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
Enrollment
396
Student-Teacher
20.8:1
Score
9.5
Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Updated
2022-23
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 metricsView breakdown
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Data not available for this school
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Ruth Acty Elementary — Students at Ruth Acty Elementary score 87% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 66%).
Equity & Diversity
Shown separately, not included in overall scoreFree/Reduced Lunch
16.9%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance
Test Scores CA CAASPP (2023-24)
Based on 10 test records from CA state assessments. About our data
Proficiency Trend
↑ ImprovingAverage proficiency (% at or above grade level) across Math & ELA over time.
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.
Funding & Resources
Performance Trends
Math proficiency has improved from 72% (2019) to 86.67% (2024). Reading/ELA proficiency has improved from 77% (2019) to 87.43% (2024).
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 |
Compare Ruth Acty Elementary with similar schools nearby
Side-by-side ratings, test scores, and demographics for the schools parents most often weigh against this one.
- CompareRuth Acty Elementary vs John Muir ElementaryBerkeley, CA Peer score 9.3/10 -0.2 vs Ruth Acty Elementary
- CompareRuth Acty Elementary vs Sylvia Mendez ElementaryBerkeley, CA Peer score 9.2/10 -0.3 vs Ruth Acty Elementary
- CompareRuth Acty Elementary vs Cragmont ElementaryBerkeley, CA Peer score 9.1/10 -0.4 vs Ruth Acty Elementary
- CompareRuth Acty Elementary vs Thousand Oaks ElementaryBerkeley, CA Peer score 9.1/10 -0.4 vs Ruth Acty Elementary
- CompareRuth Acty Elementary vs Washington ElementaryBerkeley, CA Peer score 9.0/10 -0.5 vs Ruth Acty Elementary
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.
Explore More Schools
Neighborhood Context
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
- Phone
- (510) 644-6298
- Data Year
- 2023–2024
Resources & Links
District
Berkeley Unified- District Enrollment
- 9,077
- Schools in District
- 18
- Per-Pupil Spending
- $22,833
- District Rank
- #1 of 16
Other Schools in This District
Compare This School
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 methodologyRelated reading
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