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North Cow Creek Elementary · Palo Cedro

North Cow Creek Elementary: The score is strong. The trajectory is stronger.

North Cow Creek pairs 50% proficiency with gains that hold up when the same students are tracked two years apart — the rare school that posts both.

10619 Swede Creek Road, 96073 (opens in new tab)·North Cow Creek Elementary·Palo Cedro·Grades TK-8·270 students·27% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(530) 549-4488·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5845
% Exceeded22%21%
% Met+50%43%
Growth+23.2-2.9
Absence5.8%17.9%
Suspension1.2%1.6%
Scope Score
58
🚀 Growth Engine · Solid
ranked #1,197 statewide

North Cow Creek Elementary scores 58 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 79th 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 →

🚀 Growth Engine — Ask how the school tracks each kid's growth year to year, and what happens when a kid stalls instead of gaining.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “50% proficient” and call it done. North Cow Creek deserves a closer read. The school sits in Palo Cedro, where one in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

North Cow Creek's low-income kids hit 66.7% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Climbed from the 65th to the 79th percentile since 2019 — past roughly 700 elementary schools.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased)MathGreen(Maintained)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 50% of students meet the standard today, above the 42% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 334%58%35%35%26%
Grade 437%50%44%46%48%
Grade 556%77%46%68%79%
Grade 677%54%52%55%58%
Grade 781%46%60%69%71%
Grade 861%74%58%72%68%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 331%58%58%55%52%
Grade 448%42%52%46%48%
Grade 544%60%36%44%45%
Grade 670%42%34%32%33%
Grade 750%57%53%50%34%
Grade 843%58%42%50%44%

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.

22%
74%
Grade 3 · 26% proficient
24%
24%
52%
Grade 4 · 48% proficient
30%
48%
22%
Grade 5 · 78% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 26.6pp across grades; the floor rises 52.9pp. 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 5 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
21.6%
State 21.3%
0.3pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+23.2pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
49.7%
State 42.7%
7.0pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
5.8%
State 17.9%
12.1pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.2%
State 1.6%
0.4pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what changed — new curriculum, new principal, new program. Momentum has a cause, and a visit will find it.

  • Ask how teachers track each child's growth over the year, not just where the class lands on test day.
  • 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 North Cow Creek Elementary in Palo Cedro, 66.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 66.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. North Cow Creek Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (33.3% Math proficient); White students (65.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 9.5 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 15 students tested.

All students at this school: 51% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 51%, district —, state 43%51%
WhiteWhite: this school 56%, district 56%, state 56%56% · +4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 51%, district 51%, state 42%51% · −0 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 49%, district 49%, state 44%49% · −2 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 50%, district 50%, state 32%50% · −1 vs school

6 of 11 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.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 5.8%, district 5.8%, state 17.9%5.8% · −12.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.2%, district —, state 1.6%1.2% · −0.4pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–62.3%
Grades 7–85.7%
TK/K0.0%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Teaching staff13 teachers
Avg. experience13.8 years
Fully credentialed92%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$48,632 – $105,780
Principal salary$0 – $0
Superintendent salary$142,921

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $1,914, CA average $14,815$1,914 · 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$506 per student

$506 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$14,166 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
Instruction66%
Instruction support11%
Student services3%
Administration7%
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$10,541 per pupil
2019$9,946 per pupil
2018$10,364 per pupil
2017$9,402 per pupil
2016$9,076 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White77.8%
District 77.8% · CA 19.9%
Other14.4%
District 14.4% · CA 9.0%
Hispanic7.4%
District 7.4% · CA 56.1%
Black0.4%
District 0.4% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 27.0% (37pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$120K · CA $85K
Median home value$567K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+38% · CA 35%
ZIP population5,750
Median age42 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), 46% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is North Cow Creek Elementary a good elementary school?

North Cow Creek Elementary has a Scope Score of 58 out of 100, placing it in the 79th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,197 statewide. 21.6% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is near 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 North Cow Creek Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 49.7% of students at North Cow Creek Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 21.6% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 28.1% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 21.6% 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. 170 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does North Cow Creek Elementary rank in California?

North Cow Creek Elementary ranks #1,197 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 79th 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 North Cow Creek Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at North Cow Creek Elementary increases by 23.2 percentage points from Grade 3 to grade 5 growth. This upward trajectory suggests the school is adding measurable value — students leave with higher proficiency rates than they entered with. 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 North Cow Creek Elementary?

5.8% of students at North Cow Creek Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than 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 North Cow Creek Elementary compare to other schools in Palo Cedro?

North Cow Creek Elementary scores 58/100 (79th 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 270 students. Use the schools in Palo Cedro page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does North Cow Creek Elementary serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At North Cow Creek Elementary in Palo Cedro, 66.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 66.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. North Cow Creek Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (33.3% Math proficient); White students (65.2% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 9.5 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 15 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 Palo Cedro →

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%
21.6%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 50th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+23.2pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 74th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
49.7%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 55th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
5.8%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 70th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.2%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 54th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3274%22%41%33%26%−17
Grade 42524%24%28%24%48%+3
Grade 53330%48%12%9%79%+31
Grade 62417%42%21%21%58%+12
Grade 73424%47%21%9%71%+23
Grade 83424%44%24%9%68%+22
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 32711%41%26%22%52%+6
Grade 42524%24%36%16%48%+6
Grade 53336%9%27%27%45%+10
Grade 62421%13%54%13%33%−2
Grade 73520%14%49%17%34%+0
Grade 83426%18%32%24%44%+12
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/116716%30%46%7%

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 Disadvantaged1566.7%+0+28
White13565.2%+0+3
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
North Cow Creek Elementary ←—5821.6%49.7%+23.21.2%
Chrysalis Charter2.1 mi3427.2%45.0%−40.41.9%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194965#191814.7%41.8%4.3%3.5%+17.3pp
20225582#102925.0%57.6%11.2%2.2%+10.0pp
20234461#223621.1%45.1%8.8%3.0%-5.1pp
20244864#203924.7%49.2%5.8%1.8%+10.8pp
20255879#119721.6%49.7%5.8%1.2%+23.2pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Scored here as an elementary school — other grade spans appear in the data appendix.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female3.9%0.9%-3.0pp
Male4.2%5.7%+1.5pp
Hispanic/Latino9.1%5.0%-4.1pp
Two or More Races7.4%6.9%-0.5pp
Students with Disabilities11.8%9.7%-2.1pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged5.2%6.3%+1.1pp
All Students4.1%3.7%-0.4pp
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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