John S. Wash Elementary, Fresno CA

Original Research by School Decision on John S. Wash Elementary

John S. Wash Elementary is a kindergarten-through-sixth-grade school in the East Fresno area, part of Sanger Unified District. The school enrolls a diverse student body with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. The enrollment includes a large Asian student population alongside significant Hispanic representation and smaller numbers of white, multiracial, Black, and Native American students.

On state assessments in English language arts, the school's proficiency reflects a mixed picture by grade. Third grade shows higher performance in ELA, while proficiency dips noticeably in fourth and fifth grades before rising again in sixth grade. In mathematics, third graders perform at a higher level, but fourth and fifth grade show considerably lower proficiency rates, with partial recovery by sixth grade. Science data is available only for fifth grade and shows notably lower performance there as compared to reading and math. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among elementary and middle schools in Fresno County.

The neighborhood around the school reflects much of East Fresno's character. The broader Fresno area is a low-density, sprawling Central Valley city where most people drive. Downtown has historic walkable districts like Little Italy and Chinatown, but most of the city's population and institutions, including many schools, sit on separated campuses miles away. Housing in the school's zip code is modestly valued relative to state benchmarks, and rental availability reflects similar affordability. The area's economy is shaped by agriculture, government, manufacturing, and services; employment includes both large agricultural operations and food-processing firms alongside public agencies.

Within the school, a consistent pattern emerges: reading and writing abilities track ahead of math at every tested grade, and science proficiency lags behind both. This pattern is worth noting for a family considering enrollment. A parent may want to look into what supports the school offers in mathematics and science as their child progresses, especially across the fourth and fifth-grade transition where performance dips most sharply. The school does not report data on chronic absenteeism or special education and English learner populations, so parents interested in those specifics should contact the school directly.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 364%

School 64% · District 60% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 441%

School 41% · District 45% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 538%

School 38% · District 35% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 651%

School 51% · District 44% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 367%

School 67% · District 57% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Grade 454%

School 54% · District 49% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 49% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 664%

School 64% · District 52% · ▲ 12 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 30% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

This schoolSanger 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-income51%Higher-income88%38 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income51%Higher-income58%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income42%Higher-income58%16 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income54%Higher-income77%23 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income58%Higher-income72%14 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income38%Higher-income45%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income30%Higher-income52%23 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income48%Higher-income55%7 pp gap