The top reported proficiency rate is 8% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Sherwood
Sherwood is a small elementary and middle school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Willits, a small city at the center of Mendocino County. The school sits at a rural address on Sherwood Road, outside the main town.
The student body is very small, with fewer than fifty students spread unevenly across the grade bands. About two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is predominantly white with a substantial share of multiracial students and a smaller Hispanic population. Data on English learners and students with individualized education plans was not available.
On California state assessments for the school year ending in 2025, Sherwood's results are notably weak. In English language arts across all tested grades, the school's overall proficiency rate is well below what the state expects of students at those levels. In mathematics, the picture is similar. For seventh grade specifically, math proficiency was at zero, and seventh-grade English language arts proficiency was in the single digits. Grade-by-grade testing data for third through sixth grades in both subjects was suppressed by the state, typically because enrollment in those grades is too small for public reporting; eighth-grade data was not available. Science testing results were similarly suppressed or missing. When positioned against the other school districts in Mendocino County, Sherwood's overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile.
The small enrollment and sparse grade distribution suggest this is a school serving its immediate rural neighborhood. Fewer than three students are enrolled in some grades, which shapes both the school's peer environment and its ability to offer grade-level cohorts. The most recent sustained change affecting families at the school comes from Willits Unified's passage of Measure I in 2020, a general obligation bond for aging facility repairs; families remain subject to the related property tax obligation as repairs to roofs, plumbing, ventilation, electrical systems, and safety infrastructure continue over a multi-year cycle.
A parent considering Sherwood should recognize that recent proficiency outcomes are very low and conversation with the school about instructional approaches, student support systems, and any plans for improvement would be prudent. The school's tiny size and rural location create a distinct environment from larger district schools; this may appeal to some families seeking a close-knit setting, but it also means limited peer diversity and constrained course or activity offerings typical of schools this small.
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