Summary:
This analysis covers eight schools in the 94590 zip code of Vallejo, California, including five elementary schools and three high schools, all serving predominantly low-income families within a district that ranks in the bottom 11% statewide.
Among these schools, Caliber: ChangeMakers Academy stands out as the highest performer, with the best test scores and lowest chronic absenteeism, despite having the lowest per-student spending. In contrast, Highland Elementary faces the most significant challenges, ranking in the 1st percentile with the lowest test scores and highest student-teacher ratio. The traditional Vallejo High shows some positive trends and is the largest school, while John Finney High (Continuation) has alarming metrics, including extremely high absenteeism and the lowest math proficiency, even with the highest spending.
Key takeaways for parents include notable performance disparities even among schools with similar student demographics, a clear pattern where higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes, and widespread issues with chronic absenteeism across the Vallejo City Unified district. The data suggests that examining the practices of higher-performing schools like Caliber: ChangeMakers Academy could provide valuable insights for improvement across the area.
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