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James Garfield Elementary

Q: Is James Garfield Elementary a good school?

James Garfield Elementary ranks 1439 th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

1439^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 5,857 California Elementary Schools

Better than 75% of California elementary schools

Summary

James Garfield Elementary is a K-6 school serving 229 students in the Selma Unified district, and it stands out as a high-performing school within a high-need community where the vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Academically, the school is a top performer, significantly exceeding both district and state averages. For example, 60% of students are proficient in English Language Arts compared to 41% in the district, and 55% are proficient in math compared to just 24% in the district. This excellence is especially notable when compared to nearby schools like Theodore Roosevelt Elementary or S Ben Benavidez Elementary in Parlier Unified, which have much lower proficiency rates despite similar student demographics. The school has shown dramatic improvement, moving from an average to a well-above-average state ranking over the past decade.

Key factors in this success include an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 10.6%, which is about half the rate of the district and other local schools like Terry Elementary. The school is also highly effective with its student populations, such as English Language Learners, ranking in the 99th percentile statewide for this group in recent years. While the school's per-student spending is higher than other Selma Unified elementary schools, its results demonstrate that effective practices and a strong school culture are creating outstanding outcomes for students.

229

Students ?

21.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,314

Per pupil spending ?

94.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2535 B St.
Selma, CA 93662-3108

(559) 898-6740

District: Selma Unified

Students who attend James Garfield Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Abraham Lincoln Middle
High:	Selma High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

90.8%

White:

6.6%

Asian:

1.7%

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Compare James Garfield Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 60th percentile in 2013 → 75th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (56% vs 41% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 25% of California elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 15 percentile points since 2013

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school56%

District avg30%

California avg41%

1,439^th of 5,857

California public elementary schools ?

Top 25%▲ up 26 pts since 2015

From top 50% (2015) to top 25% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 7Elementary Schools in the Selma Unified

1141^st of 1,543Selma 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	73.7	1439 of 5857	75.4%	★★★★☆
2024	61.1	2023 of 5869	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.3	1826 of 5859	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	51.3	2484 of 5883	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	70.1	1600 of 5789	72.4%	★★★★☆
2018	68.2	1660 of 5662	70.7%	★★★★☆
2017	59.9	2015 of 5692	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	41.2	3001 of 5614	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	43.4	2831 of 5611	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	58.6	2199 of 5530	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	52.8	2457 of 5390	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	45.8	2841 of 5377	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2010	45.9	2802 of 5314	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	42.9	2876 of 5193	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2008	42.7	2796 of 5113	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2007	54.3	2093 of 5113	59.1%	★★★☆☆
2006	53.9	2010 of 4818	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2005	41.0	2657 of 4822	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2004	31.3	3166 of 4809	34.2%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	83.4	190 of 3162	94.0%	★★★★★
2023	98.5	38 of 3245	98.8%	★★★★★
2022	64.0	640 of 3311	80.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	63.6	1799 of 5597	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	54.5	2192 of 5612	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.5	1519 of 5609	72.9%	★★★★☆
2022	50.3	2398 of 5635	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	69.0	1550 of 5492	71.8%	★★★★☆
2018	67.0	1658 of 5413	69.4%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	85.4	521 of 5107	89.8%	★★★★☆
2024	76.4	879 of 5107	82.8%	★★★★☆
2023	81.8	657 of 5087	87.1%	★★★★☆
2022	69.9	1163 of 5084	77.1%	★★★★☆
2019	82.1	633 of 4963	87.2%	★★★★☆
2018	78.6	750 of 4830	84.5%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	85.3	566 of 5460	89.6%	★★★★☆
2024	74.2	1091 of 5517	80.2%	★★★★☆
2023	79.6	791 of 5363	85.3%	★★★★☆
2022	65.2	1411 of 5264	73.2%	★★★★☆
2019	85.6	472 of 5173	90.9%	★★★★★
2018	81.9	607 of 5084	88.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	79.5	1097 of 5628	80.5%	★★★★☆
2024	65.8	1711 of 5643	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.7	2146 of 5638	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.0	2501 of 5663	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	69.0	1558 of 5510	71.7%	★★★★☆
2018	66.8	1616 of 5431	70.2%	★★★★☆

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)94th percentile+28 vs school

Hispanic (2025)90th percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)90th percentile+14 vs school

Male (2025)81st percentile+5 vs school

Female (2025)68th percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy60%+11 vs state

