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Washington Elementary · Winton

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

Washington posts low test scores — and suspensions run below the state rate (0.5% vs 1.6%). If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

4402 West Oakdale Road, 95388 (opens in new tab)·Merced River Union Elementary·Winton·Grades TK-8·295 students·80% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(209) 358-5679·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope2945
% Exceeded16%21%
% Met+35%43%
Growth-6.3-2.9
Absence13.5%17.9%
Suspension0.5%1.6%
Scope Score
29
🤝 Culture First · Needs Support
ranked #4,870 statewide

Washington Elementary scores 29 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 15th 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 “35% proficient” and call it done. Washington deserves a closer read. The school sits in Winton, where three in four 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 26th to the 15th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAOrange(Declined Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 35% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 350%39%52%42%35%
Grade 424%23%22%38%37%
Grade 550%42%45%44%31%
Grade 630%33%46%42%42%
Grade 758%57%64%42%34%
Grade 850%68%43%45%50%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 355%39%63%42%32%
Grade 424%30%22%46%48%
Grade 522%27%24%33%24%
Grade 65%17%25%27%26%
Grade 726%29%43%38%38%
Grade 840%63%43%39%39%

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.

16%
19%
65%
Grade 3 · 35% proficient
22%
15%
63%
Grade 4 · 37% proficient
10%
21%
69%
Grade 5 · 31% proficient

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
16.4%
State 21.3%
5.0pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-6.3pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
34.7%
State 42.7%
8.0pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
13.5%
State 17.9%
4.4pp below state avg
Suspension rate
0.5%
State 1.6%
1.1pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
15.9%
State 18.0%
2.1pp below 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 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 Washington Elementary in Winton, 36.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 36.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Washington Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (29.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (32.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 6.5 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 147 students tested.

All students at this school: 36% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 36%, district —, state 43%36%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 33%, district 33%, state 32%33% · −3 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 27%, district 27%, state 32%27% · −10 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 37%, district 37%, state 44%37% · +1 vs school
MaleMale: this school 35%, district 35%, state 42%35% · −1 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 48%, district 48%, state 56%48% · +12 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.

Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 2.6pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +2.6pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 13.5%, district 13.5%, state 17.9%13.5% · −4.4pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.5%, district —, state 1.6%0.5% · −1.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–615.1%
Grades 7–810.6%
TK/K14.0%

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 27:1, district 27:127:1
Teaching staff13 teachers
Avg. experience5.1 years
Fully credentialed100%
First-year teachers31%

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $19,632, CA average $14,815$19,632 · spent at this school
Federal share$1,037 per student

$1,037 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$17,775 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
Instruction71%
Instruction support5%
Student services10%
Administration11%
Buildings & maintenance3%

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$10,234 per pupil
2019$11,222 per pupil
2018$11,757 per pupil
2017$11,403 per pupil
2016$10,034 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic53.9%
District 53.9% · CA 56.1%
White40.7%
District 40.7% · CA 19.9%
Other4.1%
District 4.1% · CA 9.0%
Black1.4%
District 1.4% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 79.7% (16pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$57K · CA $85K
Median home value$345K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+9% · CA 35%
ZIP population13,319
Median age30 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), 28% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Washington Elementary a good elementary school?

Washington Elementary has a Scope Score of 29 out of 100, placing it in the 15th percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #4,870 statewide. 16.4% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 5.0 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 Washington Elementary's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 34.7% of students at Washington Elementary met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 16.4% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 18.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 16.4% 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. 174 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Washington Elementary rank in California?

Washington Elementary ranks #4,870 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 15th 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 Washington Elementary getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Washington Elementary decreases by 6.3 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 Washington Elementary?

13.5% of students at Washington 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 Washington Elementary compare to other schools in Winton?

Washington Elementary scores 29/100 (15th 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 295 students. Use the schools in Winton page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

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

At Washington Elementary in Winton, 36.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 36.7% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Washington Elementary outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (29.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (32.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 6.5 percentage points for hispanic students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 147 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%
16.4%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 45th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-6.3pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 16th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
34.7%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 44th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
13.5%
↑ vs CA 17.9% · 57th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.5%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 59th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
15.9%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 48th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 33116%19%23%42%35%−8
Grade 42722%15%33%30%37%−8
Grade 52910%21%34%34%31%−17
Grade 63116%26%29%29%42%−5
Grade 7293%31%38%28%34%−13
Grade 83017%33%43%7%50%+4
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 33113%19%35%32%32%−13
Grade 42730%19%41%11%48%+7
Grade 5297%17%38%38%24%−11
Grade 6316%19%29%45%26%−9
Grade 72910%28%31%31%38%+4
Grade 83123%16%26%35%39%+6
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11602%27%67%5%

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 Disadvantaged14736.7%+0−1
Hispanic/Latino10232.4%+0−6
White4746.8%+0−15
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Washington Elementary ←—2916.4%34.7%−6.30.5%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20193326#409311.8%37.4%12.8%0.1%-16.4pp
20223958#238212.8%33.5%27.0%0.0%-4.7pp
20233027#417514.0%38.0%18.7%0.3%-22.9pp
20244557#243917.8%41.1%16.1%0.3%-3.4pp
20252915#487016.4%34.7%13.5%0.5%-6.3pp
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
Female10.1%12.4%+2.3pp
Male15.7%12.9%-2.8pp
Hispanic/Latino8.0%12.4%+4.4pp
Students with Disabilities17.4%16.2%-1.2pp
English Learners6.0%6.9%+0.9pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged14.6%13.3%-1.3pp
All Students12.9%12.7%-0.2pp
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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