Summary:
This analysis examines four elementary schools (grades K-6) within the Sacramento City Unified district, all located in Sacramento's 95818 zip code, revealing dramatic differences in performance and student demographics within a small geographic area.
Crocker/Riverside Elementary stands out as a top-tier school, ranking in the state's 96th percentile with exceptionally high test scores in English, math, and science, and a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.4%. In stark contrast, Leataata Floyd Elementary faces significant challenges, ranking in the 1st percentile with very low proficiency rates and an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of 52.3%. The other two schools, William Land Elementary (90th percentile) and Bret Harte Elementary (38th percentile), fall between these extremes, with Bret Harte showing notable recent improvement in its state ranking.
Key findings show a strong correlation between economic disadvantage, measured by free/reduced lunch rates, and academic outcomes, with rates ranging from 14.74% at Crocker/Riverside to 97.01% at Leataata Floyd. Interestingly, higher per-student funding does not guarantee better results, as the highest-funded schools here have the lowest performance. Chronic absenteeism emerges as a critical issue, with three of the four schools exceeding the state average, directly correlating with lower test scores. This creates a landscape of extreme inequality within the same district, where a child's educational experience can vary tremendously based on which school they attend.
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