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Very Good

#2166 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 23% in state

Arete Charter Academy

Elementary School · Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary · Grass Valley, CA

A Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary charter elementary school where students score 22 points below what's typical for similar communities.

Charter

16229 Duggans Rd., Grass Valley, CA 95949

  • Math 33% vs CA 37% (2024)
  • Reading 42% vs CA 46% (2024)
  • 23.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.9Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data7
Annual Change+2.01 pts/yr
Data Period2017–2024
TrendImproving
Academics5.1Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency31.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency41.2% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-14.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-1.6 pts
Overall Proficiency36% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)58% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-21.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile33th
Resources & Environment6.0Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio23.9:1
District spending per student$13,572
Chronic Absenteeism5.9%

Students at Arete Charter Academy score 36% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 58%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency33%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
37%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency42%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
46%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is up 18 points across the 8-year record (2017–2024) and has held near 38% recently.

Show all 7 years
2017
Math
15%
ELA
25%
2018
Math
25%
ELA
35%
2019
Math
25%
ELA
35%
2020*
Math
32%
ELA
42%
2021*
Math
32%
ELA
42%
2022
Math
27%
ELA
36%
2024
Math
33%
ELA
42%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 30% (multi-year average, 2017-2024) · reading/ELA 39% (multi-year average, 2017-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 26 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

28.9%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Arete Charter Academy sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 3Car-Dependent
  • Bike 6Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,743/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Grass Valley), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$90,309

Median home value

$551,700

Median rent

$1,827/mo

College educated

32.3%

Homeownership

86.2%

Poverty rate

9.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95949; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

2 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Cottage Hill ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.4K–52.9 mi494Compare →
Alta Sierra ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.1K–54.9 mi331Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary

Schools in district
5
Rank in district
#1 of 4
District spending per student
$13,572NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

Arete Charter Academy is listed in Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Arete Charter Academy

Arete Charter Academy is a public elementary school in Grass Valley, CA, part of Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary, serving approximately 239 students in grades Kindergarten-8th with a 23.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10 and ranks #2,166 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2024) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Arete Charter Academy

What grades does Arete Charter Academy serve?

Arete Charter Academy serves students in grades Kindergarten through 8th.

How many students attend Arete Charter Academy?

Arete Charter Academy has an enrollment of approximately 239 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Arete Charter Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at Arete Charter Academy is 23.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Arete Charter Academy rank in CA?

Arete Charter Academy ranks #2,166 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Arete Charter Academy's MySchoolScout rating?

Arete Charter Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Arete Charter Academy?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Arete Charter Academy has 30% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2024) and 39% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2017-2024).

Is Arete Charter Academy a charter school?

Yes, Arete Charter Academy is a charter school. Charter schools are publicly funded but independently operated, often with more flexibility in curriculum and teaching methods.

Is Arete Charter Academy a Title I school?

No, Arete Charter Academy is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Arete Charter Academy?

28.9% of students at Arete Charter Academy qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 8th
Enrollment
239
Student-Teacher Ratio
23.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
10
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Nevada County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
5.9%
Area population (ZIP 95949)
20,709
Area average commute
28.9 min
Area median age
54.4
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 95949; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2017-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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