Covington Elementary, Los Altos CA

Original Research by School Decision on Covington Elementary

Covington Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Los Altos, a mature residential community in the foothills above Silicon Valley. The school enrolls a small cohort with enrollment stable across grade bands, and the student body reflects Los Altos's demographic composition: roughly half of students are Asian, with a substantial white population, smaller shares of Hispanic and multiracial students, and very few Black and Native Hawaiian students. Fewer than one in twenty students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which tracks with the zip code's housing costs and the area's overall economic profile.

On California's 2024-25 state assessments, Covington's test results are notably strong across both subjects tested. In English language arts, fourth graders show the lowest proficiency rate, while third and sixth graders reach the high range. In mathematics, performance is consistently high across all tested grades, with third graders posting the highest proficiency. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits in the mid-to-high range. Across all tested grades and subjects combined, Covington's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among the school districts in Santa Clara County.

The school's relatively consistent strength in math and solid performance in ELA suggest a curricular emphasis or instructional effectiveness in foundational academics. Only one year of data is available, so a reader interested in longer-term trends or whether proficiency varies by demographic group would want to contact the school directly, as that detail is not in the public reporting.

Los Altos itself is a small, affluent residential city defined by its walkable downtown village centered on Main and State Streets and its broader quiet, tree-lined neighborhoods. The community is in the early stages of housing diversification driven by state density mandates; new multifamily and affordable housing developments are underway downtown and on First Street, signaling both growth pressure and neighborhood transition. The district approved a major facilities bond in November 2024 and a recurring parcel tax in November 2023, locking in ongoing school funding. More significantly, the district plans to shift to a middle school configuration in fall 2028, moving sixth graders from elementary schools to the two junior high campuses. Families with children currently in grades three through five should understand that their sixth-grade experience will likely change under this model, as Covington will no longer house that grade.

The school's data on special education and English learner populations was not provided in public reporting, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how those students are supported and what services are available on campus.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 394%

School 94% · District 86% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 51 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Grade 492%

School 92% · District 84% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 54 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 589%

School 89% · District 83% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 59 pts above state median · ▲ 42 pts above county median

Grade 693%

School 93% · District 89% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 63 pts above state median · ▲ 47 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 390%

School 90% · District 81% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 50 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 486%

School 86% · District 81% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 44 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 588%

School 88% · District 85% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 693%

School 93% · District 89% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 49 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Science

Grade 587%

School 87% · District 80% · ▲ 6 pts above district

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

This schoolLos Altos 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.