James A. Mckee Elementary, Elk Grove CA

Original Research by School Decision on James A. Mckee Elementary

James A. McKee Elementary is a regular public elementary school in Elk Grove, serving kindergarten through sixth grade. It sits within Elk Grove Unified, one of the Sacramento region's larger districts, in a part of the city defined mostly by master-planned residential neighborhoods built on what was once agricultural land.

The school draws a racially and ethnically diverse student body. Hispanic students make up the largest single group, followed by white and Asian students, with Black, Pacific Islander, and multiracial students also represented. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a higher-need category by that measure. Data on English learner enrollment and students with individualized education programs was not available in the records reviewed.

State testing results on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress give a parent a concrete picture of where academic performance sits. Across the grades tested, reading and language arts proficiency runs from the mid-thirties in third grade up to roughly half of sixth graders meeting the standard, with fifth grade landing in between. Math tells a similar story but at a lower level overall, ranging from the upper twenties in fifth grade to the mid-forties in third grade. Fifth-grade science proficiency, measured on the California Science Test, fell in the upper thirties. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Sacramento County, which is a genuine strength in context, though the underlying rates still mean that more than half of students in most grades and subjects are not yet meeting state standards. A parent who wants to understand what supports are in place for students who are behind would do well to ask the school directly.

Only one year of testing data was available, so trend information does not exist yet. Program offerings for McKee were not available in the records reviewed.

Elk Grove as a place deserves some description because the housing market here shapes the decision for many families. Home values in the school's zip code are well above the national midpoint and above the statewide midpoint by a meaningful margin, though they have edged down slightly over the past year. Rents are also elevated, and by common affordability measures, rental costs consume a substantial share of a typical household's income. Buying here requires a significant financial commitment relative to national norms.

The city itself is a car-oriented suburb, and Halverson Drive puts the school squarely in that character. Elk Grove is one of Northern California's fastest-growing cities, having expanded rapidly since its incorporation, and growth continues through newer master-planned areas. Old Town along Elk Grove Boulevard preserves a small walkable historic district, but daily life for most residents depends on a car. The city recently completed a pedestrian bridge over Highway 99 and is investing in trail connections, though these serve specific corridors rather than creating a walkable fabric citywide. Public transit operates through SacRT bus lines, with connections toward Sacramento, Cosumnes River College, and the Meadowview light rail station. Major employers in the area include the school district itself, Apple's local AppleCare campus, Sky River Casino, and a growing health care sector.

The district brief search did not turn up confirmed recent changes or strategic priorities for Elk Grove Unified, so that context was left out rather than guessed at.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 345%

School 45% · District 53% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 434%

School 34% · District 49% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 39% · ▼ 10 pts below district

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

Grade 637%

School 37% · District 46% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 335%

School 35% · District 51% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 440%

School 40% · District 53% · ▼ 13 pts below district

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

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 54% · ▼ 9 pts below district

even with state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 651%

School 51% · District 58% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Science

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 34% · ▲ 3 pts above district

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

This schoolElk Grove 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income28%Higher-income60%32 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income42%Higher-income38%4 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income40%Higher-income57%18 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income46%Higher-income61%15 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income40%Higher-income60%20 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income32%Higher-income38%6 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income25%Higher-income38%13 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income33%Higher-income44%11 pp gap