Delano Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Delano Union Elementary

Delano Union Elementary serves kindergarten through eighth grade across a school system in Kern County, California. The district encompasses a community with a population that is predominantly Hispanic, and the schools sit in an area where housing values are moderate relative to California statewide benchmarks, with rental costs also more affordable than the state median.

In the most recent testing year, Delano's English language arts results show a mixed picture across grade levels. Performance improves as students advance, with third and fourth graders showing proficiency rates in the low forties, while middle school students in seventh and eighth grade post results in the mid-fifties. Math proficiency tells a different story. Across all tested grades, math results cluster in the low-to-mid thirties, with no grade showing substantially stronger performance. Fifth grade represents the lowest point in math, while third grade performs relatively better. Science proficiency, tested in fifth and eighth grades, runs in the upper twenties. The district's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among Kern County's districts, a meaningful marker given that this comparison reflects actual performance against a broad set of neighboring districts countywide.

The student body enrolled across the district's twelve schools numbers in the thousands, with roughly even distribution across grades. The enrollment is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with substantial Asian representation as well, and very small populations of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Free-and-reduced-price lunch data was not available, so a reader cannot assess the share of students from lower-income households using that standard metric.

Chronic absenteeism in the district runs at a notably low rate compared to Kern County peers, placing Delano in the top quartile on that measure. This suggests strong school engagement and attendance culture. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range among county districts, indicating the district directs substantial resources per student. No recent data on special education or English learner enrollment rates was available to review.

The district operates schools with subject-focused designations: two middle grades schools carry math and science academy designations, and one elementary school is designated as a language academy. Beyond those program identifiers, program details, course breadth, or elective offerings were not available in the data. Similarly, information about recent strategic shifts, operational changes, or new initiatives in the district was not found.

A parent or resident considering this district should understand that it delivers above-average performance by county standards but faces real challenges in math instruction across all grade levels. English language arts shows a clearer trajectory of growth into middle school. The district serves a predominantly Hispanic student population in a region with moderate housing costs and demonstrates strong attendance. For families prioritizing countywide comparative standing and attendance discipline, this district shows strength. For those seeking to understand the drivers behind math performance or exploring specialized programs beyond the named academies, further conversation with individual schools would help clarify what fits their needs.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

6,235

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 87%

Black 0%

White 1%

Asian 9%

Two+ 1%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

47%

—

Gr 3

40%

61%

Gr 4

39%

66%

Gr 5

41%

61%

Gr 6

51%

77%

Gr 7

60%

78%

Gr 8

53%

68%

Math

Gr ALL

33%

—

Gr 3

36%

61%

Gr 4

34%

51%

Gr 5

30%

51%

Gr 6

32%

61%

Gr 7

32%

53%

Gr 8

33%

56%

Science

Gr 5

27%

49%

Gr 8

23%

42%

Gr HS

25%

—

Schools in this District

12 schools are officially reported under this district.

Cecil Avenue Math and Science Academy

Del Vista Math and Science Academy

Fremont Elementary

Terrace Elementary

Princeton Street Elementary

Albany Park Elementary

Nueva Vista Language Academy

Pioneer

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

39%

Grade 3

36%

Grade 4

32%

Grade 5

35%

Grade 6

34%

Grade 7

35%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

42%

Grade 3

42%

Grade 4

44%

Grade 5

54%

Grade 6

62%

Grade 7

54%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

29%

Grade 5

25%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

47%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$335,462

Year-over-year change+0.7%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$310K to $348K

vs. state typical0.43x

vs. national typical0.91x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
93215	Delano	$334K	+1.1%	53.7%
93308		$348K	-0.1%	17.4%
93250	Mc Farland	$310K	-0.4%	5.5%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,285/mo

Year-over-year change+1.6%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,250 to $1,394/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
93215	Delano	$1,250	—	53.7%
93308		$1,394	+1.6%	17.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,693/mo

Home price / national median income4.0x

Annual rent / national median income18.4%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$407/mo

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.