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Excellent

#760 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 8% in state

Helm Elementary

Elementary School · Golden Plains Unified · San Joaquin, CA

A Golden Plains Unified elementary school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

PO Box 937, San Joaquin, CA 93660

  • Math 22% vs CA 36% (2024)
  • Reading 34% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.3Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.1 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics6.6Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency21.9% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.1% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-13.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-13 pts
Overall Proficiency28% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)19% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+9.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile51th
Resources & Environment9.6Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.4:1
District spending per student$20,627
Chronic Absenteeism31.9%

Students at Helm Elementary score 28% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 19%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency22%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
36%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency34%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 6 points since 2020, reaching 28% in 2024.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
32%
ELA
27%
2010
Math
47%
ELA
32%
2011
Math
42%
ELA
32%
2012
Math
32%
ELA
27%
2014
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
32%
ELA
42%
2017
Math
37%
ELA
47%
2018
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2019
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
33%
ELA
52%
2024
Math
22%
ELA
34%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 29% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 33% (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 28 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

98.6%

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 Helm 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 10Car-Dependent
  • Bike 30Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average398/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$54,318

Median home value

$270,800

Median rent

$1,070/mo

College educated

2.2%

Homeownership

37.2%

Poverty rate

37.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93660; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 in Golden Plains Unified

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Cantua ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.8K–8Not available183Compare →
San Joaquin ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.4K–8Not available527Compare →
Tranquillity ElementaryEnrollment path unverified4.2K–8Not available199Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Golden Plains Unified

Schools in district
6
Rank in district
#1 of 5
District spending per student
$20,627NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Helm Elementary is listed in Golden Plains Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Helm Elementary

Helm Elementary is a public elementary school in San Joaquin, CA, part of Golden Plains Unified, serving approximately 72 students in grades Kindergarten-8th with a 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 out of 10 and ranks #760 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 33% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Helm Elementary

What grades does Helm Elementary serve?

Helm Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 8th.

How many students attend Helm Elementary?

Helm Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 72 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Helm Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Helm Elementary is 14.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Helm Elementary rank in CA?

Helm Elementary ranks #760 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Helm Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Helm Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 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 Helm Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Helm Elementary has 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 33% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Helm Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Helm Elementary a Title I school?

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

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

98.6% of students at Helm 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 – 8th
Enrollment
72
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
5
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Fresno County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.9%
Area population (ZIP 93660)
4,062
Area median age
26.1
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 93660; 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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