Clifford Elementary, Redwood City CA

Original Research by School Decision on Clifford Elementary

Clifford Elementary serves kindergarten through eighth grade in Redwood City, a mixed commercial and residential city on the Peninsula with a compact downtown anchored by Courthouse Square, Caltrain service, and civic institutions. The school enrolls a student body that is just under half Hispanic, about a third white, with the remainder distributed across Asian, multiracial, and smaller populations. A substantial share of the school's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The school's academic results show proficiency that sits below the midpoint when compared against other districts in San Mateo County. In English language arts, proficiency rates vary by grade, hovering around the middle range in lower elementary (third and fourth grades approach or exceed half), dipping into the upper 40s in fifth and sixth grades, then rising again in seventh and eighth. Math proficiency is a softer spot across the board. Elementary grades (third through fifth) sit in the mid-50s to high 40s, while the middle grades (sixth through eighth) fall into the upper 30s to low 40s. In science, tested in grades five and eight, proficiency drops sharply: fifth grade sits near half, but eighth grade performance is substantially lower. The school's only older result in social studies, from the prior state assessment system more than a decade ago, showed similar patterns. Overall, the school is working with an academically struggling population where fewer than half of tested students meet proficiency benchmarks in core subjects, a pattern that wardens commitment but also means families should understand the academic profile clearly.

The Redwood City Elementary District, Clifford's parent district, is navigating substantial budget headwinds. A parcel tax placed on the June ballot failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed for passage, leaving the district's budget gap unresolved. The underlying pressure stems from the expiration of temporary federal COVID-19 relief funding. The practical result has been visible staffing reductions, including layoffs of teachers and counselors, and an increase in multi-grade combined classes. Starting after the current school year, elementary schools in the district will operate with only the principal as their administrative leader, having eliminated the assistant principal position to manage costs. These are not minor shifts; they touch class size, instructional continuity, and school management in ways families directly experience.

On a brighter note, voters did pass Measure S, a facilities bond, in 2022. This has funded and will continue to fund improvements across school buildings: HVAC and air conditioning upgrades, LED lighting, solar installations, and safety work. Clifford is slated to receive permanent air conditioning in summer 2026 as part of the next phase. For families choosing among schools, facility conditions and climate control matter, especially in the Bay Area, and this bond work signals a commitment to making buildings functional and modern, even as the operating budget strains.

Redwood City itself is growing. Downtown is the focus of redevelopment through a recently adopted Greater Downtown Area Plan that emphasizes transit-oriented, walkable neighborhoods with mixed-use housing and office. Several large residential projects are in the pipeline or under construction, including affordable housing, townhomes, and apartment buildings. The city's economy was historically dominated by Oracle but has diversified; major tech employers such as Electronic Arts, Nintendo, and others occupy Redwood Shores, though Oracle has cut positions in recent years. Housing costs are high, as they are across the Peninsula, with both purchase prices and rents far exceeding national benchmarks. The city's walkability is strong in the downtown core, with access to Caltrain, bike trails, and the Bay Trail.

Families considering Clifford should enter with clear expectations about academics. The school is working with students who face challenges, and proficiency rates reflect that reality. The school offers kindergarten through eighth grade in one building, which can provide continuity but also means a wider age range sharing one facility. The student body is economically and ethnically diverse, reflective of Redwood City's composition. Families should also be aware of the district's budget constraints and their real effects on staffing and class structure. On the other hand, the facility improvements funded by the bond represent tangible investment in the physical plant, and the school's enrollment suggests it remains a choice families make within the district.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 358%

School 58% · District 52% · ▲ 6 pts above district

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

Grade 460%

School 60% · District 43% · ▲ 17 pts above district

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

Grade 549%

School 49% · District 37% · ▲ 12 pts above district

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

Grade 638%

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

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 743%

School 43% · District 37% · ▲ 6 pts above district

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

Grade 840%

School 40% · District 37% · ▲ 3 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 354%

School 54% · District 47% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 459%

School 59% · District 46% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 48% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 46% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 759%

School 59% · District 53% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 852%

School 52% · District 55% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Science

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 36% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 825%

School 25% · District 31% · ▼ 6 pts below district

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

Social studies

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 47% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

This schoolRedwood 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income31%Higher-income76%45 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income47%Higher-income71%24 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income33%Higher-income71%37 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income23%Higher-income92%70 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income48%Higher-income81%33 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income35%Higher-income77%43 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income33%Higher-income81%48 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income47%Higher-income74%27 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income26%Higher-income71%45 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income16%Higher-income74%59 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income32%Higher-income68%37 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income26%Higher-income61%35 pp gap