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#4836 of 9,539 schools in CA

Thomas Olaeta Elementary

Elementary School · Atwater Elementary · Atwater, CA

An Atwater Elementary elementary school where students score 18 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2266 High St., Atwater, CA 95301

  • Math 47% vs CA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 51% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 24.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.7Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.54 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics8.6Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency46.5% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency50.5% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+0.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+7.7 pts
Overall Proficiency48% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)30% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+18.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile79th
Resources & Environment4.3Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio24.2:1
District spending per student$15,368
Chronic Absenteeism23.5%

Students at Thomas Olaeta Elementary score 48% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 30%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency47%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
38%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency51%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 9 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 49% recently.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
64%
ELA
51%
2010
Math
71%
ELA
58%
2011
Math
75%
ELA
60%
2012
Math
75%
ELA
66%
2014
Math
39%
ELA
53%
2015
Math
45%
ELA
52%
2016
Math
39%
ELA
47%
2017
Math
43%
ELA
50%
2018
Math
40%
ELA
57%
2019
Math
40%
ELA
57%
2022
Math
35%
ELA
43%
2024
Math
47%
ELA
51%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 53% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

78%

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 Thomas Olaeta 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 58Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 50Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,969/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$66,669

Median home value

$367,800

Median rent

$1,215/mo

College educated

16%

Homeownership

56.7%

Poverty rate

17.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95301; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Shaffer ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.8K–60.6 mi422Compare →
Bellevue ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.4K–60.7 mi621Compare →
Elmer Wood ElementaryEnrollment path unverified7.8K–60.7 mi507Compare →
Mitchell ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.7K–60.8 mi550Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Atwater Elementary

Schools in district
11
Rank in district
#5 of 9
District spending per student
$15,368NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
23.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Thomas Olaeta Elementary is listed in Atwater Elementary; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Thomas Olaeta Elementary

Thomas Olaeta Elementary is a public elementary school in Atwater, CA, part of Atwater Elementary, serving approximately 387 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 24.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10 and ranks #4,836 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Thomas Olaeta Elementary

What grades does Thomas Olaeta Elementary serve?

Thomas Olaeta Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Thomas Olaeta Elementary?

Thomas Olaeta Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 387 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Olaeta Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Olaeta Elementary is 24.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Thomas Olaeta Elementary rank in CA?

Thomas Olaeta Elementary ranks #4,836 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Thomas Olaeta Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Thomas Olaeta Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 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 Thomas Olaeta Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Thomas Olaeta Elementary has 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Thomas Olaeta Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Thomas Olaeta Elementary a Title I school?

No, Thomas Olaeta Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

78.0% of students at Thomas Olaeta 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 – 6th
Enrollment
387
Student-Teacher Ratio
24.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
16
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Merced County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
23.5%
Area population (ZIP 95301)
42,374
Area average commute
27.5 min
Area median age
34.5
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 95301; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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