Dogwood Elementary

Q: Is Dogwood Elementary a good school?

Dogwood Elementary ranks 2347 th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dogwood Elementary is a public elementary school located in Heber, CA, serving grades KG-4 with a total enrollment of 646 students. It is part of the Heber Elementary School District, which is ranked 585 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating out of 5 from SchoolDigger.

Dogwood Elementary's performance on Smarter Balanced Assessments is generally on par with or slightly below the district and state averages, with its Hispanic and English Language Learner student subgroups performing significantly better than the state averages. However, the school's Special Education student subgroup performs poorly, ranking in the bottom 1% of California elementary schools. Dogwood Elementary has also experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 4.8% in 2017-2018 to 28.9% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average of 14.3%. The school has a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 70.43% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the state average of 55.9%.

Compared to nearby schools in the El Centro Elementary and Calexico Unified districts, Dogwood Elementary generally performs better in both English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics. However, some schools, such as McCabe Elementary and De Anza Magnet, outperform Dogwood in certain grade levels and subject areas. Understanding the practices and strategies employed by the higher-performing schools could provide valuable insights for Dogwood Elementary to improve its overall academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public K-4

44 East Correll Rd.
Heber, CA 92249

(760) 337-6530

District: Heber Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
2347^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,294

Students who attend Dogwood Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Heber
High:	Southwest High

Student/teacher ratio: 19.8

Number of students: 627

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

96.8%

White:

2.2%

Two or more races:

0.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 71%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dogwood Elementary ranks better than 60% of elementary schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.88. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (96.8%), White (2.2%), two or more races (0.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 71% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dogwood Elementary is 19.8. (See more...)

Compare Dogwood Elementary employs 31.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dogwood Elementary is $11,294.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dogwood Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Dogwood Elementary 2347^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Dogwood Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Migrant students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Heber Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Heber Elementary 585^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Dogwood Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Dogwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	51.20	2473^rd	5874	57.9%
2024	53.88	2347^th	5862	60.0%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dogwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	90.41	130^th	3250	96.0%
2024	90.31	111^th	3160	96.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dogwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	16.00	2396^th	2420	1.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dogwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	50.68	2322^nd	5374	56.8%
2024	54.15	2101^st	5511	61.9%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Dogwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	78.22	7^th	74	90.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dogwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	57.88	2037^th	5617	63.7%
2024	53.26	2259^th	5605	59.7%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dogwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	44.64	2766^th	5650	51.0%
2024	53.11	2302^nd	5636	59.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Dogwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	69.97	1188^th	5098	76.7%
2024	71.78	1108^th	5102	78.3%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Dogwood Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2018	1	0	0	545	1	0	547
2019	0	1	0	579	0	0	580
2020	0	0	0	591	1	0	592
2021	14	0	0	490	0	0	504
2022	18	0	0	464	2	0	484
2023	13	0	0	629	3	1	646
2024	14	1	1	607	3	1	627

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Dogwood Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	547	23.0	23.7	78.6
2019	580	27.0	21.4	77.9
2020	592	n/a	n/a	73.6
2021	504	25.0	20.1	71.6
2022	484	25.0	19.3	71.3
2023	646	31.0	20.8	70.4
2024	627	31.6	19.8	71

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Dogwood Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	547	23.0	23.7	78.6
2019	580	27.0	21.4	77.9
2020	592	n/a	n/a	73.6
2021	504	25.0	20.1	71.6
2022	484	25.0	19.3	71.3
2023	646	31.0	20.8	70.4
2024	627	31.6	19.8	71

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Dogwood Elementary

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Year	Completely Immunized	Religious Exemption	Medical Exemption	Conditional	Polio	Hepatitis B	Varicella	DTP	MMR
2018	97.0%	0.0%	0.0%	3.0%	≥99.0%	≥99.0%	≥99.0%	≥99.0%	97.0%
2019	96.0%		0.0%	2.0%	≥99.0%	≥99.0%	≥99.0%	≥99.0%	96.0%
2020	88.0%		0.0%	12.0%			94.0%		94.0%
2021	87.3%		0.0%	0.0%					87.3%
2022	92.6%		7.4%	0.0%	92.6%		92.6%	92.6%	92.6%

Data source: California Department of Public Health

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Dogwood Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$11,294

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dogwood Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Dogwood Elementary)	56.7	42.7	13.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Heber Elementary)	56.7	42.7	13.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	48.5	43	5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dogwood Elementary)	56.5	44.4	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Heber Elementary)	56.5	44.4	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (California)	50.2	45.1	5.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	580	646	11.4%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	579	629	8.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	0	13
Two or More Races	0	3
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	77.9%	70.4%	7.5%

