Math
37%Grades 3 & 5 · Proficient or Advanced
Public elementary school
Plainsburg Union Elementary
No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.
42% of tested students are Proficient or Advanced in English and 37% in math. Explore the evidence alongside the opportunities your child would use.
SchoolScope archetype
Building Momentum
What this means for your family
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.
How archetypes are assigned →Data sources · Methodology · State tests: 2025
Contact
Phone(209) 389-4707
DistrictPlainsburg Union Elementary
PrincipalKristi Kingston
GradesK-8
Enrollment113 students
English
42%Grades 3 & 5 · Proficient or Advanced
Students
113Total enrollment
Chronic absence
16%Students absent 10% or more of school days
What are you trying to decide?
The overall score is a starting point.
Look at subject results, trends and student groups, then consider the opportunities your child would use.
View school performance →Start with your child’s daily experience.
Explore teaching, coursework and student-group results. A schoolwide average cannot predict an individual experience.
Explore student experience →Confirm the enrollment route.
Check the address, grade and enrollment requirements directly with the district or school.
Check attendance and enrollment →Compare the options you can access.
Use comparable evidence alongside entry requirements, cost and location.
Compare nearby schools →Academic performance
What do the results tell us?
2025 results · Grades 3 & 5 · weighted by students tested within each subject.
Proficient or Advanced combines Levels 3 and 4, formerly Standard Met and Standard Exceeded. California changed the names for 2025–26; the cut scores did not. About the labels →
Share at Proficient or Advanced
● Math┄ English
Gaps in the lines mark years without annual results.
Exact annual results
| Year | Math | English |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35% | 50% |
| 2022 | 24% | 29% |
| 2023 | 37% | 75% |
| 2024 | 24% | 36% |
| 2025 | 37% | 42% |
Each year describes that year’s tested students. Changes between years do not follow the same children over time. Cohort-growth evidence, when available, is labeled separately below.
How achievement is distributed
AdvancedStandard Exceeded
4%ProficientStandard Met
33%DevelopingStandard Nearly Met
29%MinimalStandard Not Met
33%AdvancedStandard Exceeded
17%ProficientStandard Met
25%DevelopingStandard Nearly Met
25%MinimalStandard Not Met
33%Achievement-level percentages are not percentiles. “Developing” here is a test achievement level, separate from the SchoolScope performance band with the same name.
Annual results and the full academic record
Is it getting better · CAASPP 2019 to 2025
Slipped from the 57th to the 37th percentile since 2019.
Most rating sites would stop at “39% proficient” and call it done. Plainsburg Union deserves a closer read. Two in five of its students qualify for free or reduced lunch (California: 64%) — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.
72 tested · 3 of 3 grades published · no cohort tracked
Plainsburg Union Elementary scores 31 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 37th percentile of 5,721 California elementary schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).
This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 39% meet the standard today, versus 42% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.
Percentile among 5,721 elementary schools statewide
ELAGreen(Increased)MathOrange(Declined)
ShowHide the by-grade tables, year by year
ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
| Grade | 2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 62% | 15% | 77% | 58% | 36% |
| Grade 4 | — | — | 15% | 64% | 42% |
| Grade 5 | 38% | 42% | 73% | 15% | 46% |
| Grade 6 | — | 58% | 75% | — | 54% |
| Grade 7 | 35% | — | 55% | 64% | — |
| Grade 8 | — | — | — | 55% | 62% |
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
| Grade | 2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 54% | 23% | 46% | 42% | 45% |
| Grade 4 | — | — | 46% | 43% | 33% |
| Grade 5 | 15% | 25% | 27% | 8% | 31% |
| Grade 6 | — | 33% | 17% | — | 23% |
| Grade 7 | 12% | — | 27% | 36% | — |
| Grade 8 | — | — | — | 36% | 23% |
Where students land · CAASPP 2024–25
One in three of students here meet the standard. One in ten clear it by a lot.
ELA51% met or exceeded
Exceeded 19%Met 32%Nearly Met 28%Not Met 21%
Math33% met or exceeded
Exceeded 8%Met 25%Nearly Met 35%Not Met 32%
Exceeded Met Nearly Met Not Met
California elementary schools · average21% exceeded · 43% met or exceeded
This school against the California average
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
| Scope | % Exceeded | % Met+ | Growth | Absence | Suspension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | 31 | 11% | 39% | — | 16.1% | 0.5% |
| CA average · Elementary School | 39 | 21% | 43% | — | 17.9% | 1.6% |
This schoolCA avg
Scope3139
% Exceeded11%21%
% Met+39%43%
Growth——
Absence16.1%17.9%
Suspension0.5%1.6%
California’s growth results and student groups
State growth model · CDE growth model 2024–25
California's own growth model splits here — the 82nd percentile in reading against the 33rd in math, among elementary schools.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
California runs its own growth model — it follows individual children in grades 4 through 8 and compares each one against a prediction from their own prior scores. On that measure this school sits a little above the middle of California elementary schools in reading, and the 33rd in math. We show it; we don't score it.
