Emerson Elementary vs Cragmont Elementary

Emerson Elementary and Cragmont Elementary sit 2.5 miles apart in Berkeley and are separated by just 0.1 rating points — Emerson at 9.3/10, Cragmont at 9.2/10. Both rank in the top 2% of California's 9,533 schools: Emerson Elementary lands at #87 statewide while Cragmont Elementary comes in at #140. For most families, that gap is negligible; the meaningful differences emerge when you look beneath the composite score.

Academically, Emerson Elementary scores 9.5/10 versus Cragmont Elementary's 8.9/10 — a 0.6-point delta that reflects higher current proficiency levels on state assessments. Cragmont, however, reverses the advantage on growth: its 9.5/10 growth score edges Emerson Elementary's 9.2/10, meaning Cragmont students are gaining ground at a faster rate relative to peers with similar starting points. If your child enters below grade level, Cragmont's growth trajectory is the stronger signal. If your child is already performing at or above grade level, Emerson's higher academic score reflects a ceiling that may matter more.

Both schools serve kindergarten through fifth grade with nearly identical enrollment — Emerson Elementary at 282 students, Cragmont Elementary at 294. The free and reduced lunch rate is 32% at Emerson versus 28% at Cragmont, indicating Emerson serves a modestly higher share of lower-income families. Student-teacher ratios are close: Emerson Elementary at 21.7:1 and Cragmont Elementary at 21.0:1, giving Cragmont a slight edge in average class size.

Because both schools cover grades KG–05 with comparable enrollment and similar staffing levels, the program-level distinction comes down to trajectory versus attainment. Emerson's academic profile is higher on absolute proficiency; Cragmont's growth engine is stronger. Neither school offers a structural program advantage over the other based on available data — the choice turns entirely on which performance dimension matters most to a given family.