Folsom-Cordova Unified’s 24 public elementary schools run from the 2nd to the 96th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). They sit in all four bands, from Strong to Needs Support.
Elementary · 24 schools
from 2nd to 96th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Folsom Cordova K-8 Community Charter: 61st percentile, Solid
Peter J. Shields Elementary: 58th percentile, Solid
Navigator Elementary: 57th percentile, Solid
Mather Heights Elementary: 55th percentile, Solid
New Pacific Charter - Rancho Cordova: 26th percentile, Developing
Cordova Gardens Academy of Arts and Sciences: 23rd percentile, Needs Support
Rancho Cordova Elementary: 20th percentile, Needs Support
Cordova Meadows Elementary: 9th percentile, Needs Support
White Rock Elementary: 6th percentile, Needs Support
Cordova Villa Elementary: 4th percentile, Needs Support
Williamson Elementary: 2nd percentile, Needs Support
6Needs Support
1Developing
6Solid
11Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school.
Middle and high school pictures
Middle · 6 schools
from 16th to 93rd · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests
Folsom Middle: 93rd percentile, Strong
Sutter Middle: 88th percentile, Strong
Folsom Cordova K-8 Community Charter: 61st percentile, Solid
W. E. Mitchell Middle: 32nd percentile, Developing
Mills Middle: 17th percentile, Needs Support
Innovations Academy: 16th percentile, Needs Support
2Needs Support
1Developing
1Solid
2Strong
High · 4 schools
from 5th to 90th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests
Vista del Lago High: 90th percentile, Strong
Folsom High: 87th percentile, Strong
Cordova High: 18th percentile, Needs Support
Walnutwood High (Independent Study): 5th percentile, Needs Support
2Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
2Strong
← lower percentilehigher →
One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level. 1 of the 33 ranked schools teaches two levels, so it appears in more than one picture.
The average elementary school in Folsom-Cordova Unified had 12 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 Folsom-Cordova Unified score highest?
Folsom Middle is highest, at the 93rd percentile.
That’s higher than 93 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).
Highest in Folsom-Cordova Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean
Folsom MiddleFolsom · Broad base · Grade-to-grade gains
The average middle school in Folsom-Cordova Unified had 14 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.
High schools
Which high schools in Folsom-Cordova Unified score highest?
Vista del Lago High is highest, at the 90th percentile.
That’s higher than 90 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests).
Highest in Folsom-Cordova Unified
Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean
The average high school in Folsom-Cordova Unified had 14 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100.
2 high schools not ranked statewide
Continuation schools and court and community schools enroll students differently from a regular school, so each is compared only with its own kind or not ranked.
Prospect Community DayCommunity 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 Folsom-Cordova Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?
Folsom-Cordova Unified spent $16,736 per student in the 2024–25 school year.
The typical California district spent $20,491. About 58 cents of every Folsom-Cordova Unified 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
Instruction58%
Instruction support12%
Student services11%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other3%
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
$29.8 million
planned in its 2026–27 plan for 24 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 8% of its $379.7 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, 139 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.
Where the money goes
Three actions take 53% of the money; their titles are below. The plan itself puts 90% of it toward staff.
Action 1 $7.4 million
Action 2 $4.8 million
Comprehensive focus to Increase student attendance rates and reduce chronic absences $3.6 million
21 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help
3 of the plan’s 24 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.
Actions whose titles name reading, math or English learners
Reading $9.8 million
Math $9.8 million
English learners $2.4 million
An action naming two of these appears under both.
Largest of these
Improve English Language Arts and Mathematics results: specific emphasis on marginalized and underserved student populations to meet grade level standard$7.4 million
Improve English Language Arts and Mathematics results: specific emphasis on English Learners, foster youth, and students with disabilities to meet grade-level standards$2.4 million
Professional learning and instructional strategies to guarantee English Learner students access to instruction and improve achievement$2.4 million
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 $20.7 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $21.3 million and estimates it spent $19.7 million, $1.6 million (7%) less than planned (our arithmetic).
$19.7 million spent (estimated)$21.3 million planned
Ask: Why did estimated spending on these services come in $1.6 million under the 2025–26 plan, and where does that money go in 2026–27?
What changed
The total is $27.9 million (1472%) higher than in the 2025–26 plan. We couldn’t match $29.8 million of this $29.8 million plan to individual actions in last year’s plan. These lists cover the rest.
