James Monroe Elementary, Madera CA

Original Research by School Decision on James Monroe Elementary

James Monroe Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Madera, a Central Valley city with deep agricultural roots and a growing, densely occupied downtown. The school sits at North Lake Street, in a neighborhood where Spanish is widely spoken and most families are working in agriculture, manufacturing, or service sectors tied to the region's economy.

The school's enrollment is small for its grade band, with roughly balanced classes across grades. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, reflecting the composition of central Madera neighborhoods. The data provided does not include counts of students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent may want to look into those population details directly with the school.

On state assessments, James Monroe's proficiency rates are below the midpoint relative to other districts in Madera County. In math, proficiency ranges from the low twenties in sixth grade to around the mid-thirties in third grade. English language arts performance is somewhat higher, ranging from the mid-twenties in third grade to the low forties in sixth grade. Science testing, available only for fifth grade, shows proficiency in the low twenties. The school's overall proficiency index places it below the county midpoint. These results suggest students are facing challenges in core academic mastery, and a parent considering the school should ask directly about intervention programs, literacy and numeracy support structures, and any additional resources the school provides to help students reach proficiency.

Madera as a community is in a period of rapid growth. The county experienced some of the fastest housing growth in California recently, driven by large master-planned communities. Housing values in the school's zip code are moderate relative to California statewide, though rents have risen. The downtown core where this school is located is fairly walkable, with locally owned shops along Yosemite Avenue and a street grid that supports pedestrian access. The broader area remains economically tied to agriculture and food processing, with Valley Children's Hospital and Madera Community Hospital providing significant employment.

The school's parent district, Madera Unified, recently introduced a new graduation requirement: starting with the class of 2025, all seniors must complete a digital portfolio and oral showcase defense in addition to course credits to earn a diploma. This Graduate Profile requirement shapes instruction across all grades around six competencies including critical thinking and collaboration. Families with students at any grade should expect this shift in how schools frame and assess learning. Additionally, the district is building a new TK-through-8 school called King Husein, set to open in August 2026 on the southwest side of town, which will expand capacity in the growing district.

James Monroe is a neighborhood school serving a predominantly low-income, Hispanic community with demonstrated academic challenges in tested subjects. Prospective families should have specific conversations with the school about how it addresses the proficiency gaps evident in state data and what academic supports are available to their child.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 339%

School 39% · District 33% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 24% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 19% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

Grade 623%

School 23% · District 23%

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

English language arts

Grade 326%

School 26% · District 29% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 430%

School 30% · District 29% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 32% · ▲ 6 pts above district

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

Grade 643%

School 43% · District 34% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 17% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

This schoolMadera 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.