Lois E. Borchardt Elementary, Lodi CA

Original Research by School Decision on Lois E. Borchardt Elementary

Lois E. Borchardt Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Lodi, a mid-size Central Valley city anchored by agriculture, wine production, and a walkable downtown core. The school enrolls a diverse student body of roughly typical elementary size, with a high share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic reality of much of the Lodi area. The student population is roughly split between Hispanic and Asian students, with smaller numbers of white, multiracial, and other groups.

The school's academic results show a consistent challenge across all tested subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from a low point in fourth grade to somewhat stronger performance in sixth grade, though all grades sit well below state typical levels. Mathematics proficiency is similarly strained, with fifth grade showing particularly low results and performance rising somewhat by sixth grade. Science proficiency, measured only at fifth grade, is also low. Across all subjects and grades combined, the school's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint when compared to the schools and districts in San Joaquin County.

The pattern of results does not show a clear trajectory as students advance. Rather, performance dips noticeably in the upper elementary grades, particularly grades four and five, before recovering somewhat by sixth grade. This suggests the transition to upper elementary may be a stress point. These results indicate that many students are not yet meeting California's proficiency standards, and a parent considering Borchardt would want to understand what supports the school offers to help students move toward grade-level competency and what interventions or enrichment the school has in place, especially in the critical fourth- and fifth-grade window.

The school is a traditional public elementary in the Lodi Unified School District. The district has undertaken recent facility investments, passing a school bond in March 2024 to fund new school construction and modernization, which means Borchardt may benefit from capital improvements as the district phases in upgrades. The district has also adopted an ethnic studies course at the high school level, responding to state mandate, though that change does not directly affect elementary students yet.

Lodi itself is a community with modest housing costs relative to California overall, with recent home values declining slightly year over year. The city emphasizes downtown walkability, cultural life centered around wine and agriculture, and deliberate rather than rapid growth. Transit connections exist through the GrapeLine local bus system and the regional Lodi Transit Station. The city's recent housing approvals have slowed due to interest rates and construction costs, reflecting a broader regional slowdown.

Families considering Borchardt should recognize that the school serves an economically and linguistically diverse community and that current proficiency results indicate students face real academic gaps. The school's fit depends on whether your family is looking for a neighborhood public school rooted in the community and whether you are prepared to provide or seek additional academic support for your child. The school's data does not yet show whether it has programs or initiatives addressing its proficiency gaps, so a conversation with school leadership about literacy and mathematics instruction, intervention systems, and family engagement would be a natural next step.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 346%

School 46% · District 35% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 34% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 26% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 629%

School 29% · District 32% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 337%

School 37% · District 32% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 420%

School 20% · District 34% · ▼ 14 pts below district

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

Grade 535%

School 35% · District 38% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Grade 638%

School 38% · District 41% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 22% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 6 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-income34%Higher-income67%33 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income18%Higher-income29%11 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income35%Higher-income36%0 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income37%Higher-income44%8 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income43%Higher-income67%24 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income23%Higher-income33%11 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income18%Higher-income29%11 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income24%Higher-income44%20 pp gap