Is Sun Valley Elementary a good school?

Yes. Sun Valley Elementary ranks in the top 9.6% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend Sun Valley Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 509 students attended Sun Valley Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Sun Valley Elementary?

Students at Sun Valley Elementary are 56% White, 27% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Sun Valley Elementary attend?

Students who attend Sun Valley Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : James B. Davidson Middle High : San Rafael High High : Terra Linda High

Sun Valley Elementary

Summary:

Sun Valley Elementary is a public elementary school located in San Rafael, California, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 473 students. The school is part of the San Rafael City Elementary District, which is ranked 921 out of 1,568 districts in California and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Sun Valley Elementary consistently ranks among the top 10% of California elementary schools, with a statewide ranking between 146 and 609 over the past several years. The school's students perform significantly better than the district and state averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, as well as in the California Science Assessment (CAST). For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 70.66% of Sun Valley students were proficient or better in ELA/Literacy, compared to 35.51% for the San Rafael City Elementary district and 47.04% for the state. In Mathematics, 71.02% of Sun Valley students were proficient or better, compared to 33.84% for the district and 35.54% for the state. Sun Valley's performance is particularly strong in the White student subgroup, ranking in the top 3% of California elementary schools.

While Sun Valley Elementary outperforms the other schools in the San Rafael City Elementary District, including Coleman Elementary and Venetia Valley K-8, in academic achievement across all grade levels and subject areas, its performance is not as strong as the high-performing schools in the neighboring Ross Valley Elementary and Kentfield Elementary districts, such as Ross Elementary, Hidden Valley Elementary, and Anthony G. Bacich Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-5

75 Happy Ln.
San Rafael, CA 94901-1020

(415) 485-2440

District: San Rafael City Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
563^rd of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,142

Students who attend Sun Valley Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	James B. Davidson Middle
High:	San Rafael High
	Terra Linda High

Student/teacher ratio: 23.1

Number of students: 509

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.8%

Hispanic:

26.9%

Two or more races:

11.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 31%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Sun Valley Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Sun Valley Elementary ranks better than 90.4% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks first among 7 ranked elementary schools in the San Rafael City Elementary School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.09. (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: White (55.8%), Hispanic (26.9%), two or more races (11.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 31% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sun Valley Elementary is 23.1. 3 elementary schools in the San Rafael City Elementary School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Sun Valley Elementary employs 22 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sun Valley Elementary is $7,142, which is the lowest among 7 elementary schools in the San Rafael City Elementary School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sun Valley Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Sun Valley Elementary 563^rd of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Sun Valley Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

San Rafael City Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks San Rafael City Elementary 921^st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Sun Valley Elementary.

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Rank History for Sun Valley Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Sun Valley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	91.86	407^th	4809	91.5%
2005	91.90	393^rd	4822	91.8%
2006	91.22	423^rd	4818	91.2%
2007	85.05	750^th	5113	85.3%
2008	93.64	273^rd	5113	94.7%
2009	83.43	820^th	5193	84.2%
2010	88.07	573^rd	5314	89.2%
2011	85.61	699^th	5377	87.0%
2012	82.04	908^th	5390	83.2%
2013	89.27	513^th	5530	90.7%
2015	96.00	267^th	5611	95.2%
2016	96.30	207^th	5614	96.3%
2017	94.88	333^rd	5692	94.1%
2018	92.85	455^th	5662	92.0%
2019	91.07	585^th	5789	89.9%
2021	91.09	146^th	1417	89.7%
2022	91.82	609^th	5883	89.6%
2023	92.95	504^th	5874	91.4%
2024	92.09	563^rd	5862	90.4%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sun Valley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	87.80	371^st	5084	92.7%
2019	82.84	588^th	5173	88.6%
2021	52.07	452^nd	1110	59.3%
2022	59.79	1696^th	5264	67.8%
2023	81.58	714^th	5374	86.7%
2024	84.24	659^th	5511	88.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Sun Valley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	95.24	208^th	5413	96.2%
2019	90.71	514^th	5492	90.6%
2021	95.31	62^nd	1267	95.1%
2022	93.13	438^th	5635	92.2%
2023	93.60	391^st	5617	93.0%
2024	91.39	543^rd	5605	90.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Sun Valley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	87.92	689^th	5431	87.3%
2019	89.19	633^rd	5510	88.5%
2021	80.64	240^th	1272	81.1%
2022	87.64	745^th	5663	86.8%
2023	90.41	591^st	5650	89.5%
2024	90.68	564^th	5636	90.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sun Valley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	78.93	730^th	4830	84.9%
2019	65.52	1384^th	4963	72.1%
2022	77.01	859^th	5084	83.1%
2023	78.66	801^st	5098	84.3%
2024	71.19	1134^th	5102	77.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Sun Valley Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	85.71	230^th	2737	91.6%
2019	80.87	441^st	2834	84.4%
2022	88.14	173^rd	2726	93.7%
2023	89.39	124^th	2662	95.3%
2024	90.27	85^th	2647	96.8%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a principal
Friday, March 17, 2017