New in the 2026–27 plan
Improve English Language Arts and Mathematics results: specific emphasis on marginalized and underserved student populations to meet grade level standard$7.4 million
Comprehensive Focus to increase the high school graduation rate and decrease the dropout rate for all students$4.8 million
Comprehensive focus to Increase student attendance rates and reduce chronic absences$3.6 million
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 2024–25Goal 1
60%
59%
down 1 pt
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 1
49%
49%
no change
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 2
13 in 100
13 in 100
no change
Suspended at least onceGoal 2
3.1%
3.4%
up 0.3 pts
Goal 5 tracks named schools and Goals 3 and 4 track other measures, so they aren’t shown here.
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.
The plan’s own titles and amounts
Improve English Language Arts and Mathematics results: specific emphasis on marginalized and underserved student populations to meet grade level standard · $7,417,579
Comprehensive Focus to increase the high school graduation rate and decrease the dropout rate for all students · $4,799,077
Comprehensive focus to Increase student attendance rates and reduce chronic absences · $3,649,938
The full plan5 goals, 42 measures and where the money goes
We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($29.8 million).
Where does the money go?
42% to Goal 2. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars and coloured by its change since last year’s plan. Tap a box to open its goal.
not compared: unconfirmed, or repeated across goals
Every goal, in the plan’s order
Goal 1Goal - Student progress and educational outcomes will be monitored to increase and improve success with an…$9.9 million33% of action budgets
“Goal - Student progress and educational outcomes will be monitored to increase and improve success with an emphasis on historically marginalized and most vulnerable student populations (State Priority 4, and 8) 1.01 - Ensure students are meeting grade-level standards in ELA and math (1st, 3rd, 5th, 8th, and 11th grades) with a specific emphasis on marginalized and underserved student populations 1.02 - Ensure English Learners, Foster Youth, and Students with Disabilities make grade-level progress through access to grade-level curriculum and quality first instruction. 1.03 - Improve TK/Kindergarten readiness as measured by curriculum-embedded assessment. 1.04 - Grad rate focus; monitor yearly high school progress to ensure all students make annual progress toward graduating within their 4-year cohort” p. 25 ↗
4 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Improve English Language Arts and Mathematics results: specific emphasis on marginalized and underserved student populations to meet grade level standard$7.4 millionaction 1.1 · p. 89 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $3.7 million is state funding counted toward those services
Improve English Language Arts and Mathematics results: specific emphasis on English Learners, foster youth, and students with disabilities to meet grade-level standards$2.4 millionaction 1.2 · p. 89 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.2 million is state funding counted toward those services
TK/Kinder Readiness: Provide access to early childhood education for eligible students and families$0.1 millionaction 1.3 · p. 89 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Grad rate focus: monitor yearly high school progress to ensure all students make annual progress toward graduating within their 4- year cohortunder $0.1 millionaction 1.4 · p. 89 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Improve English Language Arts and Mathematics results: specific emphasis on marginalized and underserved student populations to meet grade level standard · $7.4 million · p. 89 ↗new or renamed
Improve English Language Arts and Mathematics results: specific emphasis on English Learners, foster youth, and students with disabilities to meet grade-level standards · $2.4 million · p. 89 ↗new or renamed
TK/Kinder Readiness: Provide access to early childhood education for eligible students and families · $61,302 · p. 89 ↗new or renamed
Grad rate focus: monitor yearly high school progress to ensure all students make annual progress toward graduating within their 4- year cohort · $35,232 · p. 89 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 11 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 25 ↗.
Goal 2Goal 2 - Increase parent and student engagement and provide a safe, healthy, and positive school climate with…$12.6 million42% of action budgets
“Goal 2 - Increase parent and student engagement and provide a safe, healthy, and positive school climate with an intentional focus on social-emotional learning and outcomes for LCAP student groups (State Priority 3, 5, and 6). 2.01 Increase student attendance rates and reduce chronic absences. 2.02 Increase the high school graduation rate and decrease the dropout rate for all students. 2.03 Reduce student suspensions, expulsion rates, and bullying incidents. 2.04 Increase opportunities for family engagement, parent input, and the utilization of volunteers. 2.05 Improve the efficacy and accessibility of district communications to increase two-way engagement with all stakeholders and foster community partnerships” p. 38 ↗
6 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Comprehensive Focus to increase the high school graduation rate and decrease the dropout rate for all students$4.8 millionaction 2.2 · p. 90 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $3.4 million is state funding counted toward those services
Comprehensive focus to Increase student attendance rates and reduce chronic absences$3.6 millionaction 2.1 · p. 90 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $3.4 million is state funding counted toward those services
Comprehensive and Restorative Approach to reduce suspensions, expulsions, and bullying incidents$3.2 millionaction 2.3 · p. 90 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $2.7 million is state funding counted toward those services
Enhance family engagement and increase parent/family input with a focus on LCAP student groups (EL, Low income and Foster)$0.6 millionaction 2.4 · p. 90 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $490,064 is state funding counted toward those services
Services and Support for Foster and Homeless$0.2 millionaction 2.6 · p. 90 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
1 more funded action in this goal
Increase two-way engagement with all educational partners and foster community partnerships · action 2.5 · p. 90 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $117,200 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Comprehensive Focus to increase the high school graduation rate and decrease the dropout rate for all students · $4.8 million · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
Comprehensive focus to Increase student attendance rates and reduce chronic absences · $3.6 million · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
Comprehensive and Restorative Approach to reduce suspensions, expulsions, and bullying incidents · $3.2 million · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
Enhance family engagement and increase parent/family input with a focus on LCAP student groups (EL, Low income and Foster) · $561,654 · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
Services and Support for Foster and Homeless · $223,310 · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
Increase two-way engagement with all educational partners and foster community partnerships · $191,067 · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 12 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 38 ↗.
