Atwater Elementary runs schools through 8th grade. Its 8 public elementary schools run from the 35th to the 64th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). High school is run by another district; confirm the school for your address with the district.
K5Elementary
68Middle
912High
Atwater Elementary · grades K–8
Another district · grades 9–12
Elementary · 8 schools
from 35th to 64th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 1 of the 10 ranked schools teaches two levels, so it appears in more than one picture.
The average elementary school in the Atwater Elementary district had 7 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.
Middle schools
Which middle schools in the Atwater Elementary district score highest?
Peggy Heller Elementary is highest, at the 53rd percentile.
That’s higher than 53 in 100 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in the Atwater Elementary district
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level.
The average middle school in the Atwater Elementary district had 11 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
1 middle school not ranked statewide
Atwater Senior AcademyCommunity day school: students are placed here by probation, district or voluntary referral, including after an expulsion, so we don’t rank it
The district
Where does Atwater Elementary’s money go, and what does it plan?
The Atwater Elementary district spent $20,375 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 66 cents of every Atwater Elementary dollar went to classroom instruction.
Spending by function
Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.
Share by function, 2024–25
Instruction66%
Instruction support10%
Student services9%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance9%
Other1%
Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.
What the district plans
$16.9 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 47 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 17% of its $97.6 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.
The plan in short
Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 142 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
The money is spread out. No action gets more than 10%, and the three largest, Intervention Teacher, School Counselors and Primary Instructional Assistants (3 hr.), take 27% between them. The plan itself puts 88% of it toward staff.
Intervention Teacher $1.7 million
School Counselors $1.5 million
Primary Instructional Assistants (3 hr.) $1.4 million
44 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
16 of the plan’s 47 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners
Reading $0.4 million
Math $0.6 million
Catch-up help $2.6 million
English learners $0.7 million
An action naming two of these appears under both.
Largest of these
Intervention Teacher$1.7 million
Math Diagnostic Tools and Intervention$578,788
Bilingual Aides (Primary Classrooms)$225,217
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth), what changed and what its goals measure
For high-need students
It plans $14.6 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $15.2 million and estimates it spent $14.5 million, $0.7 million (4%) less than planned (our arithmetic).
$14.5 million spent (estimated)$15.2 million planned
What changed
The total is $1.9 million (10%) lower than in the 2025–26 plan. The biggest change in dollars is Class Size Reduction, which went from $867,088 to $251,598.
Largest cuts
Class Size Reduction−$615,490
Facility Upgrades / Home to School Transportation−$473,070
Recruitment and Retention of Highly Qualified Teachers+$70,815
Ask: What did Class Size Reduction pay for, and what changes now that the 2026–27 plan gives it $615,490 less?
What its goals measure
Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.
What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure
2024–25
2025–26
Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1, 3 and 4
44%
43%
down 1 pt
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goals 1, 3 and 4
33%
33%
no change
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2
9 in 100
8 in 100
1 fewer in 100
Suspended at least onceGoal 2
2.7%
3.0%
up 0.3 pts
Goal 5 isn’t shown because it tracks named schools.
Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.
