Ernesto Galarza Elementary, San Jose CA

Original Research by School Decision on Ernesto Galarza Elementary

Ernesto Galarza Elementary sits in the lower hill of San Jose's school performance landscape. The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade in a residential neighborhood setting, with an enrollment of about that size for an elementary school. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share of students from low-income households qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

State testing data from the most recent year shows proficiency rates that are very low across all measured subjects. In mathematics, students in third grade reached proficiency at a modest rate, fourth grade slightly higher, and fifth grade substantially lower. In English language arts, the pattern is similar: third and fifth grades show low proficiency, while fourth grade performed somewhat better but still well below what the state considers meeting standards. Fifth-grade science proficiency was also low. Across all tested grades and subjects combined, the school's overall proficiency sits in the bottom quartile among the other school-serving districts in Santa Clara County. This is not a school with broad mastery of grade-level content as measured by state assessment.

The composition of the school reflects the broader San Jose neighborhood demographics. About four in five students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that the vast majority come from households at or below federal poverty thresholds. The student population is about nine in ten Hispanic students, with a small share of Asian, white, and other students. Data on the school's English learner and special education populations were not available, so a parent may want to look into those details directly with the school to understand the full range of students served and the support systems in place.

San Jose Unified has been in the midst of significant district-wide change. In March 2026, the school board voted to close five elementary schools effective the 2026-27 school year. Canoas Elementary was scheduled to close, and its students were to be reassigned, including transfers to Ernesto Galarza. This means the school's enrollment and peer composition will shift as it absorbs students from a nearby closing school. A parent considering this school should confirm the current and expected enrollment boundaries, as the district's consolidation plan directly reshapes which families are assigned where.

At the district level, voters approved a large facilities bond in November 2024 intended to support building renovations, classroom upgrades, and affordable housing to retain staff. This represents a long-term property tax commitment for homebuyers in the district, though it signals an investment in physical infrastructure and staff retention.

The neighborhood itself is part of San Jose's broader landscape as a mixed-density city with concentrations of walkability downtown and in historic districts like Willow Glen and Japantown, while most residential areas are car-dependent. Housing values in the area are high, reflecting Silicon Valley's tech-driven economy and the scarcity of available housing. A family choosing a home in this attendance zone should weigh both the school's current academic performance and the enrollment changes ahead.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 312%

School 12% · District 48% · ▼ 36 pts below district

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

Grade 419%

School 19% · District 46% · ▼ 26 pts below district

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

Grade 56%

School 6% · District 42% · ▼ 36 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 38%

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

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 44 pts below county median

Grade 420%

School 20% · District 47% · ▼ 27 pts below district

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

Grade 515%

School 15% · District 52% · ▼ 37 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

Science

Grade 511%

School 11% · District 38% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 32 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-income15%Higher-income18%4 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income5%Higher-income8%3 pp gap