Is Joshua Cowell Elementary a good school?

Joshua Cowell Elementary ranks in the bottom 6.8% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend Joshua Cowell Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 714 students attended Joshua Cowell Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Joshua Cowell Elementary?

Students at Joshua Cowell Elementary are 51% Hispanic, 20% Asian, 17% White, 4% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% Pacific Islander.

What schools do graduates of Joshua Cowell Elementary attend?

Students who attend Joshua Cowell Elementary usually go on to attend: High : Manteca High

Joshua Cowell Elementary

Summary:

Joshua Cowell Elementary is a public K-8 school in Manteca, California, serving 709 students. However, the school has consistently underperformed compared to other elementary schools in the state, ranking in the bottom half of California schools over the past decade and maintaining a 1-2 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Joshua Cowell Elementary struggles across various student subgroups, particularly for Asian, Hispanic, and English Language Learner students, as well as students with disabilities and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The school's academic performance, as measured by standardized tests, is significantly below the Manteca Unified School District and the state of California averages. Additionally, the school has experienced a sharp increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 10% in 2017-2018 to 37.3% in 2021-2022, which is well above the district and state averages.

When compared to other nearby schools in the Manteca Unified School District, such as Veritas Elementary and New Haven Elementary, Joshua Cowell Elementary consistently performs worse across various metrics, including statewide rankings, academic achievement, and student group performances. The school's performance has also steadily declined over the past 10 years, suggesting that it faces significant challenges in improving student outcomes and keeping pace with other elementary schools in California.

Detail:

Public K-8

740 Pestana Ave.
Manteca, CA 95336-0032

(209) 858-7310

District: Manteca Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
5465^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $5,523

Students who attend Joshua Cowell Elementary usually attend:

High:

Manteca High

Student/teacher ratio: 23.3

Number of students: 714

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

51.4%

Asian:

20.4%

White:

16.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68.3%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Joshua Cowell Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Joshua Cowell Elementary ranks worse than 93.2% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 18^th among 20 ranked elementary schools in the Manteca Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.1. (See more...)

Compare Details Joshua Cowell Elementary ranks worse than 75.3% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.83. (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 Student population at Joshua Cowell Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (51.4%), Asian (20.4%), White (16.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Joshua Cowell Elementary is 23.3, which is the 4^th best among 20 elementary schools in the Manteca Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Joshua Cowell Elementary employs 30.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Joshua Cowell Elementary is $5,523, which is the 8^th highest among 20 elementary schools in the Manteca Unified School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Joshua Cowell Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Joshua Cowell Elementary 5465^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Joshua Cowell Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Joshua Cowell Elementary 2090^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Joshua Cowell Elementary in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

Manteca Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Manteca Unified 1142^nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Joshua Cowell Elementary?

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Rank History for Joshua Cowell Elementary

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	33.89	3008^th	4809	37.5%
2005	34.75	3020^th	4822	37.4%
2006	28.60	3411^th	4818	29.2%
2007	25.17	3928^th	5113	23.2%
2008	23.11	4106^th	5113	19.7%
2009	40.76	3012^th	5193	42.0%
2010	25.73	4171^st	5314	21.5%
2011	26.99	4189^th	5377	22.1%
2012	20.89	4589^th	5390	14.9%
2013	27.63	4233^rd	5530	23.5%
2015	27.40	3905^th	5611	30.4%
2016	29.05	3845^th	5614	31.5%
2017	35.03	3437^th	5692	39.6%
2018	31.17	3732^nd	5662	34.1%
2019	29.10	4004^th	5789	30.8%
2022	24.85	4362^nd	5883	25.9%
2023	17.75	5079^th	5874	13.5%
2024	13.10	5465^th	5862	6.8%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	45.07	1499^th	3246	53.8%
2019	36.76	1998^th	3275	39.0%
2022	40.08	1799^th	3311	45.7%
2023	22.90	3005^th	3250	7.5%
2024	20.72	3047^th	3160	3.6%

