Sierra Elementary, Placerville CA

Original Research by School Decision on Sierra Elementary

Sierra Elementary is a public elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Placerville, a foothill county seat in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The school enrolls students of small to mid-range size for its grade band, with a student body that is majority white and includes a substantial Hispanic population alongside smaller numbers of students of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. About half of Sierra's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a community with moderate economic diversity.

On state assessments administered in 2024-25, Sierra's performance shows a split picture across subjects. In English language arts, the school's overall proficiency rate sits solidly in the middle range, with third grade showing the strongest results and proficiency remaining steady through the upper grades. Mathematics presents a softer profile: proficiency drops noticeably by fifth grade compared to third and fourth, suggesting that students encounter increasing difficulty as math concepts build and become more abstract. In science, fifth-grade proficiency falls below the school's English language arts results. Across all tested subjects and grades, Sierra's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in El Dorado County, a meaningful strength in its regional peer group.

The school sits in Placerville, a preserved Gold Rush-era town anchored by a walkable historic Main Street lined with shops, galleries, and restaurants. The area is a working county seat where civic life centers on downtown, though county government has partially shifted to a separate Government Center west of the main commercial core. Marshall Medical Center, an independent nonprofit hospital, is the dominant private employer, with county government running a close second. Housing in the Placerville zip code is moderately priced relative to California's state median, with most homes in the moderate range, though rents have risen modestly in recent years. A family considering Sierra would be looking at a foothill community with a small-town character, a blend of historic preservation and commuter-belt functionality, and relatively stable housing costs compared to Bay Area or coastal California.

The school's academic profile suggests it works well for families seeking solid proficiency in reading and language arts and who understand that mathematics proficiency may require attentive home support or tutoring, especially as students advance. The school's standing in its county peer group indicates it is performing competitively within El Dorado County. The student demographics and FRPL rate point to a community-serving school with economic and cultural diversity rather than a highly affluent enclave. A parent may want to look into the school's math interventions and support structures with administrators, particularly for students who may need additional help as they move through the upper elementary grades.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 347%

School 47% · District 33% · ▲ 13 pts above district

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

Grade 447%

School 47% · District 33% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 538%

School 38% · District 33% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 363%

School 63% · District 44% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 457%

School 57% · District 41% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 560%

School 60% · District 48% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Science

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 33% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · even with county median

This schoolPlacerville 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income63%Higher-income63%1 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income54%Higher-income59%5 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income53%Higher-income67%14 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income44%Higher-income50%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income46%Higher-income48%3 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income31%Higher-income44%13 pp gap