Mcdowell Elementary, Petaluma CA

Original Research by School Decision on Mcdowell Elementary

McDowell Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Petaluma, a town built around a historic downtown along the Petaluma River and now home to a mix of commercial, residential, and light-industrial neighborhoods. The school's enrollment is small, centered on early grades, with most families qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a very small share of white, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other backgrounds.

On state assessments, McDowell shows low proficiency across tested grades and subjects. In mathematics, proficiency ranges from about one in ten to one in six students meeting grade-level standards across grades three through six. In English language arts, performance is similarly constrained in grades three and four, then improves modestly in grades five and six. In science, tested only at grade five, proficiency reaches just a few percent of students. Compared to other schools across Sonoma County, McDowell sits in the bottom quartile overall. Only one year of assessment data is available, so trend information is not present; a parent may want to look into the school's recent trajectory with staff directly.

The school operates within Petaluma City Elementary School District, which faces substantial structural pressures. Voters approved two major measures in 2024: a parcel tax dedicated to teacher retention, classroom size, and reading and writing support, and a general obligation bond for facilities work. However, the district is managing a serious budget shortfall for the 2026-27 school year driven by the end of one-time COVID funding, low state per-pupil revenue, declining overall attendance, and reduced federal support. To balance the budget, the district approved cuts equivalent to about forty-four teaching positions and more than sixteen support staff, eliminating roles such as an elementary school nurse, reading specialist, music teacher, and bilingual coordinator. These cuts directly affect the instructional and support services available at schools like McDowell.

Petaluma itself offers a walkable, character-filled downtown with riverfront parks, a growing transit network including SMART rail service, and employment anchored by health care, retail, and manufacturing. Housing costs are substantial. The city continues to add new residential development, with transit-oriented projects underway near the new Petaluma North SMART station. For families considering McDowell, the school's current academic performance and the district's capacity constraints are substantial factors to understand alongside the town's broader community assets.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 317%

School 17% · District 51% · ▼ 33 pts below district

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

Grade 410%

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

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 39% · ▼ 27 pts below district

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

Grade 612%

School 12% · District 42% · ▼ 30 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 35%

School 5% · District 44% · ▼ 39 pts below district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

Grade 414%

School 14% · District 43% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

Grade 521%

School 21% · District 47% · ▼ 26 pts below district

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

Grade 634%

School 34% · District 49% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 53%

School 3% · District 34% · ▼ 31 pts below district

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

This schoolPetaluma City 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.