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

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	17.22	2569^th	2634	2.5%

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

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	36.14	3306^th	5084	35.0%
2019	36.58	3385^th	5173	34.6%
2022	23.71	4355^th	5264	17.3%
2023	17.74	4855^th	5374	9.7%
2024	15.20	5129^th	5511	6.9%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	34.13	3476^th	5413	35.8%
2019	31.03	3750^th	5492	31.7%
2022	25.67	4149^th	5635	26.4%
2023	19.53	4739^th	5617	15.6%
2024	15.42	5083^rd	5605	9.3%

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

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	59.37	597^th	2128	71.9%
2019	24.66	2085^th	2585	19.3%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	28.36	3830^th	5431	29.5%
2019	28.36	3914^th	5510	29.0%
2022	24.77	4258^th	5663	24.8%
2023	17.28	4974^th	5650	12.0%
2024	12.10	5361^st	5636	4.9%

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

Rank History for elementary school Asian students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	2.45	1118^th	1154	3.1%
2023	4.73	1114^th	1190	6.4%
2024	2.93	1152^nd	1203	4.2%

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

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	37.03	3077^th	4830	36.3%
2019	38.45	3060^th	4963	38.3%
2022	23.65	4224^th	5084	16.9%
2023	18.07	4609^th	5098	9.6%
2024	12.71	4890^th	5102	4.2%

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

Rank History for elementary school White students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	22.31	2274^th	2737	16.9%
2019	18.39	2429^th	2834	14.3%
2022	20.74	2257^th	2726	17.2%
2023	5.53	2571^st	2662	3.4%
2024	6.37	2541^st	2647	4.0%

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

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

Rank History for Joshua Cowell Elementary

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Rank History for all middle school students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	41.21	956^th	1769	46.0%
2005	51.05	785^th	1777	55.8%
2006	39.31	1027^th	1804	43.1%
2007	51.73	867^th	1999	56.6%
2008	44.53	1050^th	2005	47.6%
2009	45.10	1083^rd	2063	47.5%
2010	32.40	1506^th	2179	30.9%
2011	31.92	1588^th	2236	29.0%
2012	27.96	1703^rd	2259	24.6%
2013	40.49	1404^th	2379	41.0%
2015	36.11	1438^th	2477	41.9%
2016	28.55	1699^th	2497	32.0%
2017	46.83	1192^nd	2508	52.5%
2018	51.21	1060^th	2480	57.3%
2019	48.92	1180^th	2715	56.5%
2022	34.62	1629^th	2740	40.5%
2023	29.07	1850^th	2802	34.0%
2024	23.83	2090^th	2777	24.7%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	64.81	249^th	1442	82.7%

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

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	61.40	662^nd	2230	70.3%
2019	54.13	900^th	2369	62.0%
2022	36.95	1440^th	2458	41.4%
2023	32.57	1653^rd	2549	35.2%
2024	31.10	1725^th	2575	33.0%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	51.44	991^st	2262	56.2%
2019	45.17	1180^th	2380	50.4%
2022	36.08	1463^rd	2509	41.7%
2023	31.26	1608^th	2547	36.9%
2024	24.96	1898^th	2546	25.5%

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

Rank History for middle school Disabled students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	65.40	330^th	1491	77.9%
2022	33.09	955^th	1531	37.6%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	48.88	1020^th	2273	55.1%
2019	50.62	1014^th	2407	57.9%
2022	33.35	1528^th	2527	39.5%
2023	26.66	1809^th	2558	29.3%
2024	21.91	2008^th	2547	21.2%

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

Rank History for middle school Asian students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	6.34	662^nd	718	7.8%
2024	12.92	647^th	741	12.7%

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

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	61.24	637^th	2072	69.3%
2019	52.67	867^th	2213	60.8%
2022	39.41	1307^th	2359	44.6%
2023	39.77	1282^nd	2391	46.4%
2024	21.65	1953^rd	2383	18.0%

