Los Olivos Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Los Olivos Elementary

Los Olivos Elementary is a small district in Santa Barbara County serving kindergarten through eighth grade. The district enrolls fewer than two hundred students across a grade span that includes both elementary and middle school years. The student body is predominantly white, with a meaningful Hispanic representation and smaller populations of multiracial and Asian students. Specific data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and English learner status were not available.

On state assessments, Los Olivos shows mixed results that shift notably by grade level. In English language arts, the district performs solidly in grades three through five and seven, where proficiency rates fall in the mid to upper range. Grade eight stands out with substantially higher performance. Mathematics tells a different story. Grades three and four show proficiency rates in the low to mid range, grade five dips below that, and the trend worsens in grades seven and eight, where proficiency drops to about half or lower. Science proficiency in grades five and eight sits at roughly the midpoint. Grade six data for both math and English were suppressed, likely due to small tested enrollment. Among Santa Barbara County's districts, Los Olivos' overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, a meaningful position that reflects the strength of its middle grades, particularly in English language arts.

The district's chronic absenteeism rate sits above the county median, something a parent may want to understand more fully in conversation with the school. Per-pupil spending is in the lower half of the county's middle range.

Los Olivos is located in an area where housing values are high. The district draws students from towns including Los Olivos proper, which has significantly elevated home values, alongside lower-cost areas like New Cuyama. Santa Maria and Buellton, also in the service area, are more moderately priced. Rents in the district areas reported are modest relative to the housing market overall. The affordability challenge here is primarily one of purchase price rather than rental cost.

No recent large-scale bond, parcel tax, curriculum overhaul, or operational change was documented for the district in recent years. The district operates a single school, making it a small, stable entity. A parent considering this district should weigh the solid upper-grades performance, particularly in literacy, against the softening proficiency in mathematics as students advance, and understand that the school serves both elementary and middle school age children in one location.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

151

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 22%

Black 2%

White 61%

Asian 1%

Two+ 14%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

42%

—

Gr 3

—

71%

Gr 4

—

73%

Gr 7

—

71%

Gr 8

—

92%

Math

Gr ALL

29%

—

Gr 3

—

71%

Gr 4

—

73%

Gr 7

—

50%

Gr 8

—

38%

Science

Gr 8

—

69%

Gr HS

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

Los Olivos Elementary

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

5 grades reported

64%

Grade 3

63%

Grade 4

58%

Grade 5

53%

Grade 7

33%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

5 grades reported

64%

Grade 3

69%

Grade 4

67%

Grade 5

65%

Grade 7

83%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

58%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

86%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$1.20M

Year-over-year change+0.6%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$286K to $1.9M

vs. state typical1.54x

vs. national typical3.25x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
93441	Los Olivos	$1.8M	+1.3%	39.2%
93254	New Cuyama	$286K	-4.7%	20.5%
93454	Santa Maria	$629K	+2.4%	13.9%
93460	Santa Ynez	$1.9M	+2.3%	8.1%
93427	Buellton	$920K	+1.5%	7.8%
93463	Solvang	$1.4M	+5.4%	6.8%
93440	Los Alamos	$925K	+2.5%	3.8%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,436/mo

Year-over-year change+5.1%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
93454	Santa Maria	$2,436	+5.1%	13.9%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$6,046/mo

Home price / national median income14.3x

Annual rent / national median income34.9%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$3,611/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.