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Old Adobe Elementary Charter · Petaluma

Old Adobe Elementary Charter: Most kids here clear the bar, year after year. The question is what happens after that.

Old Adobe Elementary Charter posts 51% meeting the standard, and 24.4% going well past it. Most kids here keep up. Fewer get pushed further. Ask the school what it does for a child who already finds the work easy.

2856 Adobe Road, 94954 (opens in new tab)·Old Adobe Union·Petaluma·Grades TK-6·278 students·35% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(707) 765-4301·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope5045
% Exceeded24%21%
% Met+51%43%
Growth-9.3-2.9
Absence11.8%17.9%
Suspension1.1%1.6%
Scope Score
50
🤝 Culture First · Developing
ranked #1,935 statewide · #4 of 6 in Old Adobe Union

Old Adobe Elementary Charter scores 50 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 66th 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 →

🤝 Culture First — Ask whether the low absenteeism and suspension numbers come from what the school does or from the community it serves — both can produce the same numbers, and only a visit tells you which.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “51% proficient” and call it done. Old Adobe Elementary Charter deserves a closer read. The school sits in Petaluma, where one in three students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

As a charter, Old Adobe Elementary Charter enrolls by application rather than address. That changes how you get in, but it doesn't change the score.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Has stayed near the 66th percentile since 2019.

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

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 51% meet the standard today, versus 54% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 360%49%50%49%58%
Grade 444%66%50%51%57%
Grade 573%44%58%38%58%
Grade 667%44%53%62%47%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 362%59%57%64%54%
Grade 439%50%50%58%45%
Grade 548%18%38%41%35%
Grade 658%53%33%38%34%

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.

35%
23%
42%
Grade 3 · 58% proficient
31%
27%
42%
Grade 4 · 58% proficient
19%
40%
41%
Grade 5 · 59% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 16.0pp across grades; the proficiency floor barely moves. 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 5 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
24.4%
State 21.3%
3.0pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-9.3pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
51.1%
State 42.7%
8.4pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
11.8%
State 17.9%
6.1pp below state avg
Suspension rate
1.1%
State 1.6%
0.6pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • 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 Old Adobe Elementary Charter in Petaluma, 46.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 31.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Old Adobe Elementary Charter outperforms its district average for low-income students by 15.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (31.7% Math proficient); White students (63.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 21.8 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 41 students tested.

All students at this school: 48% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 48%, district —, state 43%48%
WhiteWhite: this school 54%, district 62%, state 56%54% · +6 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 47%, district 47%, state 44%47% · −1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 49%, district 49%, state 42%49% · +1 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 39%, district 29%, state 32%39% · −9 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 35%, district 30%, state 32%35% · −13 vs school

7 of 13 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 11.8%, district 12.2%, state 17.9%11.8% · −6.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.1%, district —, state 1.6%1.1% · −0.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–611.9%
TK/K16.4%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 25:1, district 25:125:1
Teaching staff12 teachers
Avg. experience11.8 years
Fully credentialed100%
First-year teachers8%

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,219, CA average $14,815$19,219 · spent at this school
Federal share$441 per student

$441 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,102 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
Instruction70%
Instruction support9%
Student services8%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance8%

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$13,284 per pupil
2019$12,753 per pupil
2018$13,559 per pupil
2017$12,367 per pupil
2016$11,756 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White69.1%
District 47.2% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic24.5%
District 41.5% · CA 56.1%
Other5.8%
District 7.7% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.4%
District 2.2% · CA 10.2%
Black0.4%
District 1.3% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 34.5% (29pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$114K · CA $85K
Median home value$841K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+38% · CA 35%
ZIP population37,574
Median age45 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), 37% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Old Adobe Elementary Charter a good elementary school?

Old Adobe Elementary Charter has a Scope Score of 50 out of 100, placing it in the 66th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #1,935 statewide. 24.4% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 3.0 percentage points above 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 Old Adobe Elementary Charter's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 51.1% of students at Old Adobe Elementary Charter met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 24.4% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 24.4% 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. 236 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Old Adobe Elementary Charter rank in California?

Old Adobe Elementary Charter ranks #1,935 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 66th 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 Old Adobe Elementary Charter getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Old Adobe Elementary Charter decreases by 9.3 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 Old Adobe Elementary Charter?

11.8% of students at Old Adobe Elementary Charter are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.1%, 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 Old Adobe Elementary Charter compare to other schools in Petaluma?

Old Adobe Elementary Charter scores 50/100 (66th 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 278 students. Use the schools in Petaluma page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Old Adobe Elementary Charter serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Old Adobe Elementary Charter in Petaluma, 46.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 31.2% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Old Adobe Elementary Charter outperforms its district average for low-income students by 15.1 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (31.7% Math proficient); White students (63.1% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 21.8 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 41 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 Petaluma →

Private alternatives nearby

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

How to get into a charter school in LA →
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%
24.4%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 53th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-9.3pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 50th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
51.1%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 56th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
11.8%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 60th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.1%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 32635%23%19%23%58%+14
Grade 44931%27%27%16%57%+12
Grade 54319%40%30%12%58%+10
Grade 63816%32%29%24%47%+1
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 32638%15%15%31%54%+8
Grade 44912%33%35%20%45%+3
Grade 54312%23%40%26%35%−0
Grade 63813%21%34%32%34%−1
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11439%28%60%2%

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 Disadvantaged4146.3%+15+8
White10363.1%−5+1
Hispanic/Latino2733.3%+1−6
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Old Adobe Elementary Charter ←—5024.4%51.1%−9.31.1%
Sonoma Mountain Elementary1.7 mi6850.7%79.5%−14.50.1%
River Montessori Elementary Charter2.5 mi5835.7%57.1%−9.50.4%
Loma Vista Immersion Academy1.6 mi5018.1%40.6%+7.30.7%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20195067#183227.3%54.3%12.2%1.4%-0.9pp
20223240#341522.4%47.5%16.2%1.6%-23.1pp
20234564#207619.7%50.4%19.2%1.3%-5.5pp
20243943#329418.6%50.2%12.5%3.0%-17.5pp
20255066#193524.4%51.1%11.8%1.1%-9.3pp
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
Female15.8%9.3%-6.5pp
Male8.1%12.9%+4.8pp
Hispanic/Latino13.3%14.7%+1.4pp
Two or More Races12.5%6.3%-6.2pp
Students with Disabilities12.0%12.5%+0.5pp
English Learners20.8%9.5%-11.3pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged18.1%14.8%-3.3pp
All Students12.2%11.0%-1.2pp
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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