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McKinley Elementary · Fresno

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

McKinley posts 24% meeting the standard and 7.5% exceeding it, against 43% and 21.3% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

4444 West McKinley Avenue, 93722 (opens in new tab)·Central Unified·Fresno·Grades TK-6·671 students·84% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(559) 276-5232·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3345
% Exceeded7%21%
% Met+24%43%
Growth-6.2-2.9
Absence19.9%17.9%
Suspension1.2%1.6%
Scope Score
33
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #4,297 statewide · #12 of 14 in Central Unified

McKinley Elementary scores 33 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 25th 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 “24% proficient” and call it done. McKinley deserves a closer read. The school sits in Fresno, where four in five 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 25th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 24% meet the standard today, versus 37% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 341%28%17%28%27%
Grade 440%34%31%17%28%
Grade 537%45%34%37%30%
Grade 661%52%41%42%44%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 341%40%21%30%31%
Grade 440%27%27%13%16%
Grade 525%17%17%21%16%
Grade 640%31%34%23%30%

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.

8%
19%
73%
Grade 3 · 27% proficient
8%
20%
72%
Grade 4 · 28% proficient
8%
22%
70%
Grade 5 · 30% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor rises 2.6pp. The state average rises 4.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
7.5%
State 21.3%
13.8pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-6.2pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
24.4%
State 42.7%
18.3pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
19.9%
State 17.9%
2.0pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.2%
State 1.6%
0.4pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
18.8%
State 18.0%
0.8pp above 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 McKinley Elementary in Fresno, 30.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. McKinley Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 10.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (22.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (32.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 22.9 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 333 students tested.

All students at this school: 27% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 27%, district —, state 43%27%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 26%, district 34%, state 32%26% · −1 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 27%, district 33%, state 32%27% · −0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 30%, district 36%, state 42%30% · +2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 25%, district 39%, state 44%25% · −2 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 35%, district 47%, state 72%35% · +8 vs school
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: this school 32%, district 33%, state 46%32% · +5 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 7%, district 9%, state 11%7% · −20 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 11%, district 26%, state 26%11% · −17 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 13%, district 7%, state 15%13% · −15 vs school

5 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 3.3pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +0.9pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 19.9%, district 24.4%, state 17.9%19.9% · +2.0pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.2%, district —, state 1.6%1.2% · −0.4pp vs state

TK/K students miss school at roughly twice the rate of Grades 4–6 students (33.1% vs 14.1%). 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 4–614.1%
TK/K33.1%

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 27:1, district 24:127:1
Teaching staff25 teachers
Avg. experience12.5 years
Fully credentialed90%
First-year teachers4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$59,013 – $119,880
Principal salary$130,684 – $142,700
Superintendent salary$270,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $17,837, CA average $14,815$17,837 · spent at this school
Federal share$412 per student

$412 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$19,767 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
Instruction57%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance11%
Other2%

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$12,844 per pupil
2019$12,002 per pupil
2018$11,995 per pupil
2017$11,136 per pupil
2016$10,390 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic68.4%
District 61.2% · CA 56.1%
Asian13.7%
District 17.8% · CA 10.2%
Black9.1%
District 7.1% · CA 4.8%
White5.8%
District 10.4% · CA 19.9%
Other3.0%
District 3.5% · CA 9.0%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 83.9% (20pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$80K · CA $85K
Median home value$379K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+24% · CA 35%
ZIP population86,110
Median age32 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), 11% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is McKinley Elementary a good elementary school?

McKinley Elementary has a Scope Score of 33 out of 100, placing it in the 25th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #4,297 statewide. 7.5% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 13.8 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 McKinley Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 24.4% of students at McKinley Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 7.5% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 16.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 7.5% 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. 567 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does McKinley Elementary rank in California?

McKinley Elementary ranks #4,297 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 25th 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 McKinley Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at McKinley Elementary decreases by 6.2 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 McKinley Elementary?

19.9% of students at McKinley Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.2%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. 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 McKinley Elementary compare to other schools in Fresno?

McKinley Elementary scores 33/100 (25th 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 671 students. Use the schools in Fresno page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does McKinley Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At McKinley Elementary in Fresno, 30.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. McKinley Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 10.7 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (22.0% Math proficient); Hispanic students (32.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 22.9 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 333 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%
7.5%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 37th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-6.2pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 48th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
24.4%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 36th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
19.9%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 47th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.2%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 53th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
18.8%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 52th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3858%19%26%47%27%−16
Grade 4978%20%21%52%28%−17
Grade 51018%22%25%46%30%−18
Grade 69718%27%32%24%44%−2
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3859%21%20%49%31%−15
Grade 4964%11%30%54%16%−26
Grade 51037%9%18%66%16%−20
Grade 610019%11%18%52%30%−5
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111033%8%61%28%

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 Disadvantaged33330.0%−11−8
Hispanic/Latino25532.9%−8−6
Asian4445.5%−9−29
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
McKinley Elementary ←337.5%24.4%−6.21.2%
Teague Elementary2.8 mi4810.3%28.8%+15.92.1%
Harvest Elementary3.2 mi4715.7%36.5%−4.82.1%
Central Elementary1.1 mi4321.1%46.1%−17.21.2%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193326#406213.4%37.3%12.1%4.4%-10.0pp
20222931#397410.8%31.8%31.0%5.6%-3.4pp
20233336#36887.7%24.6%24.2%3.0%+6.3pp
20243224#43768.4%24.5%20.5%0.4%-0.3pp
20253325#42977.5%24.4%19.9%1.2%-6.2pp
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
Female11.2%21.3%+10.1pp
Male13.1%18.9%+5.8pp
Asian1.7%11.1%+9.4pp
Black/African American12.3%24.6%+12.3pp
Hispanic/Latino14.2%19.7%+5.5pp
Two or More Races13.3%27.8%+14.5pp
Students with Disabilities15.6%25.6%+10.0pp
English Learners6.2%9.8%+3.6pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged13.0%20.5%+7.5pp
All Students12.1%20.0%+7.9pp
Military-Connected18.2%
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