% of all California elementary schools. What's particularly remarkable is that it achieves these results while spending less per student and having a larger average class size than many neighboring schools like Schallenberger Elementary and Willow Glen Elementary. The school also shows exceptional support for specific student groups and maintains a lower rate of chronic absenteeism than the area average.

Perhaps the most compelling insight is the dramatic difference between Hammer Montessori and the traditional Ernesto Galarza Elementary, which shares the same building but performs at a much lower level, highlighting the impact of its educational approach. Its performance is comparable to other top local schools like Booksin Elementary, and it significantly outperforms nearby charter schools such as Rocketship Alma Academy. This demonstrates that Hammer Montessori's success is a consistent, long-term result of its specific learning model.

309

Students ?

23.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,463

Per pupil spending ?

20.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1610 Bird Ave.
San Jose, CA 95125-1821

(408) 535-6671

District: San Jose Unified

Racial breakdown:

White:

29.1%

Hispanic:

28.5%

Asian:

20.1%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 83rd percentile in 2015 → 91st in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (71% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 9% of California elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 8 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

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

!Large classes — about 24 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school71%

District avg45%

California avg41%

545^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Top 9%▲ up 7 pts since 2015

From top 17% (2015) to top 9% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 27Elementary Schools in the San Jose Unified

788^th of 1,543San Jose 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	92.0	545 of 5857	90.7%	★★★★★
2024	89.1	743 of 5869	87.3%	★★★★☆
2023	91.0	635 of 5859	89.2%	★★★★☆
2022	87.9	812 of 5883	86.2%	★★★★☆
2021	82.2	243 of 1417	82.9%	★★★★☆
2019	79.4	1199 of 5789	79.3%	★★★★☆
2018	87.7	759 of 5662	86.6%	★★★★☆
2017	88.4	736 of 5692	87.1%	★★★★☆
2016	84.6	922 of 5614	83.6%	★★★★☆
2015	84.0	932 of 5611	83.4%	★★★★☆
2013	63.5	1920 of 5530	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	70.9	1474 of 5390	72.7%	★★★★☆
2011	60.1	2021 of 5377	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2010	72.7	1338 of 5314	74.8%	★★★★☆
2009	73.0	1301 of 5193	74.9%	★★★★☆
2008	68.9	1456 of 5113	71.5%	★★★★☆
2007	61.6	1738 of 5113	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	50.1	2190 of 4818	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2005	55.4	1939 of 4822	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2004	47.2	2295 of 4809	52.3%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	44.7	799 of 1203	33.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	84.8	850 of 5597	84.8%	★★★★☆
2024	80.8	1061 of 5612	81.1%	★★★★☆
2023	88.8	700 of 5609	87.5%	★★★★☆
2022	80.9	1063 of 5635	81.1%	★★★★☆
2021	74.6	295 of 1267	76.7%	★★★★☆
2019	79.7	1091 of 5492	80.1%	★★★★☆
2018	85.2	816 of 5413	84.9%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	94.6	176 of 5107	96.6%	★★★★★
2024	87.8	440 of 5107	91.4%	★★★★★
2023	95.9	131 of 5087	97.4%	★★★★★
2022	77.5	838 of 5084	83.5%	★★★★☆
2019	70.5	1151 of 4963	76.8%	★★★★☆
2018	81.5	618 of 4830	87.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	63.5	1648 of 5460	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.8	1879 of 5517	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	93.5	249 of 5363	95.4%	★★★★★
2021	93.2	45 of 1110	95.9%	★★★★★
2019	56.2	1990 of 5173	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	84.6	505 of 5084	90.1%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	93.6	356 of 5628	93.7%	★★★★★
2024	92.4	458 of 5643	91.9%	★★★★★
2023	90.5	586 of 5638	89.6%	★★★★☆
2022	90.6	592 of 5663	89.5%	★★★★☆
2021	85.7	185 of 1272	85.5%	★★★★☆
2019	74.8	1303 of 5510	76.4%	★★★★☆
2018	86.9	741 of 5431	86.4%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	99.2	18 of 2847	99.4%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	79.1	442 of 2598	83.0%	★★★★☆
2024	80.2	416 of 2651	84.3%	★★★★☆
2023	81.4	374 of 2661	85.9%	★★★★☆
2022	86.3	219 of 2726	92.0%	★★★★★
2019	75.2	623 of 2834	78.0%	★★★★☆
2018	80.7	431 of 2737	84.3%	★★★★☆

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)

Special Education (2025)99th percentile+9 vs school

Hispanic (2025)97th percentile+6 vs school

Male (2025)94th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)85th percentile-6 vs school

White (2025)83rd percentile-8 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)70th percentile-21 vs school

Asian (2025)34th percentile-57 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics74%+37 vs state

English Language Arts/Literacy70%+22 vs state

Science64%+31 vs state

5.0

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★3

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, February 3, 2010

I am so glad there is a public Montessori school in San Jose Unified. My daughters are in 4th and Kinder, and are thriving here. I see them taking ownership of their learning experiences, and growing in confidence and leadership. They have had fabulous teachers who draw out the best from them. I am also excited about the parent community, which is growing and deepening every year. We love our school. Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, January 31, 2010

This is my son's second year at Hammer Montessori School and he loves it. The teachers are warm, caring and just fantastic. The skills learned in the Montessori way will last the kids a lifetime Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Saturday, January 23, 2010

Hammer is a great school with superior teachers (that are both state and Montessori credentialed) My son has been at the school for 3 1/2 years and absolutely loves the school. He has learned much more than book knowledge from Hammer...he has learned how to care for others, how to care for the environment, and how to be a great leader. Close Quote

Schools Near Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CAST Science (2025)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)							Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)							% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (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	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	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary	Public	K-5	1610 Bird Ave.	San Jose	95125	Santa Clara County	San Jose Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 535-6671	309	13	23.7	20.1%	90 (29.1%)	14 (4.5%)	88 (28.5%)	62 (20.1%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (17.2%)	92	545^th of 5857 public elementary schools	90.7%		89.1	743^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	87.3%	198	64.0		64.0	67.3	71.9	72.0				70.4	76.4	73.7	72.0				74.1							$18,463	$730	$17,733
Ernesto Galarza Elementary	Public	K-5	1610 Bird Ave.	San Jose	95125	Santa Clara County	San Jose Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 535-6671	322	14	22.5	77.3%	18 (5.6%)	10 (3.1%)	262 (81.4%)	18 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.3%)	9.4	5662^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	3.3%		10.7	5652^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	3.7%	10	10.9		10.9	8.3	20.0	15.4				14.7	12.2	19.2	5.5				12.2	93.3				93.3		$21,740	$896	$20,844
Willow Glen Elementary	Public	K-5	1425 Lincoln Ave.	San Jose	95125	Santa Clara County	San Jose Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 535-6265	660	32	20.7	35.9%	171 (25.9%)	19 (2.9%)	368 (55.8%)	30 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	71 (10.8%)	58.3	2151^st of 5857 public elementary schools	63.3%		71.3	1535^th of 5869 public elementary schools	73.8%	616	33.3		33.3	45.0	61.1	52.0				52.3	50.5	45.7	34.6				43.6	95.7						$21,383	$892	$20,491
Rocketship Alma Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	198 West Alma Ave.	San Jose	95110	Santa Clara County	Rocketship Alma Academy District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(877) 806-0920	532	17	32.2	80.5%	7 (1.3%)	50 (9.4%)	451 (84.8%)	20 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	30.8	3891^st of 5857 public elementary schools	33.6%		41.2	3105^th of 5869 public elementary schools	47.1%	786	17.6		17.6	28.1	27.3	40.0				31.6	35.4	33.3	33.8				34.2							$18,658	$1,765	$16,893
River Glen	Public	K-8	1088 Broadway	San Jose	95125	Santa Clara County	San Jose Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 535-6240	463	16	29.3	46.9%	41 (8.9%)	5 (1.1%)	391 (84.4%)	8 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.9%)	55.5	2277^th of 5857 public elementary schools	61.1%		48.4	2642^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	55.0%	365	27.3	44.7	35.3	40.0	50.9	45.5	74.5	66.0	51.1	54.2	38.2	49.1	29.1	51.0	41.7	36.2	40.8							$20,522	$752	$19,770
Washington Elementary	Public	K-5	100 Oak St.	San Jose	95110	Santa Clara County	San Jose Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 535-6261	329	17	19.3	83.0%	4 (1.2%)	1 (0.3%)	316 (96.0%)	4 (1.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	8.7	5699^th of 5857 public elementary schools	2.7%		13.4	5445^th of 5869 public elementary schools	7.2%	254	11.1		11.1	9.8	3.6	19.2				10.7	17.0	16.1	7.4				13.5	96.5					96.5	$23,656	$1,463	$22,193
Rocketship Mateo Sheedy Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	788 Locust St.	San Jose	95110	Santa Clara County	Rocketship Mateo Sheedy Elementary District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(877) 806-0920	454	17	27.5	79.5%	8 (1.8%)	48 (10.6%)	376 (82.8%)	15 (3.3%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.1%)	45	2882^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	50.8%		49.6	2581^st of 5869 public elementary schools	56.0%	301	20.7		20.7	30.0	51.5	44.8				41.3	35.8	51.5	39.0				41.8	83.2	85.2	94.1	84.2	86.1	84.2	$21,822	$2,777	$19,045
Canoas Elementary	Public	K-5	880 Wren Dr.	San Jose	95125	Santa Clara County	San Jose Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 535-6391	282	17	16.8	71.6%	15 (5.3%)	23 (8.2%)	204 (72.3%)	25 (8.9%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (3.9%)	33.5	3679^th of 5857 public elementary schools	37.2%		37.1	3366^th of 5869 public elementary schools	42.6%	313	20.7		20.7	37.5	22.7	50.0				34.8	47.5	17.4	31.0				31.3							$34,389	$10,403	$23,986
Gardner Elementary	Public	K-5	502 Illinois Ave.	San Jose	95125	Santa Clara County	San Jose Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 535-6225	385	21	18.5	70.1%	18 (4.7%)	11 (2.9%)	334 (86.8%)	9 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.1%)	14.9	5270^th of 5857 public elementary schools	10.0%		21.9	4684^th of 5869 public elementary schools	20.2%	586	13.6		13.6	18.3	25.0	26.8				23.0	21.7	19.3	13.8				18.5							$21,101	$786	$20,315
Booksin Elementary	Public	K-5	1590 Dry Creek Rd.	San Jose	95125	Santa Clara County	San Jose Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(408) 535-6213	715	31	22.8	11.9%	309 (43.2%)	4 (0.6%)	147 (20.6%)	142 (19.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	111 (15.5%)	93.3	454^th of 5857 public elementary schools	92.2%		93.8	442^nd of 5869 public elementary schools	92.5%	12	64.4		64.4	64.5	77.7	78.8				73.7	75.9	85.4	68.1				76.2							$19,212	$414	$18,798

Frequently Asked Questions about Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary

Is Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary a good school?

Yes. Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary ranks in the top 9.3% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 309 students attended Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary.

What district is Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary in?

San Jose Unified

What is the racial makeup of Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary?

Students at Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary are 29% White, 28% Hispanic, 20% Asian, 17% Two or more races, 5% African American.

Rate Hammer Montessori at Galarza Elementary!

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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.