Schools Near Dogwood Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts (2024)					CAST Science (2024)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)							Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)							% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 3rd Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 4th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 5th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts End of Course	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Total
Dogwood Elementary	Public	K-4	44 East Correll Rd.	Heber	92249	Imperial County	Heber Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 337-6530	627	32	19.8	71.0%	14 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	607 (96.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	53.9	2347^th of 5862 public elementary schools	60.0%		51.2	2473^rd of 5874 public elementary schools	57.9%	126									47.4	44.4					45.8	42.2	43.2					42.7	92.6	92.6		92.6	92.6	92.6	$11,294
Desert Garden Elementary	Public	K-6	1900 South Sixth St.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	El Centro Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 352-2051	371	17	21.8	81.4%	3 (0.8%)	6 (1.6%)	357 (96.2%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	43.7	2936^th of 5862 public elementary schools	49.9%		39.7	3159^th of 5874 public elementary schools	46.2%	223						36.7		36.7	54.0	15.4	53.3	40.6			42.7	58.8	10.3	11.7	21.9			25.7	98.1				98.1		$7,578
Harding Elementary	Public	K-6	950 South Seventh St.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	El Centro Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 352-4791	585	25	23.4	69.9%	19 (3.2%)	5 (0.9%)	548 (93.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.9%)	38.1	3294^th of 5862 public elementary schools	43.8%		37.5	3316^th of 5874 public elementary schools	43.5%	22	0.0	13.6	0.0	16.1	8.2	28.2		28.2	21.4	39.7	50.7	36.6			36.6	33.3	33.3	36.1	20.0			30.6							$7,909
Booker T. Washington Elementary	Public	K-6	223 South First St.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	El Centro Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 352-6611	356	16	22.2	92.4%	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	350 (98.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	18.7	4961^st of 5862 public elementary schools	15.4%		26.6	4223^rd of 5874 public elementary schools	28.1%	738						13.6		13.6	19.6	21.2	20.3	34.1			23.4	30.4	19.2	11.9	18.2			19.4							$8,758
De Anza Magnet	Public	K-8	1530 South Waterman Ave.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	El Centro Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 352-9811	492	20	24.5	74.4%	8 (1.6%)	3 (0.6%)	478 (97.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	44.5	2892^nd of 5862 public elementary schools	50.7%		42.5	2980^th of 5874 public elementary schools	49.3%	88						15.5	31.8	24.0	42.9	38.5	55.2	43.1	44.4	59.4	47.5	46.4	26.9	29.3	29.2	23.8	42.9	33.1							$8,472
McCabe Elementary	Public	K-8	701 West McCabe Rd.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	McCabe Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 352-5443	1,164	47	24.5	43.1%	102 (8.8%)	3 (0.3%)	995 (85.5%)	28 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (3.0%)	67.6	1698^th of 5862 public elementary schools	71.0%		71	1537^th of 5874 public elementary schools	73.8%	161						50.0	43.3	46.4	37.8	52.9	62.4	52.4	57.1	63.9	54.6	42.9	46.3	51.3	49.3	44.9	50.8	47.5	95.2	98.4	98.4		96.8	97.6	$8,370
Kennedy Gardens Elementary	Public	K-6	2300 Rockwood Ave.	Calexico	92231	Imperial County	Calexico Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 768-3842	529	21	25.1	93.4%	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	519 (98.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	11	5619^th of 5862 public elementary schools	4.1%		15.1	5318^th of 5874 public elementary schools	9.5%	301						10.3		10.3	7.8	16.7	19.1	24.0			17.4	1.3	16.7	4.5	11.1			8.6
Blanche Charles Elementary	Public	K-6	1201 Kloke Rd.	Calexico	92231	Imperial County	Calexico Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 768-3910	413	17	23.7	93.9%	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	407 (98.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	31.6	3798^th of 5862 public elementary schools	35.2%		34	3571^st of 5874 public elementary schools	39.2%	227						12.7		12.7	30.3	39.7	14.6	39.3			31.5	34.2	26.9	16.4	37.7			29.3	92.3	96.2			94.2	96.2
Margaret Hedrick Elementary	Public	K-6	550 South Waterman Ave.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	El Centro Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 352-4750	460	20	23.0	82.6%	11 (2.4%)	4 (0.9%)	438 (95.2%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	20	4856^th of 5862 public elementary schools	17.2%		13.1	5478^th of 5874 public elementary schools	6.7%	622						7.7		7.7	17.3	30.8	30.3	36.5			28.3	21.3	24.6	13.6	12.7			18.2							$6,531
Ballington Academy for the Arts and Sciences	Public, Charter	K-6	1525 West Main St.	El Centro	92243	Imperial County	Ballington Academy for the Arts and Sciences District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 353-0140	251	13	19.3	74.1%	9 (3.6%)	1 (0.4%)	233 (92.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	40.7	3139^th of 5862 public elementary schools	46.5%		38	3284^th of 5874 public elementary schools	44.1%	145						14.3		14.3	44.1	50.0	32.1	44.4			43.5	38.2	42.5	10.7	19.4			29.0

Frequently Asked Questions about Dogwood Elementary

How many students attend Dogwood Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 627 students attended Dogwood Elementary.

Is Dogwood Elementary a good school?

Dogwood Elementary ranks 2347^th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Dogwood Elementary?

Students at Dogwood Elementary are 97% Hispanic, 2% White.

What district is Dogwood Elementary in?

Heber Elementary

What schools do graduates of Dogwood Elementary attend?

Students who attend Dogwood Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Heber
High : Southwest High

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.