— pts vs expected is scale-score points above or below what California's model predicted for these same children from their own prior-year scores. It is not a percentage and not a percent of anything. A typical California elementary school lands at +2 in reading, and the middle half of them fall between −5 and +9 — the spread is wide, so read the rank, not the sign. CDE blends two consecutive years into each published figure, so adjacent years share input data and no year-over-year trend can honestly be drawn from them. It covers grades 4-8 only, and it is not part of the Scope Score — we assessed it and left it out: it tracks school demographics roughly three times as strongly as our own growth measure does, and one published year is not enough to test how stable it is.
California's growth model, ranked against the schools it scores
State model · readingmatched students, grades 4-8California growth model, reading: +11 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, 82nd percentile of 7,519 reported schools.82nd pctile · +11 pts
State model · mathmatched students, grades 4-8California growth model, math: −5 scale-score points versus the state's expectation, 33rd percentile of 7,518 reported schools.33rd pctile · −5 pts
this school| the tick is the middle of the California field
Students & opportunity
Who shares in the school’s results?
The daily experience
What is it like to be a student here?
Students per teacher
Student–teacher ratio is a schoolwide staffing measure, not an average class size.
Teacher experience
Average teacher experience in the published staffing record. It does not measure individual teacher effectiveness.
Chronically absent
The share of students absent for at least 10% of their enrolled school days. Attendance reflects both school and out-of-school circumstances.
The people teaching · CDE staffing 2024–25
About 23 students for every teacher here.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
Students per teacher23 · district 23
Teaching staff6 teachers
Avg. experience12.2 years
Fully credentialed100%
First-year teachers33%
PrincipalKristi Kingston
ShowHide what the district pays
Teacher salary schedule$41,344 – $96,430
Superintendent salary$115,327
Pay is set by the district, not the school.
Attendance & discipline · 2024–25
Kids here show up more, and get suspended less, than the state average.
TK/K students miss school at roughly three times the rate of Grades 4–6 students (26.7% vs 7.9%). Chronic absence here concentrates in the earliest grades — worth asking how the school works with new families on attendance.
Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 16.1%, district 16.1%, state 17.9%16.1% · −1.8pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.5%, district —, state 1.6%0.5% · −1.1pp vs state
This schoolDistrictCalifornia
ShowHide attendance by student group and by grade
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–67.9%
Grades 7–816.7%
TK/K26.7%
Resources & neighborhood
What sits behind the school experience?
Explore school spending and the district budget
What gets spent · FY 2024–25
It spends $14,874 per student, about the same as the California average.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
$571 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.
The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.
Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $14,874, CA average $14,491$14,874 · spent at this school
Federal share$571 per student
District current expense · FY 2024–25$15,583 per student
This schoolDistrictCalifornia
Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction 56%Instruction support 16%Student services 8%Administration 8%Buildings & maintenance 12%
District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.
ShowHide the district's spending year by year
district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$12,587 per pupil
2019$10,822 per pupil
2018$11,045 per pupil
2017$9,308 per pupil
2016$9,129 per pupil
The neighborhood · ACS 2024
Two in five of students here qualify for free or reduced lunch, versus three in five statewide.
Context — never part of the Scope Score
Worth knowing
At 113 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California elementary school (≈480).
On the state's science test (CAST), 23% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, and it never enters the Scope Score.
Hispanic or Latino53.1% · district 53.1% · CA 56.1%
White44.3% · district 44.3% · CA 19.9%
Asian2.6% · district 2.6% · CA 10.2%
Free or reduced lunch47.8% · CA 64%
Median income$57K · CA $85K
Median home value$334K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+9% · CA 35%
ZIP population36,385
Median age27 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Culture & philosophy
What is the school’s approach?
School-stated approach · questions for your visit
Look beyond the brochure
A source-reviewed culture summary is not available for this profile yet. Ask how teaching, student support and family communication work day to day.
Read the school’s own website ↗Family voices
What would you want another family to know about the daily experience here?
Ask a current family: “When your child needs help, how does the school respond?”
Educator voices
What should families understand about teaching, support and the school community?
Ask an educator: “How do you adapt a typical day for children with different needs?”
Compare nearby schools
What are the alternatives?
Compare schools serving the same grade stage. Private schools have no comparable state-test score.
2025 · elementary schools · combined reading and math measures. Percentiles compare schools within their enrollment group.
