Summary:
This analysis covers four public elementary schools (grades K-5) in the Buena Park, CA area (ZIP 90621), all part of the Buena Park Elementary district, which serves over 2,000 students and is rated average compared to districts across the state.
Charles G. Emery Elementary is the clear standout, performing significantly above the state average in all subjects and earning a 4-star rating. Its exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 5.2% suggests a highly engaged school community. The other three schools face greater challenges: James A. Whitaker Elementary and Carl E. Gilbert Elementary have proficiency rates well below state averages, while Mabel L. Pendleton Elementary shows recent improvement to a 2-star rating but has a notably low science score.
Key takeaways for parents are the significant performance differences between schools within the same district, despite similar per-student spending. Chronic absenteeism is a major challenge at three of the four schools and is closely linked to lower academic outcomes. The data suggests that school-level practices in leadership, culture, and instruction are critical drivers of success, as demonstrated by Charles G. Emery's results.
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