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Golden Oak Elementary · Visalia

Golden Oak Elementary: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Golden Oak posts 31% meeting the standard and 10.6% exceeding it, against 43% and 21.3% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

1700 North Lovers Lane, 93292 (opens in new tab)·Visalia Unified·Visalia·Grades TK-6·631 students·76% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(559) 730-7851·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3845
% Exceeded11%21%
% Met+31%43%
Growth-5.6-2.9
Absence21.4%17.9%
Suspension2.2%1.6%
Scope Score
38
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #3,573 statewide · #14 of 28 in Visalia Unified

Golden Oak Elementary scores 38 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 38th percentile of 5,744 California elementary schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

Most rating sites would stop at “31% proficient” and call it done. Golden Oak deserves a closer read. The school sits in Visalia, where three in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has stayed near the 38th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAOrange(Declined Significantly)MathGreen(Maintained)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 31% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 324%25%20%48%29%
Grade 437%18%31%33%48%
Grade 536%38%21%46%32%
Grade 640%27%38%35%45%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 323%29%17%40%30%
Grade 429%15%21%18%32%
Grade 525%13%17%22%16%
Grade 627%14%20%25%26%

The story this school is actually telling

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

10%
19%
71%
Grade 3 · 29% proficient
22%
26%
52%
Grade 4 · 48% proficient
16%
16%
68%
Grade 5 · 32% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 6.3pp across grades; the floor rises 3.0pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
10.6%
State 21.3%
10.7pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-5.6pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
31.2%
State 42.7%
11.4pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
21.4%
State 17.9%
3.5pp above state avg
Suspension rate
2.2%
State 1.6%
0.5pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
11.0%
State 18.0%
7.0pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask what changes between grade 3 and grade 5 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Golden Oak Elementary in Visalia, 35.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 39.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Golden Oak Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 4.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (22.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (36.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 30.3 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 323 students tested.

All students at this school: 32% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 32%, district —, state 43%32%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 29%, district 31%, state 32%29% · −3 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 29%, district 34%, state 32%29% · −3 vs school
MaleMale: this school 33%, district 37%, state 42%33% · +1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 31%, district 39%, state 44%31% · −1 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 6%, district 9%, state 15%6% · −26 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 18%, district 11%, state 11%18% · −14 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 45%, district 53%, state 56%45% · +12 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 33%, district 43%, state 56%33% · +1 vs school

6 of 15 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

this school district, same group California, same group
Subgroup growth by grade

Change in proficiency from the lowest tested grade — which groups gain ground the longer they stay. Groups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 7.0pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +0.8pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 21.4%, district 20.6%, state 17.9%21.4% · +3.5pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.2%, district —, state 1.6%2.2% · +0.5pp vs state

TK/K students miss school at roughly twice the rate of Grades 4–6 students (41.5% vs 18.1%). Chronic absence here concentrates in the earliest grades — worth asking how the school works with new families on attendance.

Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–618.1%
TK/K41.5%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 22:1, district 22:122:1
Teaching staff38 teachers
Avg. experience9.2 years
Fully credentialed87%
First-year teachers11%
Intern / emergency permit9.4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$66,787 – $128,563
Principal salary$170,993 – $192,499
Superintendent salary$346,186

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $16,325, CA average $14,815$16,325 · spent at this school

These measure different things: this figure is spending attributed to this campus, while district-wide figures also include central administration, districtwide programs, and the state's pension contributions made on the district's behalf — costs that never get assigned to a single school. The district number runs higher at nearly every school, not just this one.

Federal share$192 per student

$192 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$19,265 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction55%
Instruction support14%
Student services10%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Other5%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$12,738 per pupil
2019$12,100 per pupil
2018$12,279 per pupil
2017$11,230 per pupil
2016$10,379 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic70.7%
District 73.1% · CA 56.1%
White13.8%
District 15.2% · CA 19.9%
Other9.3%
District 6.5% · CA 9.0%
Asian3.6%
District 3.9% · CA 10.2%
Black2.5%
District 1.3% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 76.1% (12pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$83K · CA $85K
Median home value$366K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+19% · CA 35%
ZIP population45,780
Median age33 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

Transitional kindergarten is offered here — confirmed by actual Census Day enrollment, not just the listed grade span.

On the state's science test (CAST), 18% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Golden Oak Elementary a good elementary school?

Golden Oak Elementary has a Scope Score of 38 out of 100, placing it in the 38th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,573 statewide. 10.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 10.7 percentage points below the California average of 21.3%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 3-to-5 growth (27%), met or exceeded (proficient) (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Golden Oak Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 31.2% of students at Golden Oak Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 10.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 20.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 10.6% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 568 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Golden Oak Elementary rank in California?

Golden Oak Elementary ranks #3,573 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 38th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 3 to grade 5 growth), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

Is Golden Oak Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Golden Oak Elementary decreases by 5.6 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the elementary Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Golden Oak Elementary?

21.4% of students at Golden Oak Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 2.2%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Golden Oak Elementary compare to other schools in Visalia?

Golden Oak Elementary scores 38/100 (38th percentile) among California elementary schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 631 students. Use the schools in Visalia page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Golden Oak Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Golden Oak Elementary in Visalia, 35.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 39.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Golden Oak Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 4.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (22.6% Math proficient); Hispanic students (36.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 30.3 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 323 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.


For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Exceeded standard · 38%
10.6%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 40th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-5.6pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 56th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
31.2%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 41th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
21.4%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 44th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.2%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 45th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
11.0%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 41th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 39310%19%24%47%29%−14
Grade 49122%26%21%31%48%+4
Grade 510016%16%21%47%32%−16
Grade 610418%27%23%32%45%−1
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3936%24%16%54%30%−16
Grade 4913%29%37%31%32%−10
Grade 51006%10%29%55%16%−19
Grade 610414%12%32%42%26%−9
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111014%14%65%17%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged32335.7%−4−3
Hispanic/Latino27236.4%−6−2
Students with Disabilities5510.9%+0−6
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Golden Oak Elementary ←3810.6%31.2%−5.62.2%
Mineral King Elementary1.2 mi4517.2%38.0%+11.45.4%
Mountain View Elementary2.8 mi4214.6%37.9%+2.92.4%
Annie R. Mitchell2.2 mi3916.8%35.5%−10.42.4%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193531#37729.6%29.2%15.8%2.2%+6.8pp
20222929#40646.9%22.8%39.4%2.6%-2.0pp
20233129#40797.1%21.2%22.2%2.1%+0.4pp
20244250#287211.6%34.6%20.4%3.8%-9.8pp
20253838#357310.6%31.2%21.4%2.2%-5.6pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female14.1%20.2%+6.1pp
Male17.7%22.9%+5.2pp
Asian3.1%13.0%+9.9pp
Black/African American30.0%10.5%-19.5pp
Hispanic/Latino17.0%23.3%+6.3pp
Two or More Races17.9%28.0%+10.1pp
Students with Disabilities27.1%24.5%-2.6pp
English Learners14.6%14.3%-0.3pp
Foster Youth15.4%
Homeless25.0%35.2%+10.2pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged17.3%23.3%+6.0pp
All Students15.9%21.6%+5.7pp
Filipino24.2%
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,744 elementary schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction