Magnolia Union Elementary, Brawley CA

Original Research by School Decision on Magnolia Union Elementary

Magnolia Union Elementary is a small K-8 school in Brawley, a mixed-use agricultural city in California's Imperial Valley. The school currently enrolls a modest cohort spanning nine grade levels, with a balanced composition of Hispanic and white students and only a small share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits on the edge of a community centered on farming, agribusiness, and cattle operations, though the area is in early-stage development around proposed "Lithium Valley" infrastructure and workforce expansion.

Academically, the school's proficiency results are well below state averages. In English Language Arts, students across tested grades show proficiency rates ranging from the low to mid-forties, with one seventh-grade cohort reaching above half. Mathematics proficiency is lower across the board, with most grade levels below one-third proficiency and a particularly weak showing in fourth and seventh grades. Science results are similarly modest. These results represent a meaningful decline from prior years, placing the school below the midpoint proficiency when compared to other districts in Imperial County. A parent evaluating this school should understand that academic outcomes, as measured by state standardized assessment, are currently a soft spot and a substantive factor in the decision to enroll here.

The district itself operates as one of California's permanent "District of Choice" schools, meaning families living outside its geographic boundaries can apply for enrollment without needing approval from their home district. This open-enrollment status is now stable by state law rather than temporary, so it is a lasting option for families seeking an alternative to their assigned district.

The housing market around Brawley reflects modest valuations relative to California overall, with the area's affordability positioned closer to national benchmarks than to state ones. The community is anchored by a walkable historic downtown with Plaza Park and locally owned businesses, though most residents rely on personal vehicles for daily transit. Brawley's longer-term development story is tied to proposed geothermal and lithium-related employment and infrastructure, though these opportunities remain early-stage and significant job creation may be years away. For now, the area remains rooted in agriculture and healthcare as primary employment sectors.

Magnolia Union Elementary fits families seeking a small, intimate school setting in a rural community context, or those using the open-enrollment choice process to access an alternative to their home district. The school's current academic profile is a material consideration; prospective families may want to look into the school's instructional approach and support systems in detail, and to understand what progress, if any, is underway to improve state testing outcomes.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 339%

School 39% · District 39%

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

Grade 427%

School 27% · District 27%

▼ 11 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 33%

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

Grade 720%

School 20% · District 20%

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 346%

School 46% · District 46%

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 440%

School 40% · District 40%

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

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 40%

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

Grade 753%

School 53% · District 53%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Science

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 33%

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

Social studies

Grade 873%

School 73% · District 73%

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

This schoolMagnolia Union 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.