No nearby schools in this category are listed. The school being viewed stays visible for reference.
| School | Type | Performance band | Advanced | Proficient or Advanced | Distance | Select |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plainsburg Union Elementary | Public | Developing | 11% | 39% | School being viewed |
More nearby public and private options
Your other options
Your other options
Private school options within 10 miles.
Private schools do not receive a Scope Score or statewide ranking on SchoolScope.
2 private schools within 10 miles
Not scored
What should I check before applying?
- District public
- Confirm the attendance boundary and any permit options.
- Charter
- Check applications, priorities and deadlines with each school.
- Private
- Confirm admission requirements, tuition and financial aid.
Moving & enrollment
Which schools could serve my child?
Check your address with the district
School location and nearby schools do not establish attendance eligibility. Confirm boundaries and permit requirements with Plainsburg Union Elementary.
District information →School website →Schools across the K–12 journey
Elementary · K–5
Middle · 6–8
High school · 9–12
No school established for this stage.
Schools are grouped by grade stage. Nearby schools are not confirmed feeder links or address assignments. Verify the current path and eligibility with the district.
Plan your next step
What should I do next?
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.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is Plainsburg Union Elementary a good elementary school?
Plainsburg Union Elementary has a Scope Score of 31 out of 100, placing it in the 37th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,588 statewide. 11.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 10.3 percentage points below the California average of 21.4%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for elementary schools: exceeded standard (42%), met or exceeded (proficient) (23%), grade 3-to-5 growth (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 Plainsburg Union Elementary's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 39.0% of students at Plainsburg Union Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 11.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 27.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 11.0% went beyond it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it shows how many students go beyond the standard rather than only meeting it. 72 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Plainsburg Union Elementary rank in California?
Plainsburg Union Elementary ranks #3,588 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 37th 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.
What is the attendance and school culture like at Plainsburg Union Elementary?
16.1% of students at Plainsburg Union 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 0.5%, 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 Plainsburg Union Elementary compare to other schools in Merced?
Plainsburg Union Elementary scores 31/100 (37th 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 113 students. Use the schools in Merced page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.
A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means
Use the published evidence to prepare questions, then verify fit and access with the school.
Behind the evidence
Inspect the full record
Public sources, visible methods and the underlying school record. Source years and limitations stay attached to the evidence.
How the Scope Score is calculated
On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to see the state comparison and weights.
What the score weighs · CAASPP 2024–25
The 6 things our score weighs
| What we weigh | Here | State | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exceeded standard | 11.0% | 21.4% | 42% |
| Met or exceeded | 39.0% | 42.7% | 23% |
| Chronic absenteeism | 16.1% | 17.9% | 5% |
| Suspension rate | 0.5% | 1.6% | 5% |
| EL proficiency (ELPAC) | 6.3% | 18.0% | 5% |
| Grade gap (G3→G5, different students) | -2.5pp | -2.9pp | — |
Source CAASPP 2025 · California Department of Education. Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How the score is built
A closer look at the evidence
Plainsburg Union Elementary: reading the evidence
Plainsburg Union posts 39% meeting the standard and 11.0% exceeding it, against 43% and 21.4% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.
Subject proficiency describes tested students, while graduation describes a graduating cohort. These figures are not successive stages followed by the same students.
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.
Explore the underlying data →Every number: score factors, grades, student groups and downloads
Every number · For the data nerds
Every number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and nearest schools.
Plainsburg Union Elementary is ranked #3,588 statewide.
01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
| Factor | School | State | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exceeded standard | 11.0% | 21.4% | 42% |
| Met or exceeded | 39.0% | 42.7% | 23% |
| Chronic absenteeism | 16.1% | 17.9% | 5% |
| Suspension rate | 0.5% | 1.6% | 5% |
| EL proficiency (ELPAC) | 6.3% | 18.0% | 5% |
| Grade gap (G3→G5, different students) | -2.5pp | -2.9pp | not scored |
- Exceeded standard
- ↓ vs CA 21.4% · index 41 · 50 = CA elementary-school midpoint
- Met or exceeded
- ↓ vs CA 42.7% · index 47 · 50 = CA elementary-school midpoint
- Chronic absenteeism
- ↑ vs CA 17.9% · index 53 · 50 = CA elementary-school midpoint · ▲ 3.9pp higher vs 2024
- Suspension rate
- ↑ vs CA 1.6% · index 59 · 50 = CA elementary-school midpoint · ▼ 0.6pp lower vs 2024
- EL proficiency (ELPAC)
- ↓ vs CA 18.0% · index 38 · 50 = CA elementary-school midpoint
- Grade gap (G3→G5, different students)
- ↑ vs CA -2.9pp
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ShowHide table 02 — By grade & subgroup
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 11 | 18% | 18% | 27% | 36% | 36% | −7 |
| Grade 4 | 12 | 25% | 17% | 42% | 17% | 42% | −3 |
| Grade 5 | 13 | 15% | 31% | 23% | 31% | 46% | −2 |
| Grade 6 | 13 | 8% | 46% | 23% | 23% | 54% | +8 |
| Grade 7 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grade 8 | 13 | 15% | 46% | 31% | 8% | 62% | +15 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 11 | 0% | 45% | 18% | 36% | 45% | +0 |
| Grade 4 | 12 | 0% | 33% | 50% | 17% | 33% | −8 |
| Grade 5 | 13 | 8% | 23% | 38% | 31% | 31% | −4 |
| Grade 6 | 13 | 8% | 15% | 31% | 46% | 23% | −11 |
| Grade 7 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grade 8 | 13 | 0% | 23% | 38% | 38% | 23% | −9 |
We show the grade rows CDE publishes for this school. A missing grade or dash can mean the school does not serve that grade, that we hold no valid result for it, or that the tested group was too small to report. It does not mean zero.
