Capistrano Elementary, Modesto CA

Original Research by School Decision on Capistrano Elementary

Capistrano Elementary is a kindergarten-through-sixth-grade school serving Modesto, a mid-sized Central Valley city rooted in agriculture and food processing. The school sits in a community where most households face tight finances: over a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, and the median home price in the area is well above what an average household can afford without stretching its budget.

The school's academic results present a clear challenge. On California's statewide assessments, proficiency rates are low across both reading and mathematics at every tested grade. Third-grade math and reading performance are both in the low range, fourth grade shows slightly better results in both subjects but remains below typical benchmarks, and fifth grade dips sharply in math while holding steady in reading. Sixth grade recovers somewhat in reading but math remains weak. Performance in science, tested in fifth grade, is similarly low. When schools in the county are compared, Capistrano's overall proficiency index falls into the bottom quartile among Stanislaus County districts, positioning it well below the county median. A parent should view these scores as signaling a real academic need and may want to look further into the school's reading and math instructional approach and any interventions underway.

The school serves roughly intermediate-sized cohorts per grade, with enrollment steady across kindergarten through sixth grade. The student body is primarily Hispanic; a smaller but meaningful share of students are white, Black, or Asian, and the school also enrolls students from other backgrounds. The demographics reflect the composition of Modesto itself. The overwhelming majority of families are economically under stress, with very few households above the free-or-reduced-meal threshold.

State testing data was available only for the most recent school year, so no year-to-year trend can be drawn. Information about the school's special education or English learner enrollment was not available. No data was found on staffing, attendance, discipline, or course offerings beyond the core academics. The school's website was not provided in the records reviewed, so information about school culture, parent involvement, or specific programs the school may offer was not accessible. Empire Union Elementary School District, the parent district, showed no recent major organizational changes or new initiatives in available sources, though the district has experienced long-term enrollment shifts in the county. A parent considering this school should plan to contact the school directly to learn about its reading and math support systems, special services available, and what day-to-day learning looks like in the classroom.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 320%

School 20% · District 40% · ▼ 20 pts below district

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

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 23% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 511%

School 11% · District 16% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 621%

School 21% · District 25% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 322%

School 22% · District 36% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Grade 427%

School 27% · District 27%

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 28% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 636%

School 36% · District 38% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 17% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

This schoolEmpire Union 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.