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James Monroe Elementary · Santa Rosa

James Monroe Elementary: The scores are below where anyone wants them. Here's what they don't tell you.

James Monroe posts low test scores — and test scores are one lens among several. If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

2567 Marlow Road, 95403 (opens in new tab)·Santa Rosa Elementary·Santa Rosa·Grades TK-6·315 students·86% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(707) 890-3910·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope1745
% Exceeded4%21%
% Met+14%43%
Growth-3.0-2.9
Absence21.1%17.9%
Suspension5.8%1.6%
Scope Score
17
🌱 Building Momentum · Needs Support
ranked #5,681 statewide · #10 of 11 in Santa Rosa Elementary

James Monroe Elementary scores 17 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 1st 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.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “14% proficient” and call it done. James Monroe deserves a closer read. The school sits in Santa Rosa, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Test scores are one lens, and at this school they're a rough one right now. The sections below show the fuller picture — including the parts that are working.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has stayed near the 1st percentile since 2019.

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 14% meet the standard today, versus 26% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 333%15%20%28%18%
Grade 427%9%26%8%7%
Grade 510%13%8%21%21%
Grade 633%22%33%13%22%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 339%29%20%25%21%
Grade 436%11%23%7%6%
Grade 58%13%8%11%11%
Grade 617%24%17%8%16%

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.

12%
82%
Grade 3 · 18% proficient
93%
Grade 4 · 7% proficient
14%
79%
Grade 5 · 21% proficient

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
3.8%
State 21.3%
17.5pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-3.0pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
14.0%
State 42.7%
28.6pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
21.1%
State 17.9%
3.2pp above state avg
Suspension rate
5.8%
State 1.6%
4.1pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
8.4%
State 18.0%
9.5pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what changed in the last two years, and what the school is asking families for. Growth shows up in these numbers a year or two after it shows up in classrooms.

  • Ask what typically leads to a suspension, and what happens before it gets there.
  • 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 James Monroe Elementary in Santa Rosa, 14.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 23.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. James Monroe Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 8.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (13.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (15.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 15.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 171 students tested.

All students at this school: 15% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 15%, district —, state 43%15%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 14%, district 18%, state 32%14% · −1 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 14%, district 20%, state 32%14% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 18%, district 30%, state 44%18% · +3 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 3%, district 5%, state 11%3% · −12 vs school
MaleMale: this school 12%, district 28%, state 42%12% · −3 vs school

8 of 14 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 5.4pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +3.3pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 21.1%, district 19.6%, state 17.9%21.1% · +3.2pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 5.8%, district —, state 1.6%5.8% · +4.1pp vs state

TK/K students miss school at roughly one and a half times the rate of Grades 4–6 students (31.5% vs 20.5%). 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 4–620.5%
TK/K31.5%

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
James Monroe Elementary
17/100
This school
▼
High School
No feeder data available for this level

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

Planning ahead? 3 licensed preschools near this school →

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 24:1, district 21:124:1
Teaching staff20 teachers
Avg. experience16.6 years
Fully credentialed100%

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $17,583, CA average $14,815$17,583 · spent at this school
Federal share$365 per student

$365 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic93.7%
District 64.8% · CA 56.1%
Other2.5%
District 7.4% · CA 9.0%
Black1.9%
District 1.9% · CA 4.8%
White0.9%
District 23.2% · CA 19.9%
Asian0.9%
District 2.7% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 86.3% (23pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$98K · CA $85K
Median home value$693K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+29% · CA 35%
ZIP population45,806
Median age40 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 James Monroe Elementary a good elementary school?

James Monroe Elementary has a Scope Score of 17 out of 100, placing it in the 1st percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #5,681 statewide. 3.8% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 17.5 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 James Monroe Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 14.0% of students at James Monroe Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 3.8% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 10.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 3.8% 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. 285 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does James Monroe Elementary rank in California?

James Monroe Elementary ranks #5,681 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 1st 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 James Monroe Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at James Monroe Elementary decreases by 3.0 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 James Monroe Elementary?

21.1% of students at James Monroe Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 5.8%. 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 James Monroe Elementary compare to other schools in Santa Rosa?

James Monroe Elementary scores 17/100 (1st 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 315 students. Use the schools in Santa Rosa page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does James Monroe Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At James Monroe Elementary in Santa Rosa, 14.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 23.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. James Monroe Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 8.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (13.5% Math proficient); Hispanic students (15.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 15.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 171 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

All schools in Santa Rosa →

Private alternatives nearby

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

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

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%
3.8%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 33th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-3.0pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 24th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
14.0%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 28th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
21.1%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 45th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
5.8%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 16th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
8.4%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 38th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3516%12%22%61%18%−26
Grade 4460%7%11%83%7%−38
Grade 5427%14%12%67%21%−26
Grade 6494%18%29%49%22%−24
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 35210%12%31%48%21%−25
Grade 4500%6%18%76%6%−36
Grade 5440%11%14%75%11%−24
Grade 65010%6%32%52%16%−19
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11445%14%36%45%

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 Disadvantaged17114.6%−9−24
Hispanic/Latino17515.4%−5−23
English Learners972.1%−1−8
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
James Monroe Elementary ←—173.8%14.0%−3.05.8%
Robert L. Stevens Elementary2.7 mi5226.6%56.5%−18.70.1%
Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts2.1 mi5115.9%47.2%+7.44.6%
Northwest Prep Charter1.3 mi5021.4%42.9%—2.2%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
2019151#54559.8%25.6%13.7%1.8%-27.0pp
2022186#53763.3%15.3%47.6%0.7%-8.5pp
2023151#56376.8%17.6%33.7%4.3%-12.4pp
2024247#53463.6%16.8%23.7%3.9%-10.1pp
2025171#56813.8%14.0%21.1%5.8%-3.0pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Low-income students here trail the state average for their group by 24 points in ELA — worth asking how the school is closing that gap.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female13.1%23.9%+10.8pp
Male14.5%18.8%+4.3pp
Hispanic/Latino13.4%20.1%+6.7pp
Students with Disabilities24.1%11.8%-12.3pp
English Learners11.0%20.1%+9.1pp
Military-Connected19.2%35.3%+16.1pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged13.2%21.3%+8.1pp
All Students13.8%21.4%+7.6pp
Homeless—33.3%—
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

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