Mathematics55%+18 vs state

Science40%+7 vs state

★

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Schools Near James Garfield Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James Garfield Elementary	Public	K-6	2535 B St.	Selma	93662	Fresno County	Selma Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 898-6740	229	11	21.7	94.8%	15 (6.6%)	2 (0.9%)	208 (90.8%)	4 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	73.7	1439^th of 5857 public elementary schools	75.4%		61.1	2023^rd of 5869 public elementary schools	65.5%	584	40.0		40.0	61.5	56.7	68.0	56.3			60.2	44.4	59.4	40.0	71.9			55.2		$20,314	$17,978	$2,336
Woodrow Wilson Elementary	Public	K-6	1325 Stillman St.	Selma	93662	Fresno County	Selma Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 898-6730	335	16	20.8	91.3%	20 (6.0%)	2 (0.6%)	305 (91.0%)	5 (1.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	20.5	4792^nd of 5857 public elementary schools	18.2%		22.9	4589^th of 5869 public elementary schools	21.8%	203	23.8		23.8	28.0	29.2	45.2	21.9			29.9	17.7	24.5	9.5	12.1			15.9		$19,253	$18,442	$811
Theodore Roosevelt Elementary	Public	K-6	1802 Floral Ave.	Selma	93662	Fresno County	Selma Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 898-6700	634	24	26.9	92.4%	24 (3.8%)	3 (0.5%)	585 (92.3%)	14 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	4 (0.6%)	37.4	3383^rd of 5857 public elementary schools	42.2%		32.6	3724^th of 5869 public elementary schools	36.5%	341	17.9		17.9	46.5	37.6	41.5	48.3			43.2	31.9	32.3	24.5	28.1			29.0	97.3	$16,651	$15,546	$1,105
Andrew Jackson Elementary	Public	K-6	2220 Huntsman Ave.	Selma	93662	Fresno County	Selma Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 898-6690	640	27	23.7	91.4%	28 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	578 (90.3%)	23 (3.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.4%)	35.5	3538^th of 5857 public elementary schools	39.6%		35.7	3469^th of 5869 public elementary schools	40.9%	69	30.5		30.5	35.9	24.2	51.1	47.0			39.4	36.6	26.4	24.5	18.1			26.6		$16,967	$15,954	$1,013
Eric White Elementary	Public	K-6	2001 Mitchell	Selma	93662	Fresno County	Selma Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 898-6650	630	26	23.8	94.3%	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	604 (95.9%)	13 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.0%)	26.1	4306^th of 5857 public elementary schools	26.5%		27.3	4179^th of 5869 public elementary schools	28.8%	127	14.3		14.3	40.2	31.2	38.2	31.8			35.6	34.7	18.2	20.9	13.5			22.3		$15,844	$14,852	$992
Indianola Elementary	Public	K-6	11524 East Dinuba Ave.	Selma	93662	Fresno County	Selma Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 898-6680	420	18	22.9	87.1%	15 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	374 (89.0%)	26 (6.2%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	25.1	4389^th of 5857 public elementary schools	25.1%		28.4	4081^st of 5869 public elementary schools	30.5%	308	24.6		24.6	21.4	23.1	32.8	37.1			29.3	19.3	11.3	18.0	36.2			22.1		$19,861	$18,742	$1,119
John C Martinez Elementary	Public	K-6	13174 East Parlier Ave.	Parlier	93648	Fresno County	Parlier Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 646-3527	434	16	27.1	97.5%	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	425 (97.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	21	4734^th of 5857 public elementary schools	19.2%		20.2	4854^th of 5869 public elementary schools	17.3%	120	16.7		16.7	26.4	16.4	31.2	35.7			27.3	31.5	14.8	14.8	26.3			21.5
Terry Elementary	Public	K-6	12906 South Fowler Ave.	Selma	93662	Fresno County	Selma Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 898-6710	224	9	24.5	97.3%	6 (2.7%)	3 (1.3%)	205 (91.5%)	8 (3.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	10.1	5631^st of 5857 public elementary schools	3.9%		10.5	5661^st of 5869 public elementary schools	3.5%	30	7.0		7.0	17.2	9.7	23.3	32.3			20.9	10.3	6.3	4.7	9.4			7.4		$17,387	$16,278	$1,109
S Ben Benavidez Elementary	Public	K-6	13900 Tuolumne St.	Parlier	93648	Fresno County	Parlier Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 646-2963	409	18	22.7	95.6%	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	404 (98.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25.4	4358^th of 5857 public elementary schools	25.6%		27.4	4165^th of 5869 public elementary schools	29.0%	193	7.3		7.3	35.9	18.3	44.1	20.5			29.3	43.4	25.0	30.4	14.1			26.9
Central Valley Home	Public, Virtual, Charter	K-8	1776 Sixth Ave.	Kingsburg	93631	Fresno County	Kingsburg Elementary Charter	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(559) 897-6740	119	4	29.6	87.4%	16 (13.4%)	0 (0.0%)	96 (80.7%)	2 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.2%)	8.8	5696^th of 5857 public elementary schools	2.7%		19	4935^th of 5869 public elementary schools	15.9%	761	0.0	21.1	12.9	9.5	15.4	16.7	23.1	26.9	36.8	22.1	14.3	0.0	0.0	23.1	18.5	26.3	15.2		$18,445	$17,552	$893

Frequently Asked Questions about James Garfield Elementary

What district is James Garfield Elementary in?

Selma Unified

What schools do graduates of James Garfield Elementary attend?

Students who attend James Garfield Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Abraham Lincoln Middle
High : Selma High

How many students attend James Garfield Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 229 students attended James Garfield Elementary.

Is James Garfield Elementary a good school?

James Garfield Elementary ranks 1439^th of 5857 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of James Garfield Elementary?

Students at James Garfield Elementary are 91% Hispanic, 7% White, 2% Asian.

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Latest California data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataMar 13, 2026

2024–25 CSA Spanish test scoresDec 22, 2025

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 14, 2025

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.