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

Rank History for middle school White students at Joshua Cowell Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	29.42	1096^th	1496	26.7%
2019	27.63	1169^th	1602	27.0%
2023	15.64	1327^th	1552	14.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for White 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 Joshua Cowell Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1995	203	13	5	143	7	n/a	n/a	0	371
1996	203	13	5	143	7	n/a	n/a	0	371
1997	257	18	7	143	8	n/a	n/a	0	433
1998	270	20	7	180	14	n/a	n/a	0	491
1999	293	29	9	192	12	n/a	n/a	0	535
2000	324	29	17	214	3	n/a	n/a	0	587
2001	397	32	21	201	1	n/a	n/a	0	652
2002	426	77	104	288	14	n/a	n/a	0	909
2003	426	77	104	288	14	n/a	n/a	0	909
2004	436	106	133	325	14	n/a	n/a	0	1014
2005	229	48	66	237	15	n/a	n/a	0	595
2006	220	37	71	217	6	n/a	n/a	0	551
2007	208	38	66	228	9	n/a	n/a	4	553
2008	192	32	73	245	6	n/a	n/a	0	548
2009	174	32	72	248	11	2	1	0	540
2010	178	43	75	282	15	6	3	0	602
2011	190	55	80	289	16	6	7	0	643
2012	160	61	75	286	14	8	10	0	614
2013	153	46	78	268	13	4	15	0	577
2014	132	36	76	249	11	4	17	0	525
2015	158	33	73	286	6	0	24	0	580
2016	141	32	62	310	5	2	25	0	577
2017	149	16	66	286	5	3	23	0	548
2018	141	26	66	303	5	5	30	0	576
2019	130	19	76	337	5	5	36	0	608
2020	117	27	84	380	6	8	29	0	651
2021	118	38	98	342	6	8	31	0	641
2022	132	30	122	357	5	12	31	0	689
2023	136	33	136	353	5	15	31	0	709
2024	121	32	146	367	2	18	28	0	714

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 Joshua Cowell Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	371	15.5	23.9	62.8
1996	371	15.5	23.9	62.8
1997	433	19.5	22.2	63.3
1998	491	22.0	22.3	60.5
1999	535	28.0	19.1	52.1
2000	587	32.0	18.3	40
2001	652	33.3	19.6	40.6
2002	909	44.0	20.7	31.4
2003	909	44.0	20.7	31.4
2004	1014	47.0	21.6	33.8
2005	595	26.0	22.9	44.9
2006	551	27.0	20.4	36.1
2007	553	24.0	23.0	36.6
2008	548	29.0	18.9	42.3
2009	540	25.0	19.3	48.3
2010	602	22.0	27.3	51
2011	643	n/a	n/a	45.9
2012	614	22.5	27.2	n/a
2013	577	20.2	28.5	55.5
2014	525	19.5	26.9	59.8
2015	580	22.0	26.3	62.8
2016	577	23.0	25.0	57.5
2017	548	22.0	24.9	51.8
2018	576	24.0	24.0	58.9
2019	608	26.0	23.3	58.6
2020	651	n/a	n/a	57.8
2021	641	29.7	21.5	73.5
2022	689	29.3	23.4	56
2023	709	29.4	24.0	55.9
2024	714	30.6	23.3	68.3

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 Joshua Cowell Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	371	15.5	23.9	62.8
1996	371	15.5	23.9	62.8
1997	433	19.5	22.2	63.3
1998	491	22.0	22.3	60.5
1999	535	28.0	19.1	52.1
2000	587	32.0	18.3	40
2001	652	33.3	19.6	40.6
2002	909	44.0	20.7	31.4
2003	909	44.0	20.7	31.4
2004	1014	47.0	21.6	33.8
2005	595	26.0	22.9	44.9
2006	551	27.0	20.4	36.1
2007	553	24.0	23.0	36.6
2008	548	29.0	18.9	42.3
2009	540	25.0	19.3	48.3
2010	602	22.0	27.3	51
2011	643	n/a	n/a	45.9
2012	614	22.5	27.2	n/a
2013	577	20.2	28.5	55.5
2014	525	19.5	26.9	59.8
2015	580	22.0	26.3	62.8
2016	577	23.0	25.0	57.5
2017	548	22.0	24.9	51.8
2018	576	24.0	24.0	58.9
2019	608	26.0	23.3	58.6
2020	651	n/a	n/a	57.8
2021	641	29.7	21.5	73.5
2022	689	29.3	23.4	56
2023	709	29.4	24.0	55.9
2024	714	30.6	23.3	68.3

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.

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