Cuddeback Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Cuddeback Union Elementary

Cuddeback Union Elementary is a small K-8 district in Humboldt County serving around a hundred-and-fifty students. The enrollment is distributed across all nine grades, with a notably larger kindergarten class and smaller numbers in the upper middle grades. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and a small number of American Indian/Alaska Native students. Free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility data was not available.

In English language arts, the district shows a pattern of stronger early performance that weakens significantly in the upper grades. Third-grade proficiency on state assessments is above what many districts achieve, but by fourth grade performance drops notably, and by seventh grade it falls to less than three in ten students. Math results are more consistently low across the grade band, with third graders reaching a respectable rate but fourth graders already below half, and performance continuing to decline through the middle grades. Fifth-grade science proficiency is similarly low. The data for eighth grade is suppressed, likely due to small cohort size, which limits what can be said about the district's oldest students.

Across all tested grades and subjects, the district's overall proficiency sits above the midpoint among Humboldt County's districts, a meaningful position given the range of performance across the county. The district also ranks in the top quartile of county districts on chronic absenteeism, a strength that speaks to engagement or access. Per-pupil spending falls in the lower-middle range for the county.

The housing market in the area reflects broader county trends. Home values have declined modestly over the past year and are below the state benchmark. Mortgage rates remain elevated, and the mortgage-to-income ratio suggests housing costs are a real factor for families in the district. The local economy shows moderate unemployment and median household income in line with national levels.

The district operates a single school, Cuddeback Elementary. No recent or ongoing parent-relevant changes in district policy or operations were documented in available sources. Parents considering this district may want to look further into the significant gap between third-grade performance and the sharp drop by fourth grade, and what instructional support or intervention strategies exist to address the weakness in math across all grades.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

159

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 15%

White 69%

Two+ 11%

Am. Indian / AK Native 4%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

55%

—

Gr 4

58%

—

Gr 7

—

25%

Math

Gr ALL

38%

—

Gr 4

58%

—

Gr 7

—

25%

Science

Gr HS

40%

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

Cuddeback Elementary

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

5 grades reported

73%

Grade 3

52%

Grade 4

21%

Grade 5

38%

Grade 6

19%

Grade 7

English Language Arts

5 grades reported

80%

Grade 3

48%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 6

29%

Grade 7

Science

1 grade reported

21%

Grade 5

Social Studies

1 grade reported

62%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$375,386

Year-over-year change-9.0%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$358K to $561K

vs. state typical0.48x

vs. national typical1.02x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
95528	Carlotta	$358K	-8.9%	91.4%
95549	Kneeland	$561K	-9.6%	8.6%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,894/mo

Home price / national median income4.5x

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.