Summary:
Zip code 95618 in Davis, California, is served by five public schools in the Davis Joint Unified district, including four elementary schools and one junior high, all within a high-performing district ranked in the 87th percentile statewide.
Among these schools, Pioneer Elementary stands out as the top performer, achieving the highest test scores in English, math, and science while also having the lowest rate of chronic student absenteeism. Interestingly, it accomplishes this with the lowest per-student spending in the group. In comparison, Marguerite Montgomery Elementary shows the lowest academic proficiency rates despite having one of the highest levels of funding, highlighting that factors beyond budget influence success.
The sole middle school, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Junior High, shows a noticeable dip in science scores compared to the elementary schools and has the highest absenteeism rate, which may point to challenges with the transition to junior high. The other elementary schools—Birch Lane Elementary and Fred T. Korematsu Elementary at Mace Ranch—perform solidly, generally near or slightly below the strong district average. Overall, parents in this area will find a consistently high-quality district with individual school variations, where Pioneer serves as a particular model of academic excellence and student engagement.
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