North Cow Creek Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on North Cow Creek Elementary

North Cow Creek Elementary is a small, independent K-8 district serving the rural area near Palo Cedro and Redding in Shasta County. The enrollment sits at about a quarter-thousand students, relatively evenly distributed across the grade span from kindergarten through eighth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of multiracial students, Hispanic students, Native American students, and a very small Asian population. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data were not available; demographic breakdowns by English learner status and disability were also absent from the reporting.

The district's test performance reveals a split profile. In English language arts, proficiency is moderate to strong across most tested grades. Fifth grade stands out with markedly higher ELA results, while third grade shows lower proficiency. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grades land in the middle range. In mathematics, the picture is weaker. Third grade performs slightly above fourth through eighth grades, but fourth grade and eighth grade are only in the mid-to-low range, and sixth and seventh grades are notably low. Fifth grade is also in the low-to-mid range. In science, fifth-grade proficiency is low, while eighth grade is more solidly in the middle. A parent may want to look into what is happening in math, particularly in grades six and seven, to understand whether there are targeted supports in place.

Across tested subjects and grades, the district's overall proficiency sits in the top quartile among Shasta County's districts, an encouraging sign for a small rural school. Chronic absenteeism is also in the top quartile countywide, meaning absences are low. Per-pupil spending falls in the lower range compared to other county districts, reflecting the tight fiscal constraints typical of very small districts.

Housing values in the Palo Cedro zip code area served by the district are in the mid-range for the region, roughly flat year over year. Rental data are sparse; median household income countywide is solid, and unemployment is low. The affordability ratio suggests home prices are moderately stretched relative to income, though the margin between renting and buying slightly favors renting.

The district operates a single school with this name and has recently engaged in math curriculum work aligned with California's 2025 adoption cycle. Beyond that, little public record of recent strategic shifts or major program changes emerged from district communications and board materials. The school uses the Leader in Me social-emotional and leadership framework, established well before the current window. A parent considering this district should expect a small, tight-knit rural environment with solid attendance culture and an overall academic profile that ranks well countywide, though with some areas in math that warrant closer conversation with the school itself about support and trajectory.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

256

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 7%

White 76%

Asian 1%

Two+ 11%

Am. Indian / AK Native 5%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

56%

—

Gr 3

—

32%

Gr 4

—

45%

Gr 5

67%

89%

Gr 6

—

59%

Gr 7

—

71%

Gr 8

—

68%

Math

Gr ALL

29%

—

Gr 3

—

63%

Gr 4

—

60%

Gr 5

33%

56%

Gr 6

—

29%

Gr 7

—

36%

Gr 8

—

48%

Science

Gr 5

33%

44%

Gr 8

—

52%

Gr HS

42%

—

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

North Cow Creek Elementary

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

52%

Grade 3

48%

Grade 4

46%

Grade 5

33%

Grade 6

34%

Grade 7

44%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

26%

Grade 3

48%

Grade 4

79%

Grade 5

58%

Grade 6

71%

Grade 7

68%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

39%

Grade 5

53%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

59%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$569,712

Year-over-year change-3.0%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$379K to $570K

vs. state typical0.73x

vs. national typical1.55x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
96073	Palo Cedro	$570K	-3.0%	99.6%
96003	Redding	$406K	-1.4%	0.4%
96069	Oak Run	$379K	-2.9%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,661/mo

Year-over-year change+4.7%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
96003	Redding	$1,661	+4.7%	0.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,875/mo

Home price / national median income6.8x

Annual rent / national median income23.8%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$1,214/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.