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Stone Creek Elementary · Madera

Stone Creek Elementary: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Stone Creek posts 48% meeting the standard against 43% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

760 Market Avenue, 93636 (opens in new tab)·Golden Valley Unified·Madera·Grades TK-6·672 students·26% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(559) 645-3530·Website
2022–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4345
% Exceeded25%21%
% Met+48%43%
Growth+5.7-2.9
Absence5.4%17.9%
Suspension2.8%1.6%
Scope Score
43
📈 On the Rise · Developing
ranked #2,780 statewide · #3 of 3 in Golden Valley Unified

Stone Creek Elementary scores 43 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 52nd 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.

Most rating sites would stop at “48% proficient” and call it done. Stone Creek deserves a closer read. The school sits in Madera, where one in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 5.4% chronic absenteeism — versus 17.9% statewide. Attendance is the quietest strong signal a school can post.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Slipped from the 84th to the 52nd percentile since 2022.

CA Dashboard
ELAYellow(Declined Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)
ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade2022202320242025
Grade 370%64%56%42%
Grade 471%57%49%56%
Grade 569%69%73%63%
Grade 690%73%80%70%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade2022202320242025
Grade 368%66%60%48%
Grade 466%55%34%43%
Grade 562%54%56%38%
Grade 657%64%63%60%

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.

29%
13%
58%
Grade 3 · 42% proficient
34%
21%
45%
Grade 4 · 55% proficient
28%
36%
36%
Grade 5 · 64% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor rises 21.3pp. 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
24.9%
State 21.3%
3.6pp above state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
+5.7pp
State -2.9pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
48.2%
State 42.7%
5.6pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
5.4%
State 17.9%
12.5pp below state avg
Suspension rate
2.8%
State 1.6%
1.2pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
17.6%
State 18.0%
0.3pp 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 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 Stone Creek Elementary in Madera, 39.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 46.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Stone Creek Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 6.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (41.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 37.6 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 98 students tested.

All students at this school: 52% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 52%, district —, state 43%52%
FemaleFemale: this school 56%, district 51%, state 44%56% · +4 vs school
MaleMale: this school 47%, district 48%, state 42%47% · −5 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 48%, district 44%, state 32%48% · −4 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 59%, district 57%, state 56%59% · +8 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 41%, district 38%, state 32%41% · −11 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 21%, district 13%, state 15%21% · −31 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 55%, district 53%, state 72%55% · +3 vs school

7 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 rises by 18.4pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +8.5pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 5.4%, district 14.2%, state 17.9%5.4% · −12.5pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.8%, district —, state 1.6%2.8% · +1.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–66.4%
TK/K5.5%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Stone Creek Elementary
43/100
This school

Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 25:1, district 23:125:1
Teaching staff30 teachers
Avg. experience4.3 years
Fully credentialed81%
First-year teachers13%
Intern / emergency permit6.5%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$53,680 – $102,617
Principal salary$128,682 – $145,367
Superintendent salary$215,823

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $12,422, CA average $14,815$12,422 · 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$680 per student

$680 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$14,436 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
Instruction56%
Instruction support11%
Student services11%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance13%
Other1%

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$11,644 per pupil
2019$10,741 per pupil
2018$11,241 per pupil
2017$10,876 per pupil
2016$10,522 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic46.9%
District 49.8% · CA 56.1%
White33.9%
District 37.5% · CA 19.9%
Asian10.7%
District 6.3% · CA 10.2%
Black5.2%
District 2.3% · CA 4.8%
Other3.3%
District 4.1% · CA 9.0%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 25.6% (38pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$133K · CA $85K
Median home value$542K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+39% · CA 35%
ZIP population15,294
Median age39 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), 38% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Stone Creek Elementary a good elementary school?

Stone Creek Elementary has a Scope Score of 43 out of 100, placing it in the 52nd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #2,780 statewide. 24.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 3.6 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 Stone Creek Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 48.2% of students at Stone Creek Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 24.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 24.9% 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. 534 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Stone Creek Elementary rank in California?

Stone Creek Elementary ranks #2,780 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 52nd 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 Stone Creek Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Stone Creek Elementary increases by 5.7 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 Stone Creek Elementary?

5.4% of students at Stone 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 2.8%. 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 Stone Creek Elementary compare to other schools in Madera?

Stone Creek Elementary scores 43/100 (52nd 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 672 students. Use the schools in Madera page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

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

At Stone Creek Elementary in Madera, 39.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 46.3% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Stone Creek Elementary trails its district average for low-income students by 6.5 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (41.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (50.3% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 37.6 percentage points for disabilities 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%
24.9%
↑ vs CA 21.3% · 54th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
+5.7pp
↑ vs CA -2.9pp · 35th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
48.2%
↑ vs CA 42.7% · 54th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
5.4%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 70th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.8%
↓ vs CA 1.6% · 40th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
17.6%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 50th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 310729%13%28%30%42%−1
Grade 47034%21%13%31%56%+11
Grade 59028%36%18%19%63%+15
Grade 67148%23%13%17%70%+24
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 310723%24%29%23%48%+2
Grade 47019%24%40%17%43%+1
Grade 59017%21%27%36%38%+2
Grade 67031%29%20%20%60%+25
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/119014%23%52%10%

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 Disadvantaged9839.8%−7+2
Hispanic/Latino16350.3%−0+11
White11565.2%−1+3
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Stone Creek Elementary ←4324.9%48.2%+5.72.8%
California average4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20225684#92435.3%67.6%3.3%0.6%-3.4pp
20236186#82033.8%60.7%1.3%0.9%-3.8pp
20244865#201127.6%54.6%2.6%1.4%+6.4pp
20254352#278024.9%48.2%5.4%2.8%+5.7pp
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female3.4%
Male6.0%
Asian7.6%
Black/African American15.4%
Hispanic/Latino4.7%
Students with Disabilities5.7%
English Learners4.8%
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged10.0%
All Students4.7%
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