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Below Average

#8226 of 9,539 schools in CA

Lu Sutton Elementary

Elementary School · Novato Unified · Novato, CA

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

1800 Center Rd., Novato, CA 94947

  • Math 31% vs CA 39% (2024)
  • Reading 42% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 23.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.9Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.44 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.9Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency31.1% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency41% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-14.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-1.8 pts
Overall Proficiency36% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)43% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-7.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile42th
Resources & Environment5.2Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio23.3:1
District spending per student$16,083
Chronic Absenteeism25.5%

Students at Lu Sutton Elementary score 36% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 43%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency31%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
39%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency42%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 9 points since 2020, reaching 36% in 2024.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
61%
ELA
54%
2010
Math
64%
ELA
61%
2011
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2012
Math
64%
ELA
64%
2014
Math
42%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
37%
ELA
47%
2016
Math
37%
ELA
52%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
37%
ELA
42%
2019
Math
37%
ELA
42%
2020*
Math
22%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
22%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
24%
ELA
38%
2024
Math
31%
ELA
42%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 40% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 48% (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

55.6%

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 Lu Sutton Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the San Francisco Bay Area map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 41Car-Dependent
  • Transit 30Some Transit
  • Bike 53Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,645/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$126,690

Median home value

$995,000

Median rent

$2,526/mo

College educated

47.5%

Homeownership

69.6%

Poverty rate

9.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 94947; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Nova Education CenterEnrollment path unverified6.5K–120.7 mi70Compare →
Rancho ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.1K–51.1 mi349Compare →
San Ramon ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.8K–51.4 mi441Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Novato Unified

Schools in district
15
Rank in district
#12 of 14
District spending per student
$16,083NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Lu Sutton Elementary is listed in Novato Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Lu Sutton Elementary

Lu Sutton Elementary is a public elementary school in Novato, CA, part of Novato Unified, serving approximately 349 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 23.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #8,226 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Lu Sutton Elementary

What grades does Lu Sutton Elementary serve?

Lu Sutton Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Lu Sutton Elementary?

Lu Sutton Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 349 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Lu Sutton Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Lu Sutton Elementary is 23.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Lu Sutton Elementary rank in CA?

Lu Sutton Elementary ranks #8,226 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Lu Sutton Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Lu Sutton Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 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 Lu Sutton Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Lu Sutton Elementary has 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Lu Sutton Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Lu Sutton Elementary a Title I school?

No, Lu Sutton Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

55.6% of students at Lu Sutton 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
349
Student-Teacher Ratio
23.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
15
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Marin County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.5%
Area population (ZIP 94947)
24,360
Area average commute
26.1 min
Area median age
47.5
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 94947; 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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