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Sheldon Elementary · Richmond

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

Sheldon posts 20% meeting the standard and 4.0% exceeding it, against 43% and 21.3% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

2601 May Road, 94803 (opens in new tab)·West Contra Costa Unified·Richmond·Grades TK-6·318 students·68% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(510) 231-1414
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3745
% Exceeded4%21%
% Met+20%43%
Growth-9.2-2.9
Absence34.1%17.9%
Suspension0.4%1.6%
Scope Score
37
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #3,752 statewide · #14 of 42 in West Contra Costa Unified

Sheldon Elementary scores 37 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 35th 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 “20% proficient” and call it done. Sheldon deserves a closer read. The school sits in Richmond, where two-thirds of 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 35th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 20% meet the standard today, versus 30% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 331%7%13%12%27%
Grade 427%27%18%15%29%
Grade 546%23%29%19%22%
Grade 650%43%38%40%24%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 332%7%7%16%19%
Grade 418%21%7%10%20%
Grade 524%12%15%4%5%
Grade 617%14%13%31%10%

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.

24%
74%
Grade 3 · 26% proficient
22%
71%
Grade 4 · 29% proficient
20%
78%
Grade 5 · 22% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor slips 4.7pp. 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
4.0%
State 21.3%
17.3pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-9.2pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
20.1%
State 42.7%
22.5pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
34.1%
State 17.9%
16.2pp above state avg
Suspension rate
0.4%
State 1.6%
1.2pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
17.8%
State 18.0%
0.2pp below 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 how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
  • 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 Sheldon Elementary in Richmond, 21.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 23.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Sheldon Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 1.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (9.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (20.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.8 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 98 students tested.

All students at this school: 20% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 20%, district —, state 43%20%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 15%, district 20%, state 32%15% · −4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 19%, district 28%, state 42%19% · −1 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 17%, district 18%, state 32%17% · −2 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 23%, district 31%, state 44%23% · +3 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 6%, district 5%, state 11%6% · −14 vs school

9 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 falls by 5.4pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +2.9pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 34.1%, district 27.3%, state 17.9%34.1% · +16.2pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.4%, district —, state 1.6%0.4% · −1.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–633.6%
TK/K43.8%

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 23:1, district 23:123:1
Teaching staff19 teachers
Avg. experience13.7 years
Fully credentialed90%
First-year teachers11%
Intern / emergency permit3.2%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$58,573 – $119,395
Principal salary$139,320 – $164,698
Superintendent salary$315,895

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $6,489, CA average $14,815$6,489 · 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$257 per student

$257 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$22,102 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
Instruction55%
Instruction support12%
Student services11%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other5%

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$15,242 per pupil
2019$13,839 per pupil
2018$14,231 per pupil
2017$12,364 per pupil
2016$11,254 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic49.7%
District 58.5% · CA 56.1%
Other15.7%
District 11.7% · CA 9.0%
Asian14.5%
District 10.0% · CA 10.2%
Black10.4%
District 10.6% · CA 4.8%
White9.8%
District 9.2% · CA 19.9%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 67.9% (4pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$118K · CA $85K
Median home value$784K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+42% · CA 35%
ZIP population27,659
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), 20% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sheldon Elementary a good elementary school?

Sheldon Elementary has a Scope Score of 37 out of 100, placing it in the 35th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #3,752 statewide. 4.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 17.3 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 Sheldon Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 20.1% of students at Sheldon Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 4.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 16.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 4.0% 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. 252 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Sheldon Elementary rank in California?

Sheldon Elementary ranks #3,752 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 35th 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 Sheldon Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Sheldon Elementary decreases by 9.2 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 Sheldon Elementary?

34.1% of students at Sheldon Elementary are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 0.4%, 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 Sheldon Elementary compare to other schools in Richmond?

Sheldon Elementary scores 37/100 (35th 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 318 students. Use the schools in Richmond page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

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

At Sheldon Elementary in Richmond, 21.4% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 23.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Sheldon Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 1.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (9.4% Math proficient); Hispanic students (20.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 4.8 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 98 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%
4.0%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 33th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-9.2pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 68th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
20.1%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 33th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
34.1%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 24th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.4%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 60th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
17.8%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 50th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3452%24%42%31%27%−17
Grade 4417%22%27%44%29%−16
Grade 5412%20%27%51%22%−26
Grade 6293%21%28%48%24%−22
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 3435%14%40%42%19%−27
Grade 4417%12%34%46%20%−22
Grade 5410%5%24%71%5%−30
Grade 6297%3%28%62%10%−25
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11415%15%54%27%

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 Disadvantaged9821.4%−2−17
Hispanic/Latino7820.5%−1−18
English Learners277.4%+3−3
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Sheldon Elementary ←374.0%20.1%−9.20.4%
Madera Elementary2.7 mi8356.7%78.0%+2.80.3%
West County Mandarin2.1 mi6843.8%64.2%−11.11.0%
Ohlone Elementary2.9 mi6134.2%66.5%−13.90.7%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193427#400511.2%29.7%14.0%5.0%+3.6pp
20222828#41155.8%16.2%48.1%0.9%+10.6pp
20233745#31264.4%14.8%41.1%1.1%+12.2pp
20242712#50273.2%12.6%34.1%0.7%-3.0pp
20253735#37524.0%20.1%34.1%0.4%-9.2pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
What we can't show
  • — Low-income students here trail the state average for their group by 17 points in ELA — worth asking how the school is closing that gap.
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female13.6%38.1%+24.5pp
Male14.6%34.1%+19.5pp
Asian11.7%37.5%+25.8pp
Black/African American16.2%51.4%+35.2pp
White5.6%6.7%+1.1pp
Hispanic/Latino12.8%40.4%+27.6pp
Two or More Races12.0%26.5%+14.5pp
Students with Disabilities16.2%45.1%+28.9pp
English Learners12.5%37.8%+25.3pp
Homeless20.0%
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged16.3%39.5%+23.2pp
All Students14.1%36.0%+21.9pp
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