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Excellent

#12 of 9,533 schools in CA

Top 1% in state

Ruth Acty Elementary

Elementary School · Berkeley Unified

1400 Ada St., Berkeley, CA 94702

Enrollment

396

Student-Teacher

20.8:1

Score

9.5

Grades

Kindergarten – 5th

Updated 2022-23

How this school compares

In Berkeley

#1 of 16

public schools

California elementary schools

#12 of 5,817

In district

#1 of 16

Berkeley Unified

Equity

9.9 / 10

Exceptional

About Ruth Acty Elementary

Ruth Acty Elementary is a public school in Berkeley, California, serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade with an enrollment of 396. It runs on a student-teacher ratio of 20.8 to 1. The school's academic profile is exceptional by any measure.

Ruth Acty holds a composite score of 9.5 out of 10, driven by a 9.8 in both academic performance and growth. It ranks first among all 16 public schools in Berkeley and twelfth among 5,817 elementary schools statewide — placing it in the top fraction of a percent for California elementary education. That growth score is particularly telling: students here don't just arrive ahead; they continue advancing at an accelerated rate.

Statewide context sharpens the picture further. Ruth Acty ranks twelfth out of 9,533 California public schools across all levels, outperforming every other school in the state by composite measure. For families comparing options in the Berkeley area, those numbers are hard to overlook.

Parents seeking a public elementary school with documented, data-backed academic strength will find Ruth Acty consistently near the top of any objective ranking — not by a narrow margin, but by a gap that puts it among the highest-performing public elementary programs in one of the most competitive education markets in the country.

What Parents Should Know

The student-teacher ratio at Ruth Acty Elementary is 20.8:1, which is higher than the national average. This may mean larger class sizes, so parents should ask about classroom support, teaching assistants, and how the school differentiates instruction for students who need extra help.

Score Breakdown

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.8Exceptional50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data2
Annual Change+2.51 pts/yr
Data Period2019–2024
TrendImproving
Academics9.8Exceptional30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency86.7%
Reading/ELA Proficiency87.4%
Math vs. State Avg+41 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+44.6 pts
Overall Proficiency87%
Expected (poverty-adj.)66%
vs. Expected+21.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile98th
College ReadinessNot Available

Data not available for this school

Resources & Environment8.5Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, per-pupil spending, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.8:1
Per-Pupil Spending$21,562

Ruth Acty Elementary — Students at Ruth Acty Elementary score 87% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 66%).

How we calculate scores →

Equity & Diversity

Shown separately, not included in overall score

Free/Reduced Lunch

16.9%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

Test Scores CA CAASPP (2023-24)

Math Proficiency 83.8%
School
State
39.4%
ELA Proficiency 85.3%
School
State
45.3%

Based on 10 test records from CA state assessments. About our data

Proficiency Trend

↑ Improving

Average proficiency (% at or above grade level) across Math & ELA over time.

2019
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2024
Math
86.7%
ELA
87.4%

Source: EdFacts (NCES) and state assessment data. Growth score: 9.8/10.

How Ruth Acty Elementary Compares

See how Ruth Acty Elementary performs across key quality dimensions compared to state benchmarks.

Overall Score
9.5/10
100th percentile in CA
Academic
9.8/10
9.8/10
Growth
9.8/10
Above average
Environment
8.5/10
Above average

Funding & Resources

Free/Reduced Lunch
Students eligible for subsidized meals
17%
Teaching Staff
21:1 student-teacher ratio
19 teachers

Location

1400 Ada St., Berkeley, CA 94702

Nearby Alternatives

Families considering Ruth Acty Elementary may also want to explore other elementary schools in the area. Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier (rated 9.1/10, 0.8 miles away), with a comparable rating. Another option is Thousand Oaks Elementary (rated 9.1/10, 1.0 miles away), with a comparable rating. Additionally, Oxford Elementary at West Campus (rated 8.6/10, 0.7 miles away), with a comparable rating. For more schools in Berkeley, see our Berkeley schools guide .

