Ravenswood City Elementary, CA

Original Research by School Decision on Ravenswood City Elementary

Ravenswood City Elementary is a small district serving kindergarten through eighth grade across four schools in San Mateo County, drawing students primarily from East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. The enrollment is roughly even across grade levels, with the student body overwhelmingly Latinx, and a substantial share of students identifying as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Free and reduced-price lunch data was not available in district records.

The academic picture is severe. On the most recent state tests in English language arts, overall proficiency across the district sits in the single digits. Math proficiency is even lower, with almost no students meeting state standards at any grade level tested. Science proficiency, measured in grades five and eight, also shows proficiency rates in the low single digits. These results place Ravenswood in the bottom quartile among San Mateo County districts on overall proficiency. The district's only comparable data from an earlier assessment era, social studies from 2012-13, showed a proficiency rate around one in five students, suggesting the current results represent a meaningful decline.

Chronic absenteeism is also a pressing concern. The district's rate is among the highest in the county, well above the county median. This combination of very low test performance and high absenteeism points to foundational challenges in student engagement and academic support.

The district faces significant structural pressures. Enrollment declined sharply over recent years, leading to the closure of two elementary schools and consolidation of students into the remaining campuses. That contraction reversed suddenly when a tuition-free private school in the area announced a closure, with plans to send a substantial cohort of students into Ravenswood starting this year. District officials have stated that funding allocated alongside that enrollment shift falls short of the resources needed to upgrade aging facilities and replace portable buildings that currently house classes. A bond measure on the ballot would fund facility improvements, financed through a property tax increase over a multi-year span.

Per-pupil spending in the district ranks in the upper range for San Mateo County, suggesting the district does invest substantially in its students despite tight budget circumstances. The housing market in the district's service area is expensive; median home values in the contributing zip codes are well above the state benchmark, and rental costs consume a very large share of household income. This creates an affordability puzzle: families are choosing to live in or remain in a high-cost area served by a district with critically low academic outcomes. Parents considering this district should look closely into what interventions are underway to raise proficiency, what the enrollment influx means for class sizes and support, and how the aging facilities affect the learning environment.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,416

Grades

KG–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 81%

Black 6%

White 1%

Asian 1%

Two+ 2%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 9%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

11%

—

Gr 3

42%

Gr 4

—

Gr 5

12%

—

Gr 6

16%

—

Gr 7

14%

—

Gr 8

42%

Math

Gr ALL

—

Gr 3

14%

58%

Gr 4

—

Gr 5

—

Gr 6

—

Gr 7

—

Gr 8

15%

Science

Gr 5

—

Gr 8

15%

Gr HS

—

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

Belle Haven Elementary

Costano Elementary

Los Robles-Ronald McNair Academy

Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

17%

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

10%

Grade 3

Grade 4

12%

Grade 5

16%

Grade 6

15%

Grade 7

12%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

Grade 5

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

21%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$2.41M

Year-over-year change+2.0%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$1.3M to $2.9M

vs. state typical3.10x

vs. national typical6.54x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
94303	East Palo Alto	$2.1M	+0.3%	64.9%
94025	Menlo Park	$2.9M	+5.2%	35.1%
94063	Redwood City	$1.3M	-1.0%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$4,628/mo

Year-over-year change+5.9%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$3,923 to $4,901/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
94303	East Palo Alto	$4,901	+6.3%	64.9%
94025	Menlo Park	$4,123	+5.1%	35.1%
94063	Redwood City	$3,923	+5.1%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$12,148/mo

Home price / national median income28.8x

Annual rent / national median income66.3%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$7,519/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.