Horace Mann Elementary, San Jose CA

Original Research by School Decision on Horace Mann Elementary

Horace Mann Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in a dense urban neighborhood on San Jose's North Seventh Street, serving a student body of about 295 children. The school sits in the heart of a working-class area where the majority of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and about four in five students are Hispanic. Small shares of Asian, white, and students of other backgrounds round out a predominantly Latino school community.

State test results from the 2024-25 school year show proficiency rates well below what most schools achieve. In English language arts, about one in five students overall scored at the proficient level, with fifth graders reaching the highest result, while third and fourth graders were substantially lower. Math proficiency was even more constrained, with fourth grade falling to a very small share, while fifth grade fared better. Science proficiency in fifth grade, the only grade tested in this subject, was also low. When measured against elementary schools across Santa Clara County, Horace Mann's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quarter of schools in the region.

These results matter and suggest substantial academic challenge. A parent considering this school should look into what instructional supports and interventions the school has in place to address these gaps, and what the school's trajectory looks like. State testing data showed only one year of results, so trend information is not yet available.

The broader San Jose Unified context shapes school experience here. In March 2026, the district voted to close five elementary schools and consolidate enrollment in response to declining student population across the district since 2018. Horace Mann was not among the closed schools, but several others were, and attendance boundaries were redrawn. Additionally, voters approved Measure R in November 2024, a substantial facilities bond that will increase local property taxes and fund building renovations, classroom and lab upgrades, and housing initiatives for teachers and staff over a long window. That tax obligation is a direct factor for families buying or renting in San Jose.

San Jose itself is economically complex. The median home value in the 95112 zip code where the school sits is significantly higher than the national average, and rents are elevated. However, the broader economic pressure reflects Silicon Valley's tech-dominated employment base and housing scarcity. Neighborhood walkability is lower in this part of the city; the area is largely residential and car-oriented, though the Guadalupe River Trail provides nearby recreational and commuting access. Downtown San Jose, with its cultural amenities, transit hub at Diridon Station, and the King Library, is within reach but requires deliberate travel.

Enrollment at Horace Mann is small and relatively balanced across grades, with no exceptionally large or compressed cohorts. English learner and special education data were not available in the sources reviewed, so a parent should ask the school directly about those populations and what services they receive. The school's small size means it has a contained, community-focused feel, though it also means fewer resources and program breadth than a larger school might offer.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 39%

School 9% · District 48% · ▼ 38 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 48 pts below county median

Grade 44%

School 4% · District 46% · ▼ 42 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 50 pts below county median

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 42% · ▼ 18 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 38%

School 8% · District 44% · ▼ 36 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 45 pts below county median

Grade 415%

School 15% · District 47% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 40 pts below county median

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 52% · ▼ 16 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 38% · ▼ 19 pts below district

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

This schoolSan Jose 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 5Lower-income31%Higher-income50%19 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income0%Higher-income18%18 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income20%Higher-income31%11 pp gap