Sun Valley is an amazing community that ensures that every learner gets what they need. We were fortunate enough to be awarded the National Blue Ribbon this year! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Sun Valley Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	268	7	18	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	310
1989	277	12	14	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	325
1990	273	11	16	18	4	n/a	n/a	0	322
1991	275	8	20	21	2	n/a	n/a	0	326
1992	281	10	23	16	2	n/a	n/a	0	332
1993	279	8	29	18	3	n/a	n/a	0	337
1994	316	12	30	21	2	n/a	n/a	0	381
1995	327	14	30	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	399
1996	327	14	30	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	399
1997	323	10	25	29	1	n/a	n/a	0	388
1998	306	8	24	30	0	n/a	n/a	0	368
1999	315	6	31	32	0	n/a	n/a	0	384
2000	286	9	32	34	0	n/a	n/a	0	361
2001	284	13	38	40	0	n/a	n/a	0	375
2002	285	12	35	46	4	n/a	n/a	0	382
2003	285	12	35	46	4	n/a	n/a	0	382
2004	285	16	25	45	3	n/a	n/a	18	392
2005	282	12	27	56	2	n/a	n/a	24	403
2006	286	15	21	63	2	n/a	n/a	34	421
2007	274	10	22	80	1	n/a	n/a	28	415
2008	274	8	16	80	1	n/a	n/a	0	379
2009	284	5	18	91	0	2	33	0	433
2010	298	3	17	96	0	3	33	0	450
2011	315	3	17	93	0	2	28	0	458
2012	326	3	18	92	1	2	29	0	471
2013	335	5	20	94	1	2	31	0	488
2014	351	6	17	89	1	2	36	0	502
2015	372	8	41	87	2	1	3	0	514
2016	374	6	34	88	1	0	3	0	506
2017	353	7	32	92	2	0	15	0	501
2018	355	5	29	91	4	0	17	0	501
2019	337	5	27	99	4	1	28	0	501
2020	319	3	20	113	3	1	32	0	491
2021	270	3	17	119	3	1	34	0	447
2022	264	5	24	126	1	1	40	0	461
2023	263	4	24	137	1	1	42	1	473
2024	284	4	24	137	0	1	58	1	509

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 Sun Valley Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	310	14.0	22.1	n/a
1989	325	15.0	21.6	n/a
1990	322	13.0	24.7	n/a
1991	326	15.0	21.7	n/a
1992	332	15.2	21.8	8.1
1993	337	13.4	25.1	11
1994	381	15.5	24.6	8.7
1995	399	17.0	23.5	8.8
1996	399	17.0	23.5	8.8
1997	388	18.0	21.6	9
1998	368	18.2	20.2	10.6
1999	384	20.2	19.0	10.7
2000	361	18.0	20.1	11.4
2001	375	19.5	19.2	8
2002	382	19.0	20.1	11.3
2003	382	19.0	20.1	11.3
2004	392	23.3	16.8	14.2
2005	403	21.5	18.7	15.3
2006	421	22.0	19.1	18.1
2007	415	20.0	20.8	19.6
2008	379	22.0	17.2	20.1
2009	433	21.0	19.2	16.9
2010	450	21.0	21.4	18.9
2011	458	n/a	n/a	17.5
2012	471	20.5	22.9	n/a
2013	488	21.0	23.2	18.6
2014	502	21.0	23.9	16.1
2015	514	22.0	23.3	17.3
2016	506	22.0	23.0	17
2017	501	18.0	27.8	18
2018	501	18.6	26.9	17.8
2019	501	21.6	23.1	18.2
2020	491	n/a	n/a	17.1
2021	447	19.2	23.2	22.4
2022	461	19.2	23.9	23.9
2023	473	21.0	22.5	29.4
2024	509	22.0	23.1	31

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 Sun Valley Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	310	14.0	22.1	n/a
1989	325	15.0	21.6	n/a
1990	322	13.0	24.7	n/a
1991	326	15.0	21.7	n/a
1992	332	15.2	21.8	8.1
1993	337	13.4	25.1	11
1994	381	15.5	24.6	8.7
1995	399	17.0	23.5	8.8
1996	399	17.0	23.5	8.8
1997	388	18.0	21.6	9
1998	368	18.2	20.2	10.6
1999	384	20.2	19.0	10.7
2000	361	18.0	20.1	11.4
2001	375	19.5	19.2	8
2002	382	19.0	20.1	11.3
2003	382	19.0	20.1	11.3
2004	392	23.3	16.8	14.2
2005	403	21.5	18.7	15.3
2006	421	22.0	19.1	18.1
2007	415	20.0	20.8	19.6
2008	379	22.0	17.2	20.1
2009	433	21.0	19.2	16.9
2010	450	21.0	21.4	18.9
2011	458	n/a	n/a	17.5
2012	471	20.5	22.9	n/a
2013	488	21.0	23.2	18.6
2014	502	21.0	23.9	16.1
2015	514	22.0	23.3	17.3
2016	506	22.0	23.0	17
2017	501	18.0	27.8	18
2018	501	18.6	26.9	17.8
2019	501	21.6	23.1	18.2
2020	491	n/a	n/a	17.1
2021	447	19.2	23.2	22.4
2022	461	19.2	23.9	23.9
2023	473	21.0	22.5	29.4
2024	509	22.0	23.1	31

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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