Marcum-illinois Union Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Marcum-illinois Union Elementary

Marcum-Illinois Union Elementary is a small K-8 district in Sutter County serving a rural area across several zip codes in the greater Sacramento region, including Nicolaus, Elverta, Rio Oso, and Pleasant Grove. The district has just under two hundred students across its single school, with enrollment fairly evenly distributed from kindergarten through eighth grade. The demographic makeup is predominantly white, with a meaningful Hispanic presence and smaller numbers of Asian and multiracial students; data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and English learner status were not available.

Academic performance shows a mixed picture. In English language arts across tested grades, overall proficiency sits in the middle range. Third grade performs strongest in ELA, while proficiency dips noticeably in grades four and five before rising again in grades six and seven. Math performance lags behind ELA by a few percentage points overall, with similar variation by grade. The lowest results appear in science: fifth-grade science is at about the midpoint for proficiency, but eighth-grade science proficiency falls considerably lower. The district has only one year of state testing data available; without multi-year trends, it is not possible to determine whether these numbers reflect recent movement in either direction.

Among the districts in Sutter County, Marcum-Illinois Union's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, a meaningful distinction for a small rural district. The district's chronic absenteeism rate is well above the county median, suggesting attendance may be an area worth exploring with the school. Per-pupil spending sits in the middle-to-upper range for the county.

The area's housing market, weighted across the district's service area, shows values in the mid-range for the region, with year-over-year appreciation modest. Mortgage affordability sits at a multiple of about seven times median household income, somewhat above the state average.

Two recent policy and facility developments may interest families considering the district. In February 2026, the district adopted an Immigration Enforcement Safe Haven policy, implementing California law that bars immigration agents from accessing non-public school areas or student records without judicial orders, prohibits staff from sharing citizenship information, and requires the district to notify families if immigration enforcement is confirmed on campus. Additionally, the South Sutter Charter School opened a learning center on the district's property in East Nicolaus in 2020, offering a co-located homeschool and independent-study option for families seeking that pathway alongside traditional enrollment.

The district is small and rural, serving a stable community with limited diversity but solid academic standing among its county peers. A parent may want to look into the high school pathway, since this district extends only through eighth grade. Proficiency data are current but limited to one year, so a parent interested in academic trajectory would benefit from asking the school directly about trends and instructional priorities, especially in science and in the middle grades where performance softens.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

182

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 30%

White 59%

Asian 2%

Two+ 8%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 1%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

50%

—

Gr 4

—

67%

Gr 6

—

54%

Gr 7

—

77%

Gr 8

—

71%

Math

Gr ALL

42%

—

Gr 4

—

83%

Gr 6

—

54%

Gr 7

—

77%

Gr 8

—

65%

Science

Gr 8

—

47%

Gr HS

14%

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

Marcum-Illinois Union Elementary

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

71%

Grade 3

74%

Grade 4

53%

Grade 5

67%

Grade 6

58%

Grade 7

52%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

79%

Grade 3

63%

Grade 4

53%

Grade 5

61%

Grade 6

74%

Grade 7

61%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

53%

Grade 5

39%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

50%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$571,601

Year-over-year change+1.3%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$427K to $1.0M

vs. state typical0.74x

vs. national typical1.55x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
95659	Nicolaus	$525K	+1.4%	81.0%
95668	Pleasant Grove	$778K	+0.2%	13.7%
95837	Sacramento	$1.0M	+2.0%	2.2%
95674	Rio Oso	$645K	+5.8%	1.8%
95626	Elverta	$514K	+2.6%	1.3%
95645	Knights Landing	$427K	-0.7%	0.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,884/mo

Home price / national median income6.8x

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.