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Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet · Jackson

Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet: The scores are below where anyone wants them. Here's what they don't tell you.

Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet posts low test scores — and grade 5 tests above grade 3 here this year, by 8.9pp. If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

20101 State Highway 88, 95642 (opens in new tab)·Amador County Unified·Jackson·Grades TK-6·259 students·44% low-income·Magnet·2024–25 CAASPP·(209) 296-2800
Magnet program — specialized public school with themed curriculum. Enrollment via district lottery, not neighborhood-based.
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope2445
% Exceeded8%21%
% Met+29%43%
Growth+8.9-2.9
Absence16.6%17.9%
Suspension6.9%1.6%
Scope Score
24
📈 On the Rise · Needs Support
ranked #5,369 statewide · #5 of 6 in Amador County Unified

Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet scores 24 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 7th 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 →

📈 On the Rise — Ask how many years the improvement has held, not just the latest one — one strong cohort and a real turnaround can look identical in a single year of data.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “29% proficient” and call it done. Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet deserves a closer read. The school sits in Jackson, where two 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

Slipped from the 59th to the 7th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined)MathYellow(Declined)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 29% meet the standard today, versus 38% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 357%32%39%7%24%
Grade 433%26%32%45%33%
Grade 556%63%35%28%42%
Grade 648%43%51%45%31%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 320%39%39%12%24%
Grade 427%26%19%32%28%
Grade 534%24%16%18%24%
Grade 655%21%18%28%29%

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%
12%
76%
Grade 3 · 24% proficient
28%
67%
Grade 4 · 33% proficient
11%
32%
57%
Grade 5 · 43% proficient

The 5 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
7.9%
State 21.3%
13.4pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+8.9pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
29.2%
State 42.7%
13.4pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
16.6%
State 17.9%
1.3pp below state avg
Suspension rate
6.9%
State 1.6%
5.3pp above 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 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 Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet in Jackson, 34.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 28.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet outperforms its district average for low-income students by 6.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (23.1% Math proficient); White students (35.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 3.0 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 52 students tested.

All students at this school: 30% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 30%, district —, state 43%30%
WhiteWhite: this school 32%, district 32%, state 56%32% · +2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 29%, district 32%, state 44%29% · −1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 32%, district 27%, state 42%32% · +2 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 29%, district 23%, state 32%29% · −1 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 14%, district 13%, state 15%14% · −16 vs school

6 of 12 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 16.6%, district 27.0%, state 17.9%16.6% · −1.3pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 6.9%, district —, state 1.6%6.9% · +5.3pp vs state

TK/K students miss school at roughly twice the rate of Grades 4–6 students (31.0% vs 14.5%). 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 4–614.5%
TK/K31.0%

Where the path goes

The path below is estimated from nearby schools in the same district — scores shown for each next step.

Estimated K-12 Path
Elementary
Pine Grove Elementary STE…
24
This school
→
Middle
Jackson Junior High
No score
→
High
Argonaut High
51

Estimated K-12 path based on district and proximity. Actual attendance zones may differ. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

Planning ahead? 1 licensed preschools near this school →

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 26:1, district 23:126:1
Teaching staff14 teachers
Avg. experience14.4 years
Fully credentialed100%

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $18,390, CA average $14,815$18,390 · spent at this school
Federal share$43 per student

$43 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$15,715 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
Instruction51%
Instruction support14%
Student services11%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance13%
Other3%

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$11,146 per pupil
2019$9,176 per pupil
2018$9,890 per pupil
2017$9,411 per pupil
2016$9,154 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White69.5%
District 62.4% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic15.8%
District 25.6% · CA 56.1%
Other14.3%
District 10.8% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.4%
District 0.6% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 44.0% (20pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$81K · CA $85K
Median home value$456K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+25% · CA 35%
ZIP population7,135
Median age51 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

At 259 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California elementary school (≈480).

Transitional kindergarten is offered here — confirmed by actual Census Day enrollment, not just the listed grade span.

On the state's science test (CAST), 26% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet a good elementary school?

Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet has a Scope Score of 24 out of 100, placing it in the 7th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #5,369 statewide. 7.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 13.4 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 Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 29.2% of students at Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 7.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 21.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 7.9% 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. 204 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet rank in California?

Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet ranks #5,369 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 7th 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 Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet increases by 8.9 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 Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet?

16.6% of students at Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 6.9%. 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 Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet compare to other schools in Jackson?

Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet scores 24/100 (7th 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 259 students. Use the schools in Jackson page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet in Jackson, 34.6% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 28.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet outperforms its district average for low-income students by 6.6 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (23.1% Math proficient); White students (35.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 3.0 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 52 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.

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%
7.9%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 37th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+8.9pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 30th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
29.2%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 40th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
16.6%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 52th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
6.9%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 6th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 32512%12%20%56%24%−19
Grade 4395%28%21%46%33%−11
Grade 53811%32%8%50%42%−6
Grade 6356%26%34%34%31%−15
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3254%20%32%44%24%−22
Grade 4398%21%38%33%28%−13
Grade 5388%16%21%55%24%−12
Grade 6359%20%46%26%29%−6
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/113813%13%53%21%

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 Disadvantaged5234.6%+7−4
White9535.8%−3−26
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Pine Grove Elementary STEM Magnet ←—247.9%29.2%+8.96.9%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194659#224817.7%37.9%11.3%0.3%+6.7pp
20224569#179812.2%35.0%22.8%0.8%+7.9pp
20233128#411414.6%30.3%20.1%1.1%-13.7pp
20242813#49649.4%23.8%16.2%6.0%+13.6pp
2025247#53697.9%29.2%16.6%6.9%+8.9pp
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
Female12.5%18.3%+5.8pp
Male10.3%14.3%+4.0pp
Hispanic/Latino9.1%20.0%+10.9pp
Two or More Races10.0%18.2%+8.2pp
Students with Disabilities11.1%20.0%+8.9pp
Homeless27.3%23.5%-3.8pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged18.0%22.6%+4.6pp
All Students11.3%16.4%+5.1pp
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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