Cox Academy, Oakland CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Cox Academy

Cox Academy is a charter school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in East Oakland. It is a small school, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across the grade bands, and serves a predominantly low-income student population; a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is majority Hispanic, with sizable Black and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander populations, and a very small share of white and Asian students. Data on English learner enrollment and special education enrollment was not available.

On the state assessments in 2024-25, Cox Academy's results show proficiency well below state medians across both tested subjects and grades. In English language arts, proficiency across all tested grades averages in the high twenties. In math, the average is similar, though with wider variation by grade: third grade is somewhat stronger, fourth grade is quite low, and fifth grade falls between them. In science, where only fifth grade is assessed, proficiency is in the low twenties. When positioned against other districts in Alameda County, Cox Academy's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. A parent may want to look into the school's curriculum, instructional approach, and any support systems in place to understand how the school is addressing these results and what trajectory it is on.

The school's location is in East Oakland, where housing values have declined modestly over the past year, and median rents have ticked up slightly. The neighborhood is working-class and diverse, with many immigrant-owned businesses and a strong community feel, though East Oakland has faced disinvestment in prior years. A significant change came in 2023 when the school secured state funding to renovate its campus, addressing long-standing facility issues including leaky roofs, mold, water damage, and deteriorated outdoor play structures. This renovation work represents a concrete, family-facing improvement to the physical plant that families considering the school would directly experience.

The school is part of Cox Academy District, which is charter-operated by Education for Change. Cox Academy is one of the relatively few charter schools serving the early primary grades in Oakland; most elementary schools in the city are traditional public schools. As a charter, it offers flexibility in curriculum and operations within the constraints of its charter contract, though specific program offerings beyond standard early elementary instruction were not described in available materials.

State assessment data covers only a single year, so trend information is not yet available. Graduation rate and chronic absenteeism data do not apply to a school serving only through fifth grade.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 341%

School 41% · district not reported

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

Grade 414%

School 14% · district not reported

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

Grade 532%

School 32% · district not reported

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 330%

School 30% · district not reported

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

Grade 415%

School 15% · district not reported

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 537%

School 37% · district not reported

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Science

Grade 522%

School 22% · district not reported

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

This schoolDistrict average, 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.