Nearby Schools

20 within 1.0 mi
School Distance Rating
THE CROWDEN SCHOOL Berkeley 0.1 mi 7.8
The Crowden School Berkeley 0.1 mi
CEDAR CREEK MONTESSORI SCHOOL Berkeley 0.2 mi
Saint Mary's College High School Berkeley 0.3 mi
Martin Luther King Middle Berkeley 0.5 mi 8.3
THE BERKELEY SCHOOL Berkeley 0.6 mi 8.0
Oxford Elementary at West Campus Berkeley 0.7 mi 8.6
Marin Elementary Albany 0.7 mi 6.5
Shu Ren International School Berkeley 0.8 mi
Bayhill High Berkeley 0.7 mi
BAYHILL HIGH SCHOOL Berkeley 0.7 mi 7.8
BAYHILL HIGH SCHOOL Berkeley 0.7 mi 7.7
School of the Madeleine Berkeley 0.8 mi
Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier Berkeley 0.8 mi 9.1
SCHOOL OF THE MADELEINE Berkeley 0.8 mi 8.4
Thousand Oaks Elementary Berkeley 1.0 mi 9.1
Cornell Elementary Albany 1.0 mi 7.8
TILDEN PREPARATORY SCHOOL Albany 1.0 mi 6.2
Tilden Preparatory School Albany 1.0 mi
BERKWOOD HEDGE SCHOOL Berkeley 1.0 mi 7.9

Neighborhood Census ACS (2019-2023)

Census data for ZIP 94702 (ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates) · Data sources

Median Income

$99,135

Median Home Value

$1,168,200

Median Rent

$1,974/mo

Population

17,073

College Educated

65.5%

Homeownership

48.9%

Avg Commute

31.1 min

Poverty Rate

11.9%

Median Age

40.9

Community Profile

The community surrounding Ruth Acty Elementary has a median household income of $99,135. It is a well-educated community where 66% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $1,168,200, with a median rent of $1,974/month. The area has a poverty rate of 11.9%. The average commute for residents is 31 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Similar Schools

Schools in the same state with comparable level, size, and ratings

School Rating
Beach Elementary Piedmont, CA 9.5
Canfield Avenue Elementary Los Angeles, CA 9.5
Juana Briones Elementary Palo Alto, CA 9.5
Montecito Union Santa Barbara, CA 9.5
Multnomah Street Elementary Los Angeles, CA 9.5
Rancho Vista Elementary Rolling Hills Estates, CA 9.5

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Ruth Acty Elementary

What grades does Ruth Acty Elementary serve?

Ruth Acty Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Ruth Acty Elementary?

Ruth Acty Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 396 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Ruth Acty Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Ruth Acty Elementary is 20.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Ruth Acty Elementary rank in CA?

Ruth Acty Elementary is ranked #12 out of 9,533 schools in CA.

What is Ruth Acty Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Ruth Acty Elementary has a composite rating of 9.5 out of 10 on MySchoolScout. This score combines academic performance, student growth, and school environment into a single score. Equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Ruth Acty Elementary?

Based on the most recent state assessment data, Ruth Acty Elementary has 83.8% math proficiency and 85.3% reading/ELA proficiency.

Is Ruth Acty Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Ruth Acty Elementary a Title I school?

No, Ruth Acty Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

16.9% of students at Ruth Acty 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.

11 schools nearby View map →

Neighborhood Context

Walk Score
78 Very Walkable
Transit Score
63 Good Transit
Bike Score
96 Biker’s Paradise
City Safety
High (5,909/100K)

Powered by Walk Score

FBI UCR 2024. City-level (Berkeley). Data >1 year old.

Compare This School

How does Ruth Acty Elementary stack up?

John Muir Elementary
9.3
Sylvia Mendez Elementary
9.2
Cragmont Elementary
9.1
Compare Selected →

Quick Facts NCES CCD (SY 2022-23)

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
396
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
19
Free/Reduced Lunch
16.9%
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Alameda County
Data Year
2023–2024

District

Berkeley Unified
District Enrollment
9,077
Schools in District
18
Per-Pupil Spending
$22,833
District Rank
#1 of 16

How We Rate Schools

Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.

Read our full methodology

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