H. Allen Hight Elementary, Sacramento CA

Original Research by School Decision on H. Allen Hight Elementary

H. Allen Hight Elementary is a regular public elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Sacramento's North Park neighborhood. The school enrolls a mixed student body in which Asian, Black, and Hispanic students each make up a substantial portion of the population. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families the school serves.

Academic performance data from the most recent state assessments shows proficiency rates that are low across tested subjects and grades. In English language arts, students in fourth grade performed relatively better than those in third and fifth grade, though all results remain below typical benchmarks. Mathematics proficiency was particularly weak, with fifth graders posting single-digit proficiency rates. Science proficiency in fifth grade was also quite low. Compared to other elementary schools serving similar grades in Sacramento County, this school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county's tested schools.

The school is part of Natomas Unified, a larger district serving a growing suburban and urban area. The district has undertaken several notable initiatives in recent years. It has established an ethnic studies requirement for high school graduation aligned to state mandate, added AP African American Studies and a race and social justice course, and made investments in culturally responsive curricula and library materials. The district opened a new dual-language immersion elementary school, Heredia-Arriaga, in 2023 to accommodate enrollment growth funded by a voter-approved facilities bond. These are lasting programmatic and pedagogical changes that shape the district's direction.

At the same time, the district has publicly acknowledged a significant challenge with literacy outcomes. The share of students not meeting state literacy standards rose materially between 2020 and 2023, and the district has initiated an intervention push to address this gap.

The school's surrounding neighborhood is part of Sacramento's housing market, where median home values are moderate relative to state benchmarks, and rental costs have remained relatively stable year over year. The local economy shows modest unemployment and median household incomes in the low six figures, though housing remains costly relative to regional income.

Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no high school graduation rate, and school-level attendance or discipline data was not available. Information on the percentage of students receiving special education or English learner support was also not provided. A parent may want to contact the school directly for details on these populations, class sizes, staff qualifications, and the specific instructional strategies being used to address the proficiency challenges shown in the state data.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 315%

School 15% · District 34% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 34% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 510%

School 10% · District 31% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 323%

School 23% · District 34% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 441%

School 41% · District 40% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 41% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Science

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 27% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

This schoolNatomas Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income21%Higher-income33%13 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income37%Higher-income58%21 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income18%Higher-income32%14 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income54%Higher-income57%3 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income14%Higher-income17%2 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income22%Higher-income37%15 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income12%Higher-income4%8 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income44%Higher-income57%13 pp gap