Erma B. Reese Elementary, Lodi CA

Original Research by School Decision on Erma B. Reese Elementary

Erma B. Reese Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Lodi, a mid-size Central Valley city with a historic downtown, wine-growing heritage, and agricultural roots. The school sits in a community anchored by the Lodi Public Library, transit connections, regional parks, and walkable downtown with restaurants and tasting rooms, though most residents drive. Lodi itself is growing deliberately rather than rapidly, with the district recently passing a school facilities bond to fund new construction and modernization across the system.

The school enrolls a small-to-mid-sized student population that is economically mixed. Slightly more than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a reflection of working families in the area. Racially and ethnically, the enrollment is split between White and Hispanic students, with smaller shares of Asian, multiracial, and other backgrounds. The school's demographic character is fairly representative of the community it serves.

On state assessments in 2024-25, Erma B. Reese's performance shows learners working at early-to-developing proficiency levels. In math, third grade performed strongest, with about half of students meeting grade-level standards; proficiency then dropped notably in fourth and fifth grades before recovering somewhat in sixth grade. English language arts results follow a similar pattern, with third graders performing at roughly the same level as their math peers, but fourth through sixth graders sitting in the low-to-mid forty percent range. Fifth grade science proficiency was lower, in the mid-to-high twenties. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among elementary schools in San Joaquin County, a meaningful position given the region's demographics and economic context.

The proficiency patterns suggest the school may be working well with younger learners but faces a steeper lift as students move into upper elementary grades, where both math and reading demands intensify. A parent may want to look into further details with the school about how teachers support the transition from third to fourth grade and what additional resources or interventions are available for students in grades four through six.

Data on English learners and students with disabilities was not available in the school's public profile, nor were details on attendance or discipline. The school's programs, staffing, and course offerings beyond the grade-level testing subjects were also not reported in the available data.

Lodi Unified, the parent district, recently passed a school facilities bond that will fund new school construction and campus modernization, sustaining property-tax funding at roughly current levels. The district is also implementing a new high school ethnic studies course and curriculum to meet state requirements. These shifts signal active investment and curriculum work at the district level, though their direct impact on Erma B. Reese as an elementary school depends on district priorities for elementary funding and professional development.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 357%

School 57% · District 35% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 439%

School 39% · District 34% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 26% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

Grade 640%

School 40% · District 32% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 348%

School 48% · District 32% · ▲ 16 pts above district

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

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 34% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 38% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 41% · ▲ 3 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Science

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 22% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

This schoolLodi 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-income43%Higher-income56%13 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income28%Higher-income65%37 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income33%Higher-income41%7 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income36%Higher-income57%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income49%Higher-income68%19 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income30%Higher-income50%20 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income44%15 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income32%Higher-income53%21 pp gap