Is Placer County Pathways Charter a good school?

Placer County Pathways Charter ranks 1045 th of 5862 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Placer County Pathways Charter?

In the 2023-24 school year, 295 students attended Placer County Pathways Charter.

What is the racial makeup of Placer County Pathways Charter?

Students at Placer County Pathways Charter are 61% White, 26% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Placer County Pathways Charter

Summary:

Placer County Pathways Charter is an alternative public charter school serving 292 students in grades K-12 in Auburn, California, which is part of the Placer County Office of Education district. The school has seen fluctuating graduation and dropout rates in recent years, but it outperforms the district and state in academic proficiency across most grade levels and subject areas.

Placer County Pathways Charter stands out for its strong test scores, particularly in English Language Arts and Math. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school projects 66.67% of students will be proficient or better in ELA End of Course exams, compared to 60.71% for the district and 47.04% for California. The school also has a lower student-teacher ratio of 15.3, suggesting more individualized attention for students. However, the school has seen a steady increase in the percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, from 29.97% in 2020-2021 to 48.97% in 2022-2023, indicating it is serving a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

Compared to nearby alternative schools like Sierra Vista and Placer County Court Schools, Placer County Pathways Charter outperforms them in test scores, particularly in ELA and Math proficiency. However, these schools serve much smaller student populations and have higher rates of chronic absenteeism. Overall, Placer County Pathways Charter appears to be a high-performing alternative school, but it will need to address its fluctuating graduation and dropout rates to ensure more consistent student success.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

360 Nevada St.
Auburn, CA 95603-3720

(530) 745-1440

District: Placer County Office of Education

SchoolDigger Rank:
1045^th of 5,862 California Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,051

Student/teacher ratio: 15.0

Number of students: 295

Racial breakdown:

White:

61.0%

Hispanic:

25.8%

Two or more races:

9.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 53.2%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Placer County Pathways Charter to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Placer County Pathways Charter ranks better than 82.2% of elementary schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 82.74. (See more...)

Compare Details Placer County Pathways Charter ranks better than 89.1% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.67. (See more...)

Compare Details Placer County Pathways Charter ranks better than 90.6% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.86. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Placer County Pathways Charter who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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 Placer County Pathways Charter has the largest alternative school student body size in the Placer County Office of Education School District. Racial makeup is: White (61%), Hispanic (25.8%), two or more races (9.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 53.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Placer County Pathways Charter is 15, which is the highest among 4 alternative schools in the Placer County Office of Education School District! (See more...)

Compare Placer County Pathways Charter employs 19.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Placer County Pathways Charter is $14,051, which is the lowest among 4 alternative schools in the Placer County Office of Education School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Placer County Pathways Charter:

SchoolDigger ranks Placer County Pathways Charter 1045^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Placer County Pathways Charter in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Placer County Pathways Charter 303^rd of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Placer County Pathways Charter in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Placer County Pathways Charter 219^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Placer County Pathways Charter in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

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Rank History for Placer County Pathways Charter

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2015	60.32	1921^st	5611	65.8%
2016	75.39	1295^th	5614	76.9%
2017	67.05	1699^th	5692	70.2%
2018	74.45	1380^th	5662	75.6%
2019	49.81	2605^th	5789	55.0%
2021	67.51	420^th	1417	70.4%
2022	68.44	1668^th	5883	71.6%
2023	77.28	1264^th	5874	78.5%
2024	82.74	1045^th	5862	82.2%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	77.75	865^th	5374	83.9%
2024	77.80	933^rd	5511	83.1%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	41.06	3042^nd	5492	44.6%
2024	81.30	1038^th	5605	81.5%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	60.80	1918^th	5510	65.2%
2021	62.32	429^th	1272	66.3%
2022	65.53	1707^th	5663	69.9%
2023	65.73	1696^th	5650	70.0%
2024	70.61	1472^nd	5636	73.9%

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

Rank History for elementary school White students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	50.54	1506^th	2737	45.0%
2019	26.74	2232^nd	2834	21.2%
2022	33.84	1909^th	2726	30.0%
2023	43.82	1596^th	2662	40.0%
2024	58.19	1186^th	2647	55.2%

