Summary:
In the Imperial, CA area (zip code 92251), three elementary schools—Ben Hulse Elementary, Imperial Cross Elementary, and T. L. Waggoner Elementary—serve grades K-5 and are all solid 3-star schools within the Imperial Unified district, collectively performing at or above state averages in core subjects.
When comparing the schools, each has distinct strengths. T. L. Waggoner Elementary leads in mathematics proficiency and has the lowest rate of chronic student absenteeism, which is less than half the state average. Imperial Cross Elementary shows the most impressive improvement in its statewide ranking over the past two years and has the highest English Language Arts proficiency, along with a notably strong Spanish Language Arts program. Ben Hulse Elementary, the largest of the three, maintains steady performance with a particular strength in 5th-grade English.
An overview of the area reveals that all three schools achieve these results while serving a student population with significant economic need. A clear pattern across the schools is the link between better attendance and higher math scores. The main area for potential growth is in 5th-grade science, where all schools perform below the state average. Parents can be confident that the elementary schools in this zip code provide a consistently stable and above-average academic environment, with each school offering slightly different highlights in achievement, improvement, and student engagement.
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