Goal 3Goal 3 - Provide all students with high-quality classroom instruction and access to a broad course of study…$4.0 million13% of action budgets
“Goal 3 - Provide all students with high-quality classroom instruction and access to a broad course of study (State Priority 2, 4, and 7) 3.01 - Provide Transformative Social-emotional learning (SEL) and culturally relevant professional development on instructional strategies and essential standards. 3.02 - Provide professional development opportunities in quality first instruction. 3.03 - Ensure all teachers use research-based EL instructional strategies to guarantee students access to instruction and improve achievement. 3.04 - Provide access to A-G, CTE, IB, AP, and STEM courses to ensure students are college and career-ready” p. 52 ↗
4 funded actions · reworded since the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Professional learning and instructional strategies to guarantee English Learner students access to instruction and improve achievement$2.4 millionaction 3.3 · p. 90 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $806,291 is state funding counted toward those services
Provide professional development opportunities in quality first instruction$1.4 millionaction 3.2 · p. 90 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.1 million is state funding counted toward those services
Focus support to ensure students are college and career-ready underserved populations$0.2 millionaction 3.4 · p. 91 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Integrated Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Trainingunder $0.1 millionaction 3.1 · p. 90 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Professional learning and instructional strategies to guarantee English Learner students access to instruction and improve achievement · $2.4 million · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
Provide professional development opportunities in quality first instruction · $1.4 million · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
Focus support to ensure students are college and career-ready underserved populations · $212,748 · p. 91 ↗new or renamed
Integrated Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Training · $29,491 · p. 90 ↗new or renamed
1.4% Diploma Program Completers retrieved CHS(June 2023)
Target for year 3
2% Diploma Program Completers retrieved CHS(June 2026)
6 more measures in the plan’s table.
Goal 4 · Maintenance of Progress GoalGoal 4 - All students will receive equitable instruction from highly qualified teachers and have access to…$2.9 million10% of action budgets
“Goal 4 - All students will receive equitable instruction from highly qualified teachers and have access to curriculum which promotes college and career readiness (State Priority 1) 4.01 - Maintain the appropriate assignment of fully credentialed teachers and provide new teacher support and all staff training. 4.02 - Maintain schools in good repair to foster a safe and positive environment. 4.03 - Educators use linguistically and culturally responsive instructional strategies and materials designed to address academic content standards and the cultural, social, physical, and emotional well-being of all students” p. 60 ↗
3 funded actions · no goal 4 in the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Provide linguistically and culturally responsive instructional strategies and materials and programs$2.2 millionaction 4.3 · p. 92 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Foster a safe and positive environment; Implement school safety and security measures$0.6 millionaction 4.2 · p. 91 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $101,068 is state funding counted toward those services
Employee Pathways for Recruitment and Retention$0.1 millionaction 4.1 · p. 91 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Provide linguistically and culturally responsive instructional strategies and materials and programs · $2.2 million · p. 92 ↗new or renamed
Foster a safe and positive environment; Implement school safety and security measures · $626,715 · p. 91 ↗new or renamed
Employee Pathways for Recruitment and Retention · $50,002 · p. 91 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 3 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 60 ↗.
