Top Rankings
Atwater Elementary School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in California for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 11 public schools serving 4,925 students in Atwater Elementary School District. This district's average testing ranking is 6/10, which is in the top 50% of public schools in California.
Public Schools in Atwater Elementary School District have an average math proficiency score of 33% (versus the California public school average of 35%), and reading proficiency score of 43% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 88% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the California public school average of 80% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (CA)
# Schools
11 Schools
10,323 Schools
# Students
4,925 Students
5,788,587 Students
# Teachers
215 Teachers
267,491 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
23:1
23:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Atwater Elementary School District, which is ranked #827 of all 1,903 school districts in California (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
Overall District Rank
#799 out of 1932 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Showing 2012–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
32%
34%
Showing 2012–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
44%
47%
Showing 2011–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
22%
29%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)16.2%
27.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.35
0.63
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% American Indian
n/a
1%
Showing 2002–2022. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓
% Asian
4%
12%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Hispanic
80%
56%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Black
2%
5%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% White
12%
20%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
2%
6%
Showing 2014–2023. Full 15-year historical data available below ↓
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $22,630 in this school district is less than the state median of $26,022. The school district revenue/student has grown by 17% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $21,890 is less than the state median of $22,604. The school district spending/student has grown by 22% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$112 MM
$150,628 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending
$108 MM
$130,845 MM
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Revenue / Student
$22,630
$26,022
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Spending / Student
$21,890
$22,604
Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓
Best Atwater Elementary School District Public Schools (2026-27)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Peggy Heller Elementary School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 55%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
201 Lake View Dr.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6517
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6517
Gr: K-8 | 712 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 81%
Rank: #22.
Elmer Wood Elementary School
(Math: 42% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1271 West Bellevue Rd.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6143
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6143
Gr: K-6 | 514 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 81%
Rank: #33.
Thomas Olaeta Elementary School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
2266 High St.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6148
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6148
Gr: K-6 | 374 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 86%
Rank: #44.
Shaffer Elementary School
(Math: 37% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1434 California St.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6145
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6145
Gr: K-6 | 405 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Rank: #55.
Atwater Senior Academy
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: 21-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1800 Juniper Ave.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6515
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6515
Gr: 6-8 | 5 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Rank: #66.
Mitchell Elementary School
(Math: 35% | Reading: 39%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1761 Grove Ave.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6112
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6112
Gr: K-6 | 528 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 92%
Rank: #77.
Aileen Colburn Elementary School
(Math: 27% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
2201 Heller St.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6136
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6136
Gr: K-6 | 371 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 91%
Rank: #88.
Bellevue Elementary School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1020 East Bellevue Rd.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6140
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6140
Gr: K-6 | 599 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 95%
Rank: #99.
Mitchell Intermediate
(Math: 21% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1753 Fifth St.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6124
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6124
Gr: 7-8 | 744 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 87%
Rank: #1010.
Bellevue Senior Elementary School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
1020 East Bellevue Rd.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6140
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-6140
Gr: 7-8 | 178 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 96%
Rank: n/an/a
661 East Juniper Ave.
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-9930
Atwater, CA 95301
(209) 357-9930
Gr: K-6 | 495 students Student-teacher ratio: 25:1 Minority enrollment: 88%
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools belong to Atwater Elementary School District?
Atwater Elementary School District manages 11 public schools serving 4,925 students.
What is the rank of Atwater Elementary School District?
Atwater Elementary School District is ranked #827 out of 1,903 school districts in California (top 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of California school districts for: Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Atwater Elementary School District?
80% of Atwater Elementary School District students are Hispanic, 12% of students are White, 4% of students are Asian, 2% of students are Black, and 2% of students are Two or more races.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Atwater Elementary School District?
Atwater Elementary School District has a student/teacher ratio of 23:1, which is higher than the California state average of 22:1.
What is Atwater Elementary School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $21,890 is less than the state median of $22,604. The school district spending/student has grown by 22% over four school years.
Recent Articles
When a Public School Cancels a Course Your Child Needs
Learn what parents can do when public schools cancel essential courses, including protecting graduation credits, finding approved alternatives, requesting substitutions, and preventing disruptions to college or career plans before deadlines.
Verify School Assignment Before Buying a House
Before buying a house, learn how to verify your child's assigned public school, check conflicting property listings, confirm enrollment eligibility, and avoid costly school assignment surprises before closing on a property.
School Bus Commute Times: What Parents Should Know
Discover how long school bus commutes really take, why routes vary, and what parents should ask about pickup times, student fatigue, transportation reliability, and daily schedules before choosing schools.
