Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary, San Jose CA

Original Research by School Decision on Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary

Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary is a kindergarten-through-sixth-grade public school in San Jose's east side, serving a student population that is predominantly Hispanic and Asian, with a substantial majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The neighborhood is part of the broader residential and manufacturing landscape of San Jose east of downtown, in a city that mixes dense urban corridors with sprawling suburban districts.

The school's academic performance on state assessments reflects significant challenges. In English language arts, proficiency across tested grades ranges from around one in five students in third grade to roughly one in three in fifth and sixth grades. In mathematics, proficiency is notably lower, between one in six and one in five across grades three through six. Science proficiency in fifth grade stands at roughly one in five. These results place the school in the bottom quartile of schools in Santa Clara County when all tested subjects and grade levels are averaged together. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what academic support is available and what strategies the school is using to strengthen instruction in both reading and mathematics.

The school's enrollment of just over four hundred students is stable across grade levels, with slightly larger kindergarten and second-grade cohorts. A parent may also want to ask about the school's capacity to provide individualized attention and the specific literacy and numeracy interventions in place for students working below grade level.

The school sits within the Franklin-McKinley Elementary School District, a small district focused on this part of San Jose. No recent strategic changes or major district initiatives could be confirmed from available sources, so a parent seeking to understand the district's direction or initiatives may want to contact the district directly for that context.

The immediate school community is residential and diverse. Housing values in the 95111 zip code are substantial; rents are also high relative to incomes. Families here typically have strong ties to manufacturing, technology, and service industries, reflecting San Jose's economy. The city's infrastructure includes robust transit via VTA bus and light rail, and the Guadalupe River Trail provides recreational and commuting access.

School choice in this part of San Jose is limited to the attendance boundary unless families pursue charter or private options elsewhere in the district or county. A family considering this school should focus on understanding the academic supports available to students working below grade level and how the school communicates progress and needs with families. The low proficiency rates suggest a school in transition or under resource constraints, and direct conversation with the principal and teachers about instruction, family engagement, and any plans to strengthen achievement would be prudent before enrollment.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 315%

School 15% · District 34% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

Grade 421%

School 21% · District 30% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 25% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Grade 615%

School 15% · District 29% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 320%

School 20% · District 31% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Grade 426%

School 26% · District 32% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 35% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 631%

School 31% · District 37% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Science

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 21% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

This schoolFranklin-McKinley 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.