Jackson Street Elementary

Jackson Street Elementary is a public middle school located in Yreka, California, serving grades 4-8 with a total enrollment of 424 students. Despite its higher-than-average spending per student, the school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of California middle schools, with a current ranking of 2137 out of 2761 schools and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school's performance is marked by several areas of concern. Jackson Street Elementary has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 20.4% to 34.8% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the school's test scores on standardized assessments, such as the Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST Science exams, are consistently below the state and district averages. For example, in 2024-2025, only 27.94% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to the state average of 48.81%, and only 21.3% were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 37.3%. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Hispanic, White, and low socioeconomic status students consistently ranking in the bottom quartile of California middle schools.

Interestingly, the nearby Scott Valley Junior High, which is part of the Scott Valley Unified district, outperforms Jackson Street Elementary on most metrics, including test scores, chronic absenteeism, and subgroup performance. This suggests that factors beyond just funding, such as district-level policies and practices, may be contributing to the differences in student outcomes. Addressing these issues should be a priority for the school and the Yreka Union Elementary district to ensure that all students at Jackson Street Elementary have the opportunity to succeed.