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

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

Rank History for Placer County Pathways Charter

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Rank History for all middle school students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2015	27.43	1735^th	2477	30.0%
2016	60.88	851^st	2497	65.9%
2017	65.97	754^th	2508	69.9%
2018	75.16	538^th	2480	78.3%
2019	67.67	737^th	2715	72.9%
2021	63.76	284^th	894	68.2%
2022	50.85	1151^st	2740	58.0%
2023	74.09	599^th	2802	78.6%
2024	88.67	303^rd	2777	89.1%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	90.93	81^st	1538	94.7%

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

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	49.48	1029^th	2458	58.1%
2023	28.82	1806^th	2549	29.1%
2024	92.70	141^st	2575	94.5%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	57.60	856^th	2262	62.2%
2023	86.89	303^rd	2547	88.1%
2024	82.55	394^th	2546	84.5%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	80.40	404^th	2273	82.2%
2019	73.87	544^th	2407	77.4%
2021	64.13	239^th	763	68.7%
2022	49.67	1072^nd	2527	57.6%
2023	59.41	835^th	2558	67.4%
2024	90.52	237^th	2547	90.7%

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

Rank History for middle school White students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	64.62	529^th	1496	64.6%
2019	54.07	717^th	1602	55.2%
2022	39.90	914^th	1555	41.2%
2023	49.24	760^th	1552	51.0%
2024	72.88	370^th	1535	75.9%

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

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

Rank History for Placer County Pathways Charter

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Rank History for all high school students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2015	11.71	1712^th	1994	14.1%
2016	9.78	1883^rd	2039	7.7%
2017	19.11	1523^rd	2021	24.6%
2018	16.87	1559^th	2017	22.7%
2019	15.85	1738^th	2133	18.5%
2021	12.31	1121^st	1290	13.1%
2023	73.23	433^rd	2348	81.6%
2024	86.86	219^th	2323	90.6%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Multi-racial students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	44.73	379^th	786	51.8%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for high school Special Education students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	67.62	239^th	1547	84.6%
2024	87.32	64^th	1534	95.8%

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

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	56.86	703^rd	2247	68.7%
2024	84.18	219^th	2235	90.2%

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

Rank History for high school Female students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	84.80	219^th	2118	89.7%
2024	83.88	239^th	2098	88.6%

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

Rank History for high school Male students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	18.51	1467^th	1880	22.0%
2023	59.07	623^rd	2207	71.8%
2024	87.23	185^th	2172	91.5%

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

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	88.32	133^rd	2142	93.8%
2024	90.25	103^rd	2125	95.2%

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

Rank History for high school White students at Placer County Pathways Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	49.46	610^th	1434	57.5%
2024	71.89	279^th	1406	80.2%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative 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 Placer County Pathways Charter

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2013	148	12	5	62	4	4	9	0	244
2014	187	6	5	64	7	0	5	0	274
2015	193	9	7	58	5	1	15	0	288
2016	191	4	3	41	3	0	8	0	250
2017	169	6	5	36	3	0	9	0	228
2018	163	6	3	47	3	0	16	0	238
2019	189	4	6	39	2	1	16	0	257
2020	180	9	3	49	6	2	31	0	280
2021	192	9	3	65	4	0	24	0	297
2022	174	3	4	74	4	0	18	1	278
2023	189	3	4	68	2	1	23	2	292
2024	180	2	4	76	2	0	29	2	295

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 Placer County Pathways Charter

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	244	15.1	16.1	29.5
2014	274	15.4	17.7	14.2
2015	288	16.0	18.0	18.8
2016	250	14.0	17.8	26.4
2017	228	14.2	16.0	15.4
2018	238	14.6	16.2	22.7
2019	257	14.6	17.5	19.5
2020	280	n/a	n/a	32.5
2021	297	17.3	17.1	30
2022	278	17.0	16.2	39.2
2023	292	19.0	15.3	49
2024	295	19.6	15.0	53.2

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 Placer County Pathways Charter

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	244	15.1	16.1	29.5
2014	274	15.4	17.7	14.2
2015	288	16.0	18.0	18.8
2016	250	14.0	17.8	26.4
2017	228	14.2	16.0	15.4
2018	238	14.6	16.2	22.7
2019	257	14.6	17.5	19.5
2020	280	n/a	n/a	32.5
2021	297	17.3	17.1	30
2022	278	17.0	16.2	39.2
2023	292	19.0	15.3	49
2024	295	19.6	15.0	53.2

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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