Tier II Social Skills Support · $38,250 → $33,000 · p. 94 ↗−$5,250
Structured Play Program · $9,000 → $9,000 · p. 93 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 18 measures · 3 quoted
Decrease the percent of students in the district reaching "chronic absentee" status as defined by state guidelinesp. 24 ↗
Baseline
9.2% (2023-2024)
Target for year 3
6.2%
Increase annual average daily attendance (ADA) for the district every yearp. 25 ↗
Baseline
95.13% (2023-2024)
Target for year 3
96.63%
Decrease the number of students who disenroll from grades 7 and 8 without enrollment into a comparable programp. 25 ↗
Baseline
2 students (2023-2024)
Target for year 3
0
15 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 3AESD will build the capacity of students, staff, and parents to develop and sustain a highly effective…$5.6 million33% of action budgets
“AESD will build the capacity of students, staff, and parents to develop and sustain a highly effective academic learning community with an appreciation of diversity and a focus on the whole child in order to ensure each child is academically, physically and emotionally healthy, engaged, supported, and challenged” p. 33 ↗
9 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $5.5 million (+$75,120)
Largest funded actions
Physical Education Teachers$1.1 millionaction 3.2 · p. 94 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Recruitment and Retention of Highly Qualified Teachers$1.0 millionaction 3.9 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Learning Directors / Associate Principals$0.9 millionaction 3.7 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $728,538 is state funding counted toward those services
Teacher Induction$0.7 millionaction 3.3 · p. 94 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $534,861 is state funding counted toward those services
Professional Development and Preparation$0.6 millionaction 3.1 · p. 94 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
4 more funded actions in this goal
Physical Education Instructional Technicians · action 3.6 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.6 million
Professional Learning Communities · action 3.5 · p. 94 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.5 million
Technology Mentors · action 3.4 · p. 94 ↗$0.1 million
Parent Education and Communication · action 3.8 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
Recruitment and Retention of Highly Qualified Teachers+$0.1 million$1.0 million → $1.0 million · p. 95 ↗
Physical Education Instructional Technicians+$21,741$608,103 → $629,844 · p. 95 ↗
Professional Development and Preparation−$11,653$642,538 → $630,885 · p. 94 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Physical Education Teachers · $1.1 million → $1.1 million · p. 94 ↗−$1,425
Teacher Induction · $719,659 → $723,872 · p. 94 ↗+$4,213
Professional Learning Communities · $465,875 → $455,099 · p. 94 ↗−$10,776
Technology Mentors · $67,680 → $59,593 · p. 94 ↗−$8,087
Parent Education and Communication · $10,000 → $10,000 · p. 95 ↗unchanged
How the plan measures it · 13 measures · 3 quoted
Maintain or increase the retention rates of new teachers to the district as measured by local data collectionp. 34 ↗
Baseline
95% (2023-2024)
Target for year 3
98%
Increase the percentage of 5th grade students participating annually in the Physical Fitness Testp. 35 ↗
Baseline
100% (2023-2024)
Target for year 3
100%
100% of students will receive 200 minutes of PE every ten days as measured by local data collectionp. 36 ↗
Baseline
100% (2023-2024)
Target for year 3
100%
10 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 4AESD will close the achievement gap and prepare all students with the knowledge and skills necessary for…$3.4 million20% of action budgets
“AESD will close the achievement gap and prepare all students with the knowledge and skills necessary for college and career success” p. 40 ↗
13 funded actions · 2025–26 plan: $3.4 million (+$61,301)
Largest funded actions
Intervention Teacher$1.7 millionaction 4.8 · p. 96 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $66,747 is state funding counted toward those services
Math Diagnostic Tools and Intervention$0.6 millionaction 4.6 · p. 96 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Outdoor Education$0.2 millionaction 4.3 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
English Learner & Newcomer Support$0.2 millionaction 4.13 · p. 97 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Translation/Interpretation Services$0.2 millionaction 4.9 · p. 96 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
8 more funded actions in this goal
Enrichment & Intervention · action 4.4 · p. 96 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
EL Progress Monitoring · action 4.12 · p. 96 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Reading Intervention Curriculum & Licensing · action 4.1 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Visual and Performing Arts · action 4.5 · p. 96 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Site Based STEAM · action 4.10 · p. 96 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Teacher Collaboration (4-8) · action 4.2 · p. 95 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
ELD Instructional Assistants · action 4.7 · p. 96 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
