The top reported proficiency rate is 92% in English language arts. The lowest is 67% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Fairfield Elementary
Fairfield Elementary is a small public school in Davis, serving kindergarten through third grade on a campus located outside the main city area. The enrollment sits at just under fifty students, distributed nearly evenly across the four grades. The school sits within Davis Joint Unified School District, a district that is working through significant structural changes driven by declining enrollment.
On recent state assessments, Fairfield shows a sharp split between its two tested subjects. In English language arts, students score at high proficiency. In mathematics, proficiency sits notably lower. Only one year of state assessment data is available, so it is not possible yet to know whether these results represent an emerging pattern or year-to-year variation. A parent should look into the school's approach to mathematics instruction and support to understand how the school is responding to the gap between ELA and math performance.
The student body at Fairfield is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students identifying as multiracial, Asian, or Hispanic, and one American Indian student. Most students do not qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English learners and students with disabilities were not available.
Fairfield's small size is its defining feature. With fewer than fifty students total and around a dozen per grade level, the school operates as an intimate setting where each student is likely known well by staff. This intimacy can support personalized attention, but it also means limited peer diversity and, typically, fewer course or program offerings than larger schools. Families drawn to smaller, close-knit elementary environments may find Fairfield's scale appealing; those who value breadth of offerings or larger peer groups may prefer alternatives.
Davis itself is a small, highly educated university town anchored by UC Davis. The city prizes its bicycle infrastructure, compact downtown, and civic engagement, with a strong local culture around environmental leadership. Housing costs in the Davis zip code run significantly above both state and national benchmarks, and rents have climbed modestly over the past year. The area draws families and professionals connected to the university, as well as those seeking the town's small-city, low-growth character. Single-family home development has been historically limited by local growth-control measures, though several large residential projects are under consideration that could reshape the area's demographics and school enrollment over the next several years.
The district itself is navigating a period of significant change. Davis Joint Unified has lost a substantial number of students over the past decade and faces further enrollment declines, creating financial pressure and prompting the district to explore school consolidations. In spring 2024, voters approved a measure that makes a local parcel tax permanent, eliminating the prior cycle of renewal campaigns and providing stable funding for teacher pay and small class sizes. The district has begun planning potential school closures or consolidations, with decisions expected in spring 2027 and possible first impacts in 2028-29. For a family considering Fairfield, these broader enrollment trends mean the school's long-term viability is a question worth discussing directly with district leadership, particularly given the explicit consolidation planning now underway.
See more original research from School Decision →