Norwood Creek Elementary, San Jose CA

Original Research by School Decision on Norwood Creek Elementary

Norwood Creek Elementary sits on Remington Way in the Evergreen area of east San Jose, a part of the city that is publicly described as having a suburban feel with rolling hills and modern residential development, a contrast to the denser downtown core many miles to the west. It is a regular public elementary school serving kindergarten through sixth grade, part of the Evergreen Elementary School District.

The school's academic results on the most recent California state assessments are a genuine strength. Across tested grades in English language arts, proficiency rates run from the low seventies into the mid-seventies, with fifth grade reaching the upper end of that range. Math results are also solid, with third and fourth graders scoring in the low-to-mid seventies, while fifth and sixth grade results fall somewhat lower, in the low sixties. Fifth-grade science proficiency lands above the midpoint. Taken together, these outcomes place the school above the midpoint among districts in Santa Clara County, which is a competitive comparison set given how many high-performing schools exist in this county. That position is meaningful.

Only one year of data is available, so it is not possible to characterize a trend. A parent asking whether scores are improving or holding steady would need to ask the school directly.

The school's student body is predominantly Asian, with a substantial Hispanic population and much smaller shares of other groups. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is modest relative to many California elementary schools, suggesting a relatively economically stable enrollment. Data on English learners and students with IEPs was not reported in the data available here, so a parent interested in those program specifics should contact the school.

Discipline data, attendance figures, and staffing ratios were not available, and no program listings were provided, so it is not possible to say what enrichment or intervention programs exist on campus beyond what state funding flows suggest. The Evergreen district publicly reported implementing California's Proposition 28 arts and music funding starting in the 2023-24 school year, which means arts instruction has been expanding across district schools in recent years. Voters also approved Measure X in late 2024, a parcel tax that replaced an expiring predecessor and funds STEAM programs including science, technology, and arts; homeowners within district boundaries pay this tax, and there is a senior exemption for owner-occupants aged 65 and older. Families evaluating a purchase should factor this into their housing cost calculation.

The housing market around the school is one of the most expensive in the country. Home values in the relevant zip code are dramatically higher than both the California state median and the national median, running more than four times the national figure. Rents have been rising year over year. At current mortgage rates, the estimated monthly payment on a median-priced home here would consume a very large share of a typical household's income, and the rent-to-income ratio is also strained. This is a fundamental practical consideration for any family relocating to be in this attendance area.

San Jose more broadly is the largest city in Silicon Valley, and the Evergreen neighborhood sits at the eastern edge of a metro whose economy is anchored by technology. Cisco, Apple, Google, and Intel are among the major employers in the region, which shapes the professional character of many families in this part of the city. The Evergreen area itself is more car-dependent than central San Jose neighborhoods, and daily errands for most families will involve driving.

The Evergreen district has been navigating declining enrollment in recent years, having closed two schools and repurposed a third as a Visual and Performing Arts magnet. Norwood Creek itself remains open and active; the consolidations are district-level context rather than a signal about this school's status. A parent curious about long-term enrollment trends and any effects on staffing levels would reasonably want to follow up with the district.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 370%

School 70% · District 64% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 476%

School 76% · District 63% · ▲ 13 pts above district

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

Grade 563%

School 63% · District 56% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 663%

School 63% · District 61% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 371%

School 71% · District 61% · ▲ 11 pts above district

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

Grade 474%

School 74% · District 61% · ▲ 14 pts above district

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

Grade 576%

School 76% · District 68% · ▲ 9 pts above district

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

Grade 670%

School 70% · District 68% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 557%

School 57% · District 48% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

This schoolEvergreen 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income58%Higher-income78%20 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income60%Higher-income81%21 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income52%Higher-income88%37 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income57%Higher-income75%18 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income54%Higher-income78%24 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income60%Higher-income83%23 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income31%Higher-income79%48 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income50%Higher-income68%18 pp gap