“By 2027, the three (3) schools (Cordova Gardens Elementary (CGE), Kinney High School (KHS), and Prospect Community Day School (PCDS) with very low-performing student groups on the 2023 California School Dashboard wiill (CME and CVE) continue to be monitored in metrics. 5.01 - Chronic Absenteeism will improve by 10% (CGE) 5.02 - English Learner progress rate will improve by 10% (CGE) 5.03 - College & Career Indicator will improve by 10% (KHS) 5.03 - Graduation rate will improve by 10% (KHS) 5.04 - SBAC ELA Distance From Met will improve by 10 scale score points (Continued focus) 5.05 - SBAC Math Distance From Met will improve by 10 scale score points (Continued focus) 5.06 - Suspension rate will improve by 5% (CGE, KHS, PCDS)” p. 65 ↗
7 funded actions · no goal 5 in the 2025–26 plan
Largest funded actions
Class size reduction teachers and paraeducators at Kinney High, Cordova Gardens and Cordova Meadows to increase student achievement$280,592action 5.1 · p. 92 ↗
Continuation Teacher at Kinney High School and Community Day Teacher at Prospect Community Day School to increase student achievement$44,276action 5.2 · p. 92 ↗
Restorative Specialist at Prospect Community Day School and additional school clerk time at Kinney High, Cordova Gardens to increase attendance and school connectedness$44,010action 5.3 · p. 92 ↗
Supplemental Instructional Materials for Kinney High School, Prospect and Cordova Gardens$32,405action 5.9 · p. 93 ↗
Experiential Learning (Van Fuel) at KHS · action 5.8 · p. 93 ↗$20,531
Professional development and classified release time at Kinney High School and Cordova Villa · action 5.5 · p. 93 ↗$6,837
Every other line in this goal, against last year’s plan
Class size reduction teachers and paraeducators at Kinney High, Cordova Gardens and Cordova Meadows to increase student achievement · $280,592 · p. 92 ↗new or renamed
Continuation Teacher at Kinney High School and Community Day Teacher at Prospect Community Day School to increase student achievement · $44,276 · p. 92 ↗new or renamed
Restorative Specialist at Prospect Community Day School and additional school clerk time at Kinney High, Cordova Gardens to increase attendance and school connectedness · $44,010 · p. 92 ↗new or renamed
Supplemental Instructional Materials for Kinney High School, Prospect and Cordova Gardens · $32,405 · p. 93 ↗new or renamed
Program resource costs · $22,933 · p. 93 ↗new or renamed
Experiential Learning (Van Fuel) at KHS · $20,531 · p. 93 ↗new or renamed
Professional development and classified release time at Kinney High School and Cordova Villa · $6,837 · p. 93 ↗new or renamed
A reworded title counts as new.
How the plan measures it · 7 measures
None of these has an all-students line we can quote; the plan’s table lists them from p. 65 ↗.
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, 21,944 students
1White35%
2Hispanic or Latino23%
3Asian22%
4Two or more races12%
5Black or African American4%
6Filipino3%
7Pacific Islander<1%
8American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
9Not reported<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools.
Free or reduced-price meals
36%
Across California, 63% of students qualify.
2024–25 · 7,907 of 21,863 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 Folsom-Cordova Unified 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, 54% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (1,300 of 2,417 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.
7 schools getting state support, 2025–26
1 in most intensive support · 3 in extra targeted support · 3 in targeted support
This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.
Which public schools in Folsom-Cordova Unified rank highest?
Elementary: Alder Creek Elementary, 96th percentile (Strong). Middle: Folsom Middle, 93rd percentile (Strong). High: Vista del Lago High, 90th percentile (Strong). 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 Folsom-Cordova Unified 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 Folsom-Cordova Unified good?
Folsom-Cordova Unified’s 24 public elementary schools run from the 2nd to the 96th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 11 Strong, 6 Solid, 1 Developing and 6 Needs Support. Folsom-Cordova Unified’s 6 public middle schools run from the 16th to the 93rd percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 2 Strong, 1 Solid, 1 Developing and 2 Needs Support. Folsom-Cordova Unified’s 4 public high schools run from the 5th to the 90th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 2 Strong and 2 Needs Support. 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 Folsom-Cordova Unified compare with California?
The average elementary school in Folsom-Cordova Unified had 12 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 Folsom-Cordova Unified had 14 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. The average high school in Folsom-Cordova Unified had 14 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California high school we score had 22 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.
How much does Folsom-Cordova Unified spend per student?
Folsom-Cordova Unified spent $16,736 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 58 cents of every Folsom-Cordova Unified 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 Folsom-Cordova Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?
The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $29.8 million into 24 funded actions in 5 goals, 8% of its $379.7 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $12.6 million, 42% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.
Where do these results come from?
California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, 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 Folsom-Cordova Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school
Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.