Enrichment Opportunities to Explore College & Career · action 4.11 · p. 96 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need servicesunder $0.1 million
Changes from last year’s plan, same title
EL Progress Monitoring+$36,200$50,400 → $86,600 · p. 96 ↗
Enrichment & Intervention−$33,423$168,887 → $135,464 · p. 96 ↗
Math Diagnostic Tools and Intervention+$28,638$550,150 → $578,788 · p. 96 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Intervention Teacher · $1.7 million → $1.7 million · p. 96 ↗+$5,747
Outdoor Education · $207,080 → $226,575 · p. 95 ↗+$19,495
English Learner & Newcomer Support · $187,381 → $187,381 · p. 97 ↗unchanged
Translation/Interpretation Services · $150,777 → $152,779 · p. 96 ↗+$2,002
Enrichment Opportunities to Explore College & Career · $10,000 → $11,861 · p. 96 ↗+$1,861
How the plan measures it · 13 measures · 3 quoted
Maintain or increase the number of participants in district provided Visual and Performing Arts activities as measured by local data collectionp. 41 ↗
Baseline
390 (2023-2024)
Target for year 3
500
100% of students have access to standards- aligned materials in mathematics and English language arts as measured by local data collectionp. 42 ↗
Baseline
100% (2023-2024)
Target for year 3
100%
Increase the percent of students eligible for promotion at Jr. High schools as measured by local data collectionp. 42 ↗
Baseline
94% (2023-2024)
Target for year 3
99%
10 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 5 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalBy Spring of 2027, AESD will support and enhance the language and literacy skills of low-income and…$100,0001% of action budgets
“By Spring of 2027, AESD will support and enhance the language and literacy skills of low-income and at-promise student populations participating in the Atwater Senior Academy, as evidenced by: -A 3% increase in overall Lexile scores per the Star Assessment, -A 5% increase in the percentage of students who are reading on grade level per Star Assessment results, and a 3% increase in the number of ELL students who grew at least one ELPI band per ELPAC assessment results” p. 50 ↗
3 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Reading Intervention Materials$50,000action 5.1 · p. 97 ↗
Literacy and Language Acquisition Staff Training$25,000action 5.2 · p. 97 ↗
Enrichment and Incentive Programming$25,000action 5.3 · p. 97 ↗
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.
Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends
Student mix
2024–25 · October enrollment count, 4,925 students
1Hispanic or Latino79%
2White12%
3Asian3%
4Two or more races2%
5Black or African American2%
6American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
7Filipino<1%
8Pacific Islander<1%
9Not reported0%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools. Rounded labels may not total 100%; segments use the original shares.
Free or reduced-price meals
79%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 3,894 of 4,925 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.
The district’s state records
Is the state giving the district extra help?
The state is giving Atwater Elementary extra help in 2026, the second year after it qualified on the 2025 Dashboard.
How English learners moved up on the state’s English test
From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 48% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (434 of 913 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
Which public schools in the Atwater Elementary district rank highest?
Elementary: Thomas Olaeta Elementary, 64th percentile (Solid). Middle: Peggy Heller Elementary, 53rd percentile (Solid). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.
Does living in the Atwater Elementary district decide which school my child attends?
Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)
Are the public schools in the Atwater Elementary district good?
Atwater Elementary’s 8 public elementary schools run from the 35th to the 64th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 4 Solid and 4 Developing. Atwater Elementary’s 3 public middle schools run from the 36th to the 53rd percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 1 Solid and 2 Developing. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.
How does chronic absence in the Atwater Elementary district compare with California?
The average elementary school in the Atwater Elementary district had 7 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in the Atwater Elementary district had 11 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does the Atwater Elementary district spend per student?
The Atwater Elementary district spent $20,375 per student in the 2024–25 school year. That’s close to the typical California district, which spent $20,491. About 66 cents of every Atwater Elementary dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.
What is in the Atwater Elementary district’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $16.9 million into 47 funded actions in 5 goals, 17% of its $97.6 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $5.6 million, 33% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP) from spring 2026 and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.
Sources and methodology
This page lists the public schools governed and funded by the Atwater Elementary district, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.