The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Sutherland Elementary
Sutherland Elementary sits on Spring River Circle in north Stockton, serving kindergarten through sixth grade as a regular public school within Lodi Unified School District. The enrollment is modest for an elementary school spanning seven grade levels, and the student body is racially and ethnically diverse: Asian students make up the largest share, followed by Hispanic students, with Black students and students of two or more races each representing a smaller but meaningful portion of the school. The vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing Sutherland among California's higher-poverty elementary schools. Data on English learner enrollment and special education rates were not available in the source material.
On the most recent California state assessments, proficiency rates across grades and subjects are low. In English language arts, fourth and fifth graders tested closer to the state's typical range for higher-poverty urban schools, while third and sixth graders scored considerably lower. In math, the pattern is uneven: fourth graders reached roughly the midpoint of what you would call passing, while third and sixth graders tested at quite low rates. Science proficiency at fifth grade was also low. Taken together, Sutherland's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among districts in San Joaquin County, based on the county comparison set. Only one year of data is available, so there is no trend to read yet, and a parent considering the school would be reasonable to ask the school directly about what is being done to lift these outcomes and what support structures are in place for students who are behind grade level.
Because the school serves only kindergarten through sixth grade, graduation rate data does not apply here. Chronic absenteeism data was not available in the source material, though that figure can matter considerably at a school with this kind of proficiency picture, since attendance and academic progress are tightly linked.
The surrounding neighborhood is part of a large, diverse inland city. Stockton is the seat of San Joaquin County and functions as a processing and distribution hub for the San Joaquin Valley, with Amazon logistics, healthcare, agriculture, education, and government among the major employment sectors. The city's transit system runs dozens of bus routes with express service along major corridors. Walkability varies sharply: some central neighborhoods score well by national measures, but outlying residential tracts, including the north Stockton area where Sutherland is located, lean car-dependent. The Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library system, with its Cesar Chavez Central Library downtown, offers materials in multiple languages, which reflects the linguistic diversity of the broader community Sutherland serves.
On housing, the zip code around Sutherland shows home values that sit below the California statewide median by a wide margin, though still modestly above the national median. Prices have dipped slightly year over year, while rents have risen. The gap between renting and buying, on a monthly basis, is substantial at current mortgage rates, which makes this an area where many families rent rather than own. Lodi Unified voters passed a school facilities bond in early 2024, and publicly reported information indicates the district plans to build new schools including one in north Stockton, which is the area Sutherland serves. That bond carries an ongoing property-tax levy for homeowners.
At the district level, Lodi Unified is developing a one-semester high school Ethnic Studies course in response to a California state mandate, with the course moving toward board approval in late 2024 and slated to become a graduation requirement for students entering high school in coming years. That is more relevant to families thinking about the longer arc through secondary school, but it reflects the direction of curriculum policy in the district Sutherland feeds.
Program offerings specific to Sutherland were not available in the data provided. A parent would want to ask the school about intervention programs, enrichment offerings, and supports for English learners given the school's demographics and current proficiency levels.
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