Shearer Elementary, Napa CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Shearer Elementary

Shearer Elementary serves kindergarten through eighth grade in Napa, a mid-sized city at the south end of Napa Valley. The school sits on Elm Street and draws its enrollment almost entirely from the neighborhood around it, with a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, economically vulnerable, and speaking English as an additional language.

The student profile is striking. A very substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment reflects deep economic need across the school. The racial and ethnic composition is heavily Hispanic, with smaller numbers of white, Asian, and multiracial students. Enrollment data on English learners and students with IEPs were not available, but given the neighborhood context and demographics, a parent may want to ask the school directly about the size of these populations and what support services are available.

Academic performance is the central concern. On California's state assessments in math and English language arts, Shearer's proficiency rates in 2024-25 are very low across all tested grades. In math, the school's overall proficiency sits well below typical district and state performance; some grades fall into single digits. In ELA, results are similarly weak. Science results on the CAST, available for grades five and eight, also show low proficiency. When placed against other districts in Napa County using the county comparison set, Shearer's overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile. This is not a school where students are mastering grade-level content at typical rates.

The school is part of Napa Valley Unified, a district facing structural challenges. Enrollment has declined, leading to school closures and consolidations over the past few years. In March 2025, the district cut staff including full-time teaching positions in subjects like French, art, English, and math. District projections signal budget deficits ahead. In November 2024, voters narrowly approved a school bond to fund facility repairs and upgrades—a measure that will increase property taxes for local homeowners over existing bond payments. These district-level constraints shape what resources and staffing Shearer can access.

Napa itself is a city with a riverfront downtown core and mixed commercial, residential, and historic industrial areas. The community includes hospitality, wine, healthcare, and education as primary economic anchors. Housing costs in the area are significant; median home values reflect the Wine Country market. Rental costs also run high. For a family considering this neighborhood, the school's academic challenges would need to be weighed against the community's character and the family's own capacity to supplement instruction at home or through outside support.

Shearer serves a community under economic pressure. The school's proficiency data suggests students are arriving with substantial gaps and not closing them at expected rates. A parent considering enrollment should ask the school about its intervention strategies, summer programming, tutoring, and how it approaches foundational skills in reading and math. The combination of low test performance, district budget strain, and recent staff reductions raises questions about whether the school has sufficient targeted support in place to move results meaningfully. This is a school that requires careful investigation and honest conversation with staff before deciding whether it is the right fit.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 313%

School 13% · District 42% · ▼ 30 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 39% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 518%

School 18% · District 30% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

Grade 68%

School 8% · District 27% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 78%

School 8% · District 28% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 82%

School 2% · District 24% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 318%

School 18% · District 39% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 412%

School 12% · District 40% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 44% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 610%

School 10% · District 44% · ▼ 34 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Grade 710%

School 10% · District 44% · ▼ 34 pts below district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Grade 821%

School 21% · District 46% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

Science

Grade 515%

School 15% · District 27% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 811%

School 11% · District 27% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

This schoolNapa Valley 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.