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Below Average

#7532 of 9,539 schools in CA

Bonita Elementary

Elementary School · Santa Maria-bonita · Santa Maria, CA

A Santa Maria-bonita elementary school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

2715 West Main St., Santa Maria, CA 93458

  • Math 13% vs CA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 14% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 20.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.0Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-2.03 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics3.7Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency13.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency15.1% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-32.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-27.7 pts
Overall Proficiency14% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)20% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-5.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile18th
Resources & Environment8.3Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.2:1
District spending per student$16,207
Chronic Absenteeism16.5%

Students at Bonita Elementary score 14% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 20%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency13%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
38%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency14%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 10 points since 2018, to 14% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
45%
ELA
35%
2010
Math
55%
ELA
27%
2011
Math
60%
ELA
26%
2012
Math
61%
ELA
25%
2014
Math
15%
ELA
11%
2015
Math
19%
ELA
18%
2016
Math
21%
ELA
20%
2017
Math
19%
ELA
19%
2018
Math
23%
ELA
25%
2019
Math
23%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
11%
ELA
17%
2024
Math
13%
ELA
14%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 26% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 20% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

96.3%

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 Bonita Elementary 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 27Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,611/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Santa Maria), 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

$73,518

Median home value

$460,300

Median rent

$1,825/mo

College educated

9.2%

Homeownership

43.5%

Poverty rate

17.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93458; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Oakley (calvin C.) ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.0K–63.3 mi867Compare →
Mary Buren ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.0K–43.4 mi727Compare →
Fairlawn ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.3K–63.5 mi716Compare →
Liberty ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.1K–63.7 mi873Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Santa Maria-bonita

Schools in district
21
Rank in district
#19 of 21
District spending per student
$16,207NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
27.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Bonita Elementary is listed in Santa Maria-Bonita; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Bonita Elementary

Bonita Elementary is a public elementary school in Santa Maria, CA, part of Santa Maria-bonita, serving approximately 545 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 20.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 out of 10 and ranks #7,532 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 26% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 20% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Bonita Elementary

What grades does Bonita Elementary serve?

Bonita Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Bonita Elementary?

Bonita Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 545 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Bonita Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Bonita Elementary is 20.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Bonita Elementary rank in CA?

Bonita Elementary ranks #7,532 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Bonita Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Bonita Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 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 Bonita Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Bonita Elementary has 26% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 20% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Bonita Elementary a charter school?

No, Bonita Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Bonita Elementary a Title I school?

No, Bonita Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Bonita Elementary?

96.3% of students at Bonita Elementary 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 – 6th
Enrollment
545
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
27
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Santa Barbara County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
16.5%
Area population (ZIP 93458)
59,126
Area average commute
21.9 min
Area median age
27.1
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 93458; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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