Summary:
ZIP code 89436 in Sparks, Nevada contains six public schools — five PK–5 elementary schools and one 6–8 middle school — all part of the Washoe County School District, together enrolling 4,124 students, with no high school located inside the ZIP.
A clear top tier stands out. Sky Ranch Middle School is the anchor: it is the only school rated 4 stars in all three recent years, the only one scoring above the state average in every subject at every grade level, and it enrolls 1,206 students — nearly a third of the ZIP. Among elementaries, Van Gorder Elementary posts the highest math proficiency (54.7%) and the lowest chronic absenteeism in the ZIP (12.2%), while Bud Beasley Elementary leads in reading (59.8%) and science (37.7%, more than double the state's 5th-grade benchmark of 17.4%). At the other end, Miguel Sepulveda Elementary School is the only 2-star school and the only one below state in both math and reading. John Bohach Elementary School has the ZIP's best elementary math (50.6%) but suffered the sharpest science drop, falling 24.2 points in one year, and Jesse Hall Elementary School shows strong 3rd-grade math (62.9%) that fades to 38.6% by 5th grade.
Three patterns matter for families. First, every school in the ZIP slipped in statewide percentile rank over three years, from a 73.7 average to 64.0, even as district and state math nudged up. Second, chronic absenteeism is a genuine strength — every school beats the district (27.5%) and state (25.5%) rates, averaging 16.1%. Third, higher spending does not track with better results: the two lowest-spending schools include the strongest performers, while the highest-spending school sits mid-pack.
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