Happy Valley Elementary, Anderson CA

Original Research by School Decision on Happy Valley Elementary

Happy Valley Elementary serves students in grades four through eight in Anderson, a small city in the northern Sacramento Valley, about ten miles south of Redding. The school is part of Happy Valley Union Elementary District. With an enrollment of about mid-sized proportions for its grade band, the school reflects the demographic and economic profile of its rural northern California setting.

Test results show persistent academic challenges across the school. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from the low twenties in grades four and five to about half of students meeting the standard in grades six and seven, with eighth grade at near that mark. Mathematics proficiency is lower overall, clustering in the low thirties across most grades, though seventh grade reaches about half. Science proficiency, measured in grades five and eight, sits in the low twenties. The overall proficiency index places the school below the midpoint among districts in Shasta County. A parent considering this school should view these results as an area where the school is working with constraints, and a parent may want to look into further with the school what interventions are underway and what support is available for students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards.

The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial population of Hispanic students and notable representation of Asian and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic character of the surrounding community. Data on English learners and students with individualized education plans were not available.

Anderson itself is a quiet, car-dependent small city with a modest housing market that remains relatively affordable compared to state and national medians. The city center is compact enough that schools, parks, and shops sit within walkable distance for those living nearby, though most residents rely on car travel. The area's employment base includes the large forest-products company Sierra Pacific Industries, wood-products manufacturing, retail and service work, and healthcare sectors, with many residents commuting to Redding. Anderson River Park anchors civic life, and the library hosts family programming.

The district recently expanded full-day Transitional Kindergarten, which affects families with younger children entering the public system. For families of fourth through eighth graders, Happy Valley Elementary offers a neighborhood school in a small-town setting with modest academic performance and demographic stability. Whether this school fits depends on a family's learning-support needs, their view of the current proficiency levels, and what supplemental resources they can provide or access through the district.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 427%

School 27% · District 27%

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

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 22% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 627%

School 27% · District 25% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 750%

School 50% · District 51% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 27% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 437%

School 37% · District 36% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 24% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 46% · ▲ 3 pts above district

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

Grade 750%

School 50% · District 51% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 846%

School 46% · District 42% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 22% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 20% · ▲ 3 pts above district

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

Social studies

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 26% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

This schoolHappy Valley 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income44%11 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income46%Higher-income57%11 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income43%Higher-income58%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income25%Higher-income31%6 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income23%Higher-income36%13 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income31%Higher-income33%3 pp gap