Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary

Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary is a small rural district in Madera County serving kindergarten through eighth grade across four schools. The district covers a mountain region that includes the communities of Bass Lake, Oakhurst, Ahwahnee, Coarsegold, Fish Camp, and other foothills towns near Yosemite National Park. The enrollment is modest, distributed fairly evenly across grade levels.

Academic performance in this district is below what a parent would want to see. In English language arts across all tested grades, proficiency runs in the low to mid range, with stronger showing in grades four, seven, and eight compared to earlier grades. Math proficiency is notably weaker, particularly in grades five and six where fewer than a fifth of students perform at proficiency. Science testing in grades five and eight shows similar weak outcomes. A parent looking for strong core academics should understand this is an area where the district is struggling. The performance appears consistent year to year, without recent dramatic shifts.

Housing in the region is moderately priced for California, with the median home value in the mid-range and varying by immediate locale. The local economy supports a modest middle-class presence, though the area's remote mountain character means fewer job centers nearby. Many families likely commute or work in tourism, forestry, or small business. Unemployment remains modest and rents are stable, though housing affordability remains a stretch relative to median household income.

The student population is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic representation, a smaller but present Native American community, and small numbers of Asian and multiracial students. The district does not report free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility or English learner enrollment, which limits a full picture of economic need. Chronic absenteeism is a real concern; the district sits in the bottom tier among Madera County districts on this metric, suggesting either transportation challenges inherent to the mountain setting, family circumstances affecting attendance, or both. A parent considering this district should ask directly about attendance patterns and what the school does to support families in getting students to school.

Per-pupil spending is above the county median, which means the district is investing more resources per student than most of its neighbors. The district's overall proficiency index places it slightly above the midpoint among county districts, a modest position that reflects its below-state-average test results but also acknowledges that some other rural county districts perform even lower.

The district operates four schools: two elementary schools (Oakhurst and Wasuma), one intermediate school (Oak Creek), and a community day school. This structure allows for a split of grades within the K-8 band. Program details, staffing depth, and specific pathways or electives are not available in the data provided. A family interested in this district would benefit from visiting the schools directly to understand how they operate and what learning opportunities they offer beyond academics, particularly since the academic baseline is low enough that wraparound support and school culture become even more important.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

814

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 25%

Black 0%

White 65%

Asian 2%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 3%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

31%

—

Gr 3

21%

42%

Gr 4

36%

55%

Gr 5

35%

50%

Gr 6

27%

44%

Gr 7

37%

50%

Gr 8

35%

53%

Math

Gr ALL

20%

—

Gr 3

26%

63%

Gr 4

28%

50%

Gr 5

12%

36%

Gr 6

15%

24%

Gr 7

22%

50%

Gr 8

17%

35%

Science

Gr 5

22%

36%

Gr 8

18%

43%

Gr HS

20%

—

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

Fresno Flats Community Day

Oakhurst Elementary

Oak Creek Intermediate

Wasuma Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

34%

Grade 3

33%

Grade 4

18%

Grade 5

18%

Grade 6

30%

Grade 7

25%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

25%

Grade 3

41%

Grade 4

39%

Grade 5

32%

Grade 6

41%

Grade 7

42%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

26%

Grade 5

28%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

52%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$493,446

Year-over-year change-2.0%

Range across 10 ZIP codes$364K to $642K

vs. state typical0.64x

vs. national typical1.34x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (10 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
93644	Oakhurst	$436K	-2.1%	43.2%
93604	Bass Lake	$625K	-1.1%	13.9%
95389	Yosemite National Park	$642K	-5.1%	13.2%
93601	Ahwahnee	$473K	-1.8%	11.3%
93614	Coarsegold	$422K	-1.3%	8.7%
93623	Fish Camp	$471K	+1.0%	5.8%
93669	Bass Lake	$364K	-2.8%	1.7%
93653	Raymond	$469K	+0.6%	1.6%
93643	North Fork	$401K	+2.8%	0.7%
95338	Mariposa	$399K	-0.5%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,490/mo

Home price / national median income5.9x

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.