Ellis Elementary, Sunnyvale CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Ellis Elementary

Ellis Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Sunnyvale, a Silicon Valley city shaped by major technology and aerospace employers. The school sits within a growing community that has substantially increased housing development, particularly around transit corridors and downtown mixed-use areas.

State assessment results from the most recent school year show proficiency in math hovering around the lower half of the range, with third grade at just above the midpoint, fourth grade slightly higher, and fifth grade notably lower. Reading proficiency runs a bit higher overall, with fourth grade reaching toward the upper half and kindergarten through third grades closer to the midpoint. Science proficiency in fifth grade falls below all other measured subjects. When combined across subjects and grades, Ellis's overall proficiency sits below the midpoint among elementary schools tested across Santa Clara County.

The student body is diverse. Asian students make up two-fifths of enrollment, Hispanic students make up just over two-fifths, and white students account for about an eighth. About a quarter of the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. Kindergarten enrollment is notably larger than other grades, reflecting either a recent opening of a kindergarten class or a bulge in that cohort; from first through fifth grades, enrollment is relatively stable.

The school has the benefit of Sunnyvale's robust civic infrastructure. Las Palmas Park, the city's second-largest green space, offers playgrounds and a nearby tennis center. Sunnyvale Baylands Park provides extensive developed parkland and bay trail access. The Caltrain station, electrified in 2024, sits within reasonable distance, and the city has prioritized downtown pedestrian spaces. These amenities support a walkable community.

At the district level, a significant shift occurred when the Sunnyvale School District adopted new curriculum materials around 2022-2023, including a new elementary reading curriculum built around phonics and orthographic mapping, a new elementary math curriculum, and new middle school English materials. This is a substantive change from prior approaches, implemented with professional development support. For families considering the district, it is worth understanding what reading and math instruction looks like in practice at the school. Additionally, in March 2024 voters passed a school bond funding long-term facilities improvements, campus safety upgrades, and instructional technology, which adds a property tax cost; this is a permanent financial consideration for homeowners.

Data on special education enrollment, English learner populations, attendance, and discipline were not available. A parent may want to reach out to Ellis directly to understand those pieces of the school's environment and any specialized supports or programs the school offers.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 355%

School 55% · District 57% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 56%

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

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 51% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 17 pts above state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 352%

School 52% · District 53% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 460%

School 60% · District 59% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 58% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 47% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 16 pts above state median · even with county median

This schoolSunnyvale, 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-income50%Higher-income53%3 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income29%Higher-income75%46 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income35%Higher-income59%24 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income48%Higher-income57%9 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income27%Higher-income70%43 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income35%Higher-income54%19 pp gap