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Excellent

#1652 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 17% in state

James A. Forrest Elementary

Elementary School · Wasco Union Elementary · Wasco, CA

A Wasco Union Elementary elementary school where students score 6 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1102 Fifth St., Wasco, CA 93280

  • Math 27% vs CA 39% (2024)
  • Reading 30% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 23.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.5Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data2
Annual Change+0.13 pts/yr
Data Period2022–2024
TrendStable
Academics6.4Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency27.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency30.2% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-18.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-12.6 pts
Overall Proficiency29% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)23% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+5.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile48th
Resources & Environment6.8Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio23.1:1
District spending per student$20,524
Chronic Absenteeism27.3%

Students at James A. Forrest Elementary score 29% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 23%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency27%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
39%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency30%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency has held near 29% across the 3-year record (2022–2024).

Show all 2 years by subject
2022
Math
24%
ELA
33%
2024
Math
27%
ELA
30%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 26% (multi-year average, 2022-2024) · reading/ELA 31% (multi-year average, 2022-2024)

Based on 10 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

91%

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 James A. Forrest 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 50Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 49Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated1,155/100K

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

$55,060

Median home value

$255,300

Median rent

$996/mo

College educated

7.9%

Homeownership

58.7%

Poverty rate

19.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93280; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Karl F. Clemens ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.9K–50.5 mi527Compare →
Bethany Christian SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated1–110.7 mi18Compare →
North Kern Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition5.1privatePK–80.9 mi64Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Wasco Union Elementary

Schools in district
6
Rank in district
#1 of 6
District spending per student
$20,524NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
25.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

James A. Forrest Elementary is listed in Wasco Union Elementary; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About James A. Forrest Elementary

James A. Forrest Elementary is a public elementary school in Wasco, CA, part of Wasco Union Elementary, serving approximately 578 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 23.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,652 of 9,539 schools in CA.

State assessment records show 26% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2024) and 31% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about James A. Forrest Elementary

What grades does James A. Forrest Elementary serve?

James A. Forrest Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend James A. Forrest Elementary?

James A. Forrest Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 578 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at James A. Forrest Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at James A. Forrest Elementary is 23.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does James A. Forrest Elementary rank in CA?

James A. Forrest Elementary ranks #1,652 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is James A. Forrest Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

James A. Forrest Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 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 James A. Forrest Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, James A. Forrest Elementary has 26% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2024) and 31% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2022-2024).

Is James A. Forrest Elementary a charter school?

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

Is James A. Forrest Elementary a Title I school?

No, James A. Forrest Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for James A. Forrest Elementary?

91.0% of students at James A. Forrest 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
578
Student-Teacher Ratio
23.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
25
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Kern County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
27.3%
Area population (ZIP 93280)
27,266
Area average commute
22.5 min
Area median age
30.5
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 93280; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2022-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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