Alta Elementary, Reedley CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Alta Elementary

Alta Elementary is a small public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Reedley, a rural agricultural city in eastern Fresno County. The school enrolls a population of about that size, with a substantial majority of students drawn from the Hispanic community and a large share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the surrounding area.

On California's state assessments, Alta shows a profile of uneven proficiency across grade levels and subjects. Third-grade students demonstrate strength in mathematics, with more than a majority meeting proficiency standards. That performance declines notably as students advance: fourth graders show substantially lower proficiency in both mathematics and English language arts, and fifth graders remain below proficiency in mathematics. English language arts results are less steep but still show a declining pattern from third to fourth grade, then some recovery in fifth. In science, measured only at fifth grade, proficiency is low. Across all tested grades and subjects, the school's overall proficiency average places it in the top quartile among elementary schools with reported data in Fresno County, a strength that reflects strong early-grade performance even as later grades present challenges.

The data leaves open some important questions parents should ask directly of the school. Information about the share of students receiving special education services or identified as English learners was not available, and knowing these figures would help contextualize both the proficiency patterns and the school's approach to support. Similarly, there is no attendance data or information about discipline, which can matter greatly for family planning and school fit.

Reedley itself is a close-knit agricultural community with a walkable historic downtown anchored by preserved shops and the Reedley Opera House, though the city overall is car-dependent. Recent housing development has included new single-family subdivisions and affordable housing projects, with home prices and rents reflecting rural Central Valley economics. The school district operates free after-school programming at all elementary and middle school sites until 6:00 p.m., and offers free meals to all students at qualifying sites under the Community Eligibility Provision, both meaningful supports for working families. The town is home to Reedley College, Adventist Health hospital, and food processing and agribusiness operations, anchoring the local economy.

Parents considering Alta should view the school as one with strong momentum in the early grades but a performance curve worth investigating further, particularly what the school and district do to support transition into and through the upper elementary years.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 384%

School 84% · District 56% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 41 pts above state median · ▲ 43 pts above county median

Grade 446%

School 46% · District 44% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 541%

School 41% · District 40% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 367%

School 67% · District 49% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 50% · ▼ 6 pts below district

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

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 54% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Science

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 32% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

This schoolKings Canyon Joint 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-income63%Higher-income79%15 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income37%Higher-income75%38 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income78%Higher-income100%22 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income37%Higher-income83%46 pp gap