Calpella Elementary, Ukiah CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Calpella Elementary

Calpella Elementary is a small public school serving kindergarten through fourth grade in Ukiah, a compact city and county seat in Mendocino County's Wine Country. The school enrolls about a small number of students, split nearly evenly across five grade levels.

The student body reflects Ukiah's demographics. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating economic need within the area. The enrollment is roughly split between Hispanic and white students, with a meaningful share of American Indian and Alaska Native students and a smaller population of multiracial students. English learner and special education enrollment data were not provided by the state, so a parent may want to reach out to the school directly about these populations and how they are served.

On California's 2024-25 state assessments, proficiency in both English language arts and math ran below where a parent would hope. In third grade, ELA and math proficiency both sat in the low range; fourth grade showed slightly higher proficiency in ELA but remained low in math. Overall, Calpella's proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Mendocino County. This reflects a real academic challenge. A parent considering this school should understand that baseline proficiency is weak and ask the school directly what interventions are in place and what trajectory staff project.

The school sits at 151 Moore Street in Ukiah, a small city with downtown anchored by historic brick buildings on State Street and a year-round farmers market. Ukiah is pursuing walkability through infill housing, complete streets, and a multi-use trail. Major employers include county government, healthcare, Mendocino College, and agriculture. Housing prices in the 95482 zip code are roughly in line with the county median; rents have risen modestly in the past year. The city is actively adding smaller-unit housing—duplexes, ADUs, and cottage courts—to address the shortage of affordable homes.

Calpella is part of Ukiah Unified, which serves six elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school across Ukiah and adjacent communities. In March 2020, Ukiah voters approved a school improvement and safety bond funded through local property taxes, which is still driving facility upgrades across the district, including a new all-weather field and sports lighting at the high school. This bond signals a community commitment to schools, and families in the district bear the ongoing property tax cost.

Kindergarten through fourth grade means no state testing occurs at the school's early grades, and there is no high school graduation rate. The available data reflect only tested grades three and four. For early grades and early literacy support, a parent should ask the school about its reading intervention programs, assessment approaches for younger students, and how it identifies children who need help catching up.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 321%

School 21% · District 31% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 421%

School 21% · District 28% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 321%

School 21% · District 30% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 424%

School 24% · District 31% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · even with county median

This schoolUkiah 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-income19%Higher-income33%14 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income19%Higher-income54%35 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income19%Higher-income33%14 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income18%Higher-income39%21 pp gap