Booker T. Washington Elementary, El Centro CA

Original Research by School Decision on Booker T. Washington Elementary

Booker T. Washington Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in El Centro, a regional hub in the agricultural Imperial Valley about twelve miles north of the Mexico-US border. The school's enrollment is small, concentrated across seven grades, and the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is a regular public school operated by the El Centro Elementary district.

On the most recent state assessments, Booker T. Washington's proficiency results were consistently low across tested grades and subjects. In English language arts, proficiency ranged from the mid-teens to mid-forties across grades three through six. Math proficiency was notably lower, ranging from the mid-teens to the low forties across the tested grades. In science, the one available result from grade five showed proficiency in the single digits. When averaged across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index placed it below the midpoint among the county's districts.

The absence of prior-year data means this is the only snapshot available; whether results are stable, improving, or declining cannot be determined from the available information. Trend data for the school was not available. A parent may want to ask the school directly about any initiatives underway to improve these results, particularly in math and science, and what support structures exist for students performing below grade level.

El Centro itself is a modestly walkable city and a slow but steady-growth community. The town's housing stock is predominantly modest ranch-style homes and bungalows typical of the region, with some newer Mediterranean-style builds in pricier areas. The local economy is anchored by government, healthcare, education, and agriculture, with major employers including the Department of Homeland Security, Imperial Valley College, El Centro Regional Medical Center, and the Imperial Irrigation District. Planned lithium extraction operations nearby are expected to draw additional economic activity. Housing values in the area are below the state benchmark, and the median household income is in the mid-range for California. The city has invested in pedestrian infrastructure and parks; Bucklin Park is a major community amenity with walking paths, playgrounds, and sports facilities.

The school's location on South First Street places it in the downtown commercial corridor, within walking distance of City Hall and the historic courthouse. Downtown El Centro has faced some commercial challenges over the years, though city initiatives including a facade improvement program and planned food truck court suggest ongoing revitalization efforts. The city is also exploring residential development in the downtown zone, which could affect the neighborhood character over time.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 342%

School 42% · District 38% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 416%

School 16% · District 28% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 25% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 621%

School 21% · District 26% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 346%

School 46% · District 38% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 420%

School 20% · District 36% · ▼ 16 pts below district

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

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 43% · ▼ 14 pts below district

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

Grade 642%

School 42% · District 45% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 59%

School 9% · District 20% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

This schoolEl Centro 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.