How does Dana Elementary compare to other elementary schools in Nipomo?

Dana Elementary has a SchoolScope composite score of 37.5/100, placing it at the 31st percentile statewide. 12% of students exceed standard, with a total of 1,206 students tested across grades and subjects.

What percentage of students exceed standards at Dana Elementary?

12.2% of students at Dana Elementary exceed the state standard on CAASPP assessments, while 32.1% meet or exceed it. The gap between these two numbers reveals whether the school pushes students beyond basic proficiency.

Is Dana Elementary improving or declining?

Dana Elementary's proficiency rate decreases by 14.0 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5, suggesting the school is not sustaining early academic gains.

What is the chronic absenteeism rate at Dana Elementary?

14.7% of students at Dana Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days). This metric reflects school culture and family engagement, and is weighted at 15% in our composite score.

Dana Elementary

Lucia Mar Unified Nipomo San Luis Obispo County 93444

Composite Score

out of 100

State Percentile

of elementary schools

State Rank

1,206 students tested

School overview

Enrollment

601 students

Student-Teacher Ratio

19:1

Free/Reduced Lunch

77%

Teachers

31 full-time

Student demographics

Hispanic 69.7%

White 23.6%

Asian 0.2%

Black 0.3%

Other 6.2%

Performance breakdown

Performance breakdown for Dana Elementary
Category	Percentage
Exceeded Standard	12.2%
Met Standard	19.9%
Below Standard	67.9%

Exceeded

12.2%

Met

19.9%

Below

67.9%

What other rankings don't show you

Most rating sites report "32% proficient" for Dana Elementary and stop there. Here's what that number hides:

12.2% of students exceeded standard while 19.9% merely met it. That exceeded rate is 8.8 points below the state average of 21.0%. That's 10.3 points below the Lucia Mar Unified district average of 22.4%. Nearby schools (within ~3 miles) average 13.8% exceeded — about the same. The gap between "met" and "exceeded" is the difference between a school that clears the bar and one that raises it.

Proficiency drops by 14.0 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5 — a signal that the school may not be sustaining early gains.

Chronic absenteeism is 14.7%, better than the state average of 18.7%.