Jack London Elementary, Antioch CA

Original Research by School Decision on Jack London Elementary

Jack London Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Antioch, a large residential city east of the Bay Area where the Delta flatlands meet suburban sprawl. The school sits in the Country Hills neighborhood, which is part of the broader movement of families seeking more affordable housing as they move away from coastal job centers. Nearly two-thirds of Jack London's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment is small for a full K-6school, reflecting both the grade-band structure and the district's recent enrollment decline. The school's student body is diverse: Hispanic students make up the largest share, followed by Black students, with smaller populations of Asian, white, and multiracial pupils. Specific counts for English learners and students with disabilities were not available in the data provided.

On California's 2024-25 state assessments, Jack London's proficiency results are weak across the board. In English language arts, fewer than a quarter of all students tested met grade-level standards when grades three through six are combined, with third grade particularly low; fourth-grade performance was higher but still below half. In math, results are notably lower, with fewer than one-sixth of all students proficient across grades three through six. Fifth-grade math was the lowest grade-level result. Science proficiency in fifth grade also was low. These results place the school in the bottom quartile on a proficiency index relative to other districts in Contra Costa County. The school's performance signals a need for substantial academic intervention.

The home context matters here. Antioch itself is experiencing significant change. The city is growing, though growth has slowed to modest rates in recent years. New housing is being built around downtown and along commercial corridors, but affordability remains tight; median home values are well above the national benchmark though below the state median, and rent burdens are high relative to income. The city has invested in its Rivertown historic core with new public spaces and the newer Antioch BART station opened in recent years, connecting residents to regional transit.

But the school's parent district, Antioch Unified, faces material fiscal stress that a family should weigh. In 2024, voters approved a school facilities bond to repair aging buildings and modernize systems, which raises property taxes for homeowners on a lasting basis. More acutely, the district authorized large preliminary layoffs in early 2026 to address a significant operating deficit driven by expiring COVID relief funds, rising special education costs, and declining enrollment. The county downgraded the district's budget certification to "negative" in 2026, signaling it may struggle to meet financial obligations without further changes. The board has discussed a potential parcel tax to shore up the budget. These are early-warning signs of fiscal instability that would affect staffing, class support, and the breadth of student services in coming years.

For a family considering this school, the profile is one of a K-6 elementary in an affordable, growing neighborhood within a district facing near-term budget turbulence and weak academic proficiency. The school's small enrollment and diverse student population are facts of its place. The low test results and the district's financial headwinds are real constraints a parent would want to explore directly with the school and district before committing to the area.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 314%

School 14% · District 21% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 415%

School 15% · District 19% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 14% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 614%

School 14% · District 12% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 311%

School 11% · District 22% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 24% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 30% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 624%

School 24% · District 23% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Science

Grade 515%

School 15% · District 16% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

This schoolAntioch 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.