Ballard Elementary, Solvang CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Ballard Elementary

Ballard Elementary is a small K-6 public school in Solvang, serving a community of about one hundred students. The school sits in the Santa Ynez Valley, in a town that blends Danish-heritage tourism and small-town residential life, with downtown centered on wine tasting, shops, and themed dining, while civic and school anchors are arrayed along Mission Drive away from the commercial core.

The school's most recent state test results show uneven proficiency. In English language arts, performance is notably strong in the upper grades, particularly at sixth grade where proficiency is high. Fourth and fifth grade ELA proficiency is solid. Third grade ELA proficiency is below that pattern. In math, the profile is more mixed. Third and sixth grade math proficiency is strong. Fourth grade sits somewhat lower, and fifth grade math proficiency is at about the midpoint. Science proficiency in the one tested grade (fifth) is at about the midpoint as well. Across tested subjects and grades, Ballard's overall proficiency places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Santa Barbara County.

The student body is small and predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and a very small number of students of other backgrounds. A small portion of the school's enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. State testing data do not report English learner enrollment or special education enrollment; a parent may want to contact the school directly about those populations and what supports are available.

Solvang itself is a compact, walkable downtown with active street life centered on tourism and wine, but most residents drive to work, and the broader community is car-oriented. The town draws substantial annual visitor traffic, and the local economy runs on hospitality, retail, wine, health care, and public employment. Median household income in the area is in the mid-range nationally. Housing values in the zip code are well above the state median and significantly above the national median, and at current mortgage rates the estimated monthly housing cost is quite high relative to median household income. The city is largely built out, so future growth is expected mainly through infill and redevelopment rather than new expansion.

The school's very small enrollment means the peer environment is intimate, with mixed-age interactions and limited segmentation by academic level. Families considering Ballard should recognize both the strengths in upper-grade ELA and the softness in middle-grade math, and should discuss with the school how it serves students who need extra support in those areas and what the learning experience looks like in a school of this size.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 370%

School 70% · District 70%

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 468%

School 68% · District 68%

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 50%

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 673%

School 73% · District 73%

▲ 43 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 355%

School 55% · District 55%

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 486%

School 86% · District 86%

▲ 44 pts above state median · ▲ 45 pts above county median

Grade 579%

School 79% · District 79%

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 693%

School 93% · District 93%

▲ 49 pts above state median · ▲ 46 pts above county median

Science

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 50%

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

This schoolBallard Elementary, 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.