How does James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary compare to other elementary schools in Sacramento?

James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary has a SchoolScope composite score of 50.0/100, placing it at the 67th percentile statewide. 20% of students exceed standard, with a total of 838 students tested across grades and subjects.

What percentage of students exceed standards at James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary?

20.1% of students at James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary exceed the state standard on CAASPP assessments, while 40.5% meet or exceed it. The gap between these two numbers reveals whether the school pushes students beyond basic proficiency.

Is James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary improving or declining?

James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary's proficiency rate increases by 20.7 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5, suggesting the school is adding value over time.

What is the chronic absenteeism rate at James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary?

16.4% of students at James R. Cowan Fundamental 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.

James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary

San Juan Unified Sacramento Sacramento County 95821

Composite Score

out of 100

State Percentile

of elementary schools

State Rank

838 students tested

School overview

Enrollment

406 students

Student-Teacher Ratio

25:1

Free/Reduced Lunch

41%

Teachers

16 full-time

Student demographics

Hispanic 20.2%

White 52.5%

Asian 7.1%

Black 7.4%

Other 12.8%

Performance breakdown

Performance breakdown for James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary
Category	Percentage
Exceeded Standard	20.1%
Met Standard	20.3%
Below Standard	59.5%

Exceeded

20.1%

Met

20.3%

Below

59.5%

What other rankings don't show you

Most rating sites report "40% proficient" for James R. Cowan Fundamental Elementary and stop there. Here's what that number hides:

20.1% of students exceeded standard while 20.3% merely met it. That exceeded rate is near the state average of 21.0%. That's 7.2 points above the San Juan Unified district average of 13.0%. Compared to the 14 nearby schools within ~3 miles, this exceeded rate is 10.6 points higher (vs 9.6% average). The gap between "met" and "exceeded" is the difference between a school that clears the bar and one that raises it.

Students here improve by 20.7 percentage points from grade 3 to grade 5, suggesting the school is adding value beyond what students arrive with.

Chronic absenteeism is 16.4%, better than the state average of 18.7%.