ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in
Willits Elementary Charter · Willits

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

Willits Elementary Charter posts low test scores — and test scores are one lens among several. If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

405 East Commercial Street, 95490 (opens in new tab)·Willits Unified·Willits·Grades K-5·123 students·69% low-income·Charter·2024–25 CAASPP·(707) 459-1400·Website
Charter school — publicly funded, independently operated, open enrollment via lottery. Learn more
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope2045
% Exceeded13%21%
% Met+39%43%
Growth-38.9-2.9
Absence25.0%17.9%
Suspension1.4%1.6%
Scope Score
20
🌱 Building Momentum · Needs Support
ranked #5,560 statewide

Willits Elementary Charter scores 20 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 3rd 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.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “39% proficient” and call it done. Willits Elementary Charter deserves a closer read. The school sits in Willits, where two-thirds of 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.

As a charter, Willits Elementary Charter enrolls by application rather than address. That changes how you get in, but it doesn't change the score.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 5,744 elementary schools statewide

Slipped from the 46th to the 3rd percentile since 2019.

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 39% meet the standard today, versus 52% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 373%64%46%38%63%
Grade 443%68%57%41%50%
Grade 543%28%63%60%22%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 364%55%50%38%46%
Grade 448%60%57%15%46%
Grade 543%12%21%38%9%

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%
33%
38%
Grade 3 · 62% proficient
23%
27%
50%
Grade 4 · 50% proficient
17%
79%
Grade 5 · 21% proficient

The 5 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
13.5%
State 21.3%
7.8pp below state avg
Growth (G3→G5)
-38.9pp
State -2.9pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
39.1%
State 42.7%
3.5pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
25.0%
State 17.9%
7.1pp above state avg
Suspension rate
1.4%
State 1.6%
0.2pp 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 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 Willits Elementary Charter in Willits, 39.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 17.5% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Willits Elementary Charter outperforms its district average for low-income students by 21.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (21.4% Math proficient); White students (50.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 18.2 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 28 students tested.

All students at this school: 40% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 40%, district —, state 43%40%
WhiteWhite: this school 45%, district 15%, state 56%45% · +5 vs school
MaleMale: this school 29%, district 13%, state 42%29% · −11 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 30%, district 13%, state 32%30% · −9 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 62%, district 17%, state 44%62% · +22 vs school

6 of 11 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 27.2pp from grade 3 to grade 5 at this school. District average: +5.2pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 25.0%, district 36.2%, state 17.9%25.0% · +7.1pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 1.4%, district —, state 1.6%1.4% · −0.2pp vs state

Where the path goes

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

K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
Willits Elementary CharterCharter
20/100
This school
▼
High School
No feeder data available for this level

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

Planning ahead? 5 licensed preschools near this school →

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 15:1, district 18:115:1
Teaching staff9 teachers
Avg. experience9.1 years
Fully credentialed65%
First-year teachers11%
Intern / emergency permit23.4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$57,887 – $114,866
Principal salary$131,878 – $152,799
Superintendent salary$200,416

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $13,882, CA average $14,815$13,882 · district average
District current expense · FY 2024–25$22,689 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
Instruction58%
Instruction support11%
Student services10%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance12%
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$13,882 per pupil
2019$13,132 per pupil
2018$14,219 per pupil
2017$11,286 per pupil
2016$10,756 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

White68.6%
District 36.4% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic21.4%
District 32.8% · CA 56.1%
Other8.6%
District 29.6% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.7%
District 0.6% · CA 10.2%
Black0.7%
District 0.6% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 69.1% (5pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$80K · CA $85K
Median home value$393K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+25% · CA 35%
ZIP population14,677
Median age44 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 123 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California elementary school (≈480).

On the state's science test (CAST), 9% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Willits Elementary Charter a good elementary school?

Willits Elementary Charter has a Scope Score of 20 out of 100, placing it in the 3rd percentile of California elementary schools and ranked #5,560 statewide. 13.5% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 7.8 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 Willits Elementary Charter's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 39.1% of students at Willits Elementary Charter met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 13.5% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 25.7% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 13.5% 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. 146 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Willits Elementary Charter rank in California?

Willits Elementary Charter ranks #5,560 among California elementary schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 3rd 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 Willits Elementary Charter getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Willits Elementary Charter decreases by 38.9 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 Willits Elementary Charter?

25.0% of students at Willits Elementary Charter are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 17.9%. The suspension rate is 1.4%, 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 Willits Elementary Charter compare to other schools in Willits?

Willits Elementary Charter scores 20/100 (3rd 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 123 students. Use the schools in Willits page or the map view to compare all elementary schools nearby.

How does Willits Elementary Charter serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Willits Elementary Charter in Willits, 39.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 17.5% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Willits Elementary Charter outperforms its district average for low-income students by 21.8 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (21.4% Math proficient); White students (50.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 18.2 percentage points for low-income students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 28 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

All schools in Willits →

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

How to get into a charter school in LA →
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%
13.5%
↓ vs CA 21.3% · 42th pctile
Growth (G3→G5) · 27%
-38.9pp
↓ vs CA -2.9pp · 2th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
39.1%
↓ vs CA 42.7% · 47th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
25.0%
↓ vs CA 17.9% · 39th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
1.4%
↑ vs CA 1.6% · 52th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 32429%33%21%17%63%+19
Grade 42623%27%23%27%50%+5
Grade 5234%17%39%39%22%−26
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 32417%29%38%17%46%+0
Grade 4268%38%35%19%46%+5
Grade 5230%9%13%78%9%−27
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/11230%9%78%13%

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 Disadvantaged2839.3%+22+1
White5050.0%+28−12
03Peer comparison · nearest elementary schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Willits Elementary Charter ←—2013.5%39.1%−38.91.4%
Blosser Lane Elementary1.2 mi193.8%16.7%−5.28.0%
California average—4521.3%42.7%−2.91.6%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194146#298325.9%52.4%12.8%0.1%-24.7pp
20222726#424318.9%47.6%23.0%0.7%-39.3pp
20234462#217017.6%48.7%32.6%0.1%-6.3pp
20243839#347611.7%38.3%19.1%1.4%+10.3pp
2025203#556013.5%39.1%25.0%1.4%-38.9pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
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

← Browse all schools