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schoolwide | 26 | 4% | 19% | 69% | 8% |
CAST is tested in grades 5 and 8, then once in grade 10, 11, or 12. This row is the school's all-student aggregate. Not part of the Scope Score.
03Nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score · Grade gap = grade 3 vs grade 5, this year, different students; Cohort growth = one school's returning cohort tracked across grades (mostly, not exactly, the same kids), in scale-score points — that's the measurement the Scope Score weights
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Grade gap | Cohort growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plainsburg Union Elementary ← | — | 31 | 11.0% | 39.0% | −2.5pp | — | 0.5% |
| California average | — | 39 | 21.4% | 42.7% | −2.9pp | — | 1.6% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
ShowHide table 04 — More measures
| Year | Scope | Pctile | Rank | Exc | Met+ | Absent | Susp | Grade gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 40 | 57 | #2344 | 21.1% | 42.3% | 6.8% | 0.6% | -30.8pp |
| 2022 | 22 | 25 | #4300 | 2.1% | 26.3% | 22.7% | 1.6% | +14.1pp |
| 2023 | 45 | 70 | #1685 | 25.5% | 47.4% | 19.0% | 0.5% | -11.5pp |
| 2024 | 35 | 46 | #3102 | 12.9% | 38.4% | 12.2% | 1.1% | -38.5pp |
| 2025 | 31 | 37 | #3588 | 11.0% | 39.0% | 16.1% | 0.5% | -2.5pp |
Grade gap = this year's grade 3 vs grade 5 result, two different sets of students, not a trend for any one child — it is not the measurement the Scope Score's growth dimension uses. See §01 above and /methodology#verdicts for the school's actual scored (cohort) growth.
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
- — No subgroup comparison could be shown for this school this year — either its group sizes fall under CDE's 15-student reporting floor, or district/state comparison data wasn't available for its groups.
- — 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
ShowHide table 05 — Climate by student group
| Group | 2019 | 2025 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 7.1% | 19.0% | +11.9pp |
| Male | 1.8% | 11.3% | +9.5pp |
| Hispanic/Latino | 7.7% | 18.6% | +10.9pp |
| White | 1.8% | 12.2% | +10.4pp |
| English Learners | 15.4% | 23.5% | +8.1pp |
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 6.8% | 18.2% | +11.4pp |
| All Students | 4.4% | 15.3% | +10.9pp |
06California growth model, by student group2025 · scale-score points vs the state's prediction · shown, never scored
ShowHide table 06 — California growth model, by student group
| Group | Reading | n | CDE band | Math | n | CDE band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | +11 | 60 | Accelerated | −5 | 60 | Average |
| English Only | +9 | 47 | not categorised | −2 | 47 | not categorised |
| White | +6 | 29 | Accelerated | +3 | 29 | Average |
| Hispanic or Latino | +13 | 28 | Accelerated | −13 | 28 | Moderate |
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | +11 | 28 | Accelerated | −6 | 28 | Moderate |
Whole scale-score points above or below what CDE's model predicted for these same children from their own prior-year scores — not a percentage, not a percentile. Statewide a typical school lands near +1 with a spread of about 13 points either side, so read a figure against its group's own typical value, not against zero. Muted rows have fewer than 30 students with a growth score — published by CDE, held back from the narrative sections above because at that size the figure swings about 17 points on its own. “Not categorised” is CDE assigning no band — English Only, Recently Reclassified, and English Learners Only receive a value and no band, for every school in the state. It is not a missing number. Most figures blend two consecutive years, so adjacent published years share input data and no trend line can honestly be drawn across them. A group absent from this table had fewer than 11 students with a growth score and was never published. Grades 4-8 only. None of this enters the Scope Score — it is more strongly correlated with school demographics than our own growth measure, and one published year is not enough to test its reliability.
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EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=5,721 elementary schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-09-18
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