Decker Elementary, Pomona CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Decker Elementary

Decker Elementary is a kindergarten-through-sixth-grade school in Pomona, a dense, urban-feeling city in Los Angeles County with a vibrant downtown arts district, strong transit connections including the newly opened Metro A Line, and active infill housing development. The school serves a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and economically disadvantaged, with a substantial majority qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment includes students across all early elementary grades, with roughly similar numbers in each year-group.

On state assessments in English language arts and mathematics, Decker's proficiency rates are low. In ELA, the school's overall proficiency sits well below the median for schools within Los Angeles County, with sixth grade showing the strongest performance and fourth grade the lowest. Math proficiency is similarly weak across the board. In the science assessment given in fifth grade, proficiency is quite low. These are facts on the page; a parent may want to discuss directly with school leaders what specific supports and instructional strategies are in place to build student skills in these core areas, and how the school tracks progress over time.

The school's position relative to its county peers on a composite proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile of Los Angeles County schools, meaning its students are not meeting grade-level benchmarks at rates typical of comparable schools in the region. The data does not capture chronic absenteeism, graduation, or other attendance or completion measures because this is an elementary school serving young children where such metrics are not reported.

Demographic detail shows an enrollment that is largely Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, white, Asian, and multiracial students. A very substantial portion of the student body comes from families with incomes below the free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility threshold. The school does not report rates of English learners or special-education enrollment in the available data, so a parent seeking clarity on language services, learning support, or specialized instruction should ask the school directly.

Pomona Unified, the district serving Decker, made two significant changes in the past two years that affect families. In March 2024, the district and teachers union reached agreement on salary increases and improved health benefits aimed at bringing teacher pay more in line with surrounding districts, a move relevant to staff stability and recruitment. In November 2024, voters approved Measure UU, a general obligation bond authorizing facility improvements and repairs across district schools, funded by a property-tax increase that will persist while the bonds are outstanding. This means families who own property in the district will see higher property taxes, with proceeds directed to classroom upgrades, roof and restroom repairs, safe drinking water, and removal of asbestos, mold, and lead paint. Both changes affect the operating and learning environment going forward.

The city itself is in active growth with new residential projects and the recent opening of the Metro A Line light rail, which connects Pomona northward toward Pasadena and Los Angeles. Housing values and rents in the area sit solidly above national benchmarks, and the local economy is anchored by education, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail employment. For families considering Decker, the fundamental question is whether the school's current academic performance and support infrastructure align with their child's needs, and whether they are comfortable with the active role in district facility and compensation investment that property ownership in Pomona entails.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 28% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 421%

School 21% · District 24% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 22% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 624%

School 24% · District 24%

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

English language arts

Grade 339%

School 39% · District 31% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 425%

School 25% · District 32% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 35% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 648%

School 48% · District 37% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 21% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

This schoolPomona 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income30%Higher-income67%37 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income24%Higher-income27%3 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income28%Higher-income50%22 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income40%Higher-income75%35 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income32%Higher-income62%29 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income20%Higher-income27%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income16%Higher-income31%15 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income17%Higher-income50%33 pp gap