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Below Average

#8381 of 9,539 schools in CA

Faller Elementary

Elementary School · Sierra Sands Unified · Ridgecrest, CA

A Sierra Sands Unified elementary school where students score 7 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1500 West Upjohn St., Ridgecrest, CA 93555

  • Math 33% vs CA 39% (2024)
  • Reading 36% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 24:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.6Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.19 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.7Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency33.8% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.9% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-11.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-7.9 pts
Overall Proficiency34% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)41% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-7.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile40th
Resources & Environment3.7Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio24:1
District spending per student$15,168
Chronic Absenteeism29.2%

Students at Faller Elementary score 34% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 41%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency33%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
39%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency36%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 5 points since 2020, reaching 34% in 2024.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
66%
ELA
58%
2010
Math
66%
ELA
56%
2011
Math
75%
ELA
61%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
55%
2014
Math
31%
ELA
35%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
35%
ELA
42%
2017
Math
31%
ELA
47%
2018
Math
43%
ELA
50%
2019
Math
43%
ELA
50%
2020*
Math
21%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
21%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
28%
ELA
37%
2024
Math
33%
ELA
36%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 40% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

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

Based on 34 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

58.5%

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 Faller 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 4Car-Dependent
  • Bike 35Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,757/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Ridgecrest), 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

$84,141

Median home value

$235,400

Median rent

$1,180/mo

College educated

30.5%

Homeownership

62.7%

Poverty rate

12.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93555; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Ridgecrest Elem Acad for Language Music and SciCharter · enrollment unverified4.7K–60.8 mi224Compare →
St Ann SchoolPrivate · tuition7.2privateK–81.4 mi141Compare →
St. AnnPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–81.4 mi121Compare →
Las Flores ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.0K–51.5 mi550Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Sierra Sands Unified

Schools in district
11
Rank in district
#9 of 10
District spending per student
$15,168NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Faller Elementary is listed in Sierra Sands Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Faller Elementary

Faller Elementary is a public elementary school in Ridgecrest, CA, part of Sierra Sands Unified, serving approximately 504 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 24:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.2 out of 10 and ranks #8,381 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 44% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Faller Elementary

What grades does Faller Elementary serve?

Faller Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Faller Elementary?

Faller Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 504 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Faller Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Faller Elementary is 24:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Faller Elementary rank in CA?

Faller Elementary ranks #8,381 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Faller Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Faller Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.2 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 Faller Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Faller Elementary has 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 44% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Faller Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Faller Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

58.5% of students at Faller 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 – 5th
Enrollment
504
Student-Teacher Ratio
24:1
Teachers (FTE)
21
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Town
County
Kern County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
29.2%
Area population (ZIP 93555)
33,629
Area average commute
16.3 min
Area median age
35.9
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 93555; this does not measure the attendance area.

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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