Is Donlon Elementary a good school?

Yes! Donlon Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 181 st of 5862 California elementary schools.

How many students attend Donlon Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 739 students attended Donlon Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Donlon Elementary?

Students at Donlon Elementary are 71% Asian, 15% White, 6% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Donlon Elementary attend?

Students who attend Donlon Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Thomas S. Hart Middle High : Foothill High

Donlon Elementary

Summary:

Donlon Elementary is a high-performing public elementary school in Pleasanton, California, serving 739 students in grades K-5 and part of the Pleasanton Unified School District.

Donlon Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in California, with exceptional academic performance across all grade levels and subject areas, significantly outpacing state and district averages. The school particularly excels in supporting its English Language Learner (ELL) students, ranking in the top 1.5% of California elementary schools for this subgroup. Donlon also maintains very low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 1.7% to 2.6% in recent years, much lower than state and district averages. Compared to nearby schools in the Pleasanton district, such as Phoebe Apperson Hearst, Henry P. Mohr, Fairlands, and Lydiksen Elementary, Donlon outperforms them on academic measures like proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science.

While Donlon Elementary's overall performance is exceptional, with the school ranking in the top 5% for female students and top 3% for male students in California, its performance for White and multi-racial students is relatively lower compared to the school's overall rankings. Additionally, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism rates in recent years, from 1.7% in 2018-2019 to 17.6% in 2022-2023, which may be an area of concern that the school needs to address. When compared to the nearby Dublin Unified School District, Donlon's academic performance is generally on par with or slightly lower than the top-performing Dublin elementary schools, such as Dublin Elementary and James Dougherty Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-5

4150 Dorman Rd.
Pleasanton, CA 94588-4411

(925) 426-4220

District: Pleasanton Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
181^st of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,133

Students who attend Donlon Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Thomas S. Hart Middle
High:	Foothill High

Student/teacher ratio: 24.6

Number of students: 739

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

71.4%

White:

14.9%

Hispanic:

6.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 7%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Donlon Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Donlon Elementary ranks better than 96.9% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 2^nd among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.82. (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 Donlon Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Pleasanton Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Asian (71.4%), White (14.9%), Hispanic (6.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Donlon Elementary is 24.6. 7 elementary schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Donlon Elementary employs 30 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Donlon Elementary is $6,133. 7 elementary schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Donlon Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Donlon Elementary 181^st of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Donlon Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

White students:

Pleasanton Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Pleasanton Unified 101^st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Donlon Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	89.96	513^th	4809	89.3%
2005	89.25	526^th	4822	89.1%
2006	92.86	339^th	4818	93.0%
2007	92.60	372^nd	5113	92.7%
2008	92.67	335^th	5113	93.4%
2009	91.82	358^th	5193	93.1%
2010	92.43	304^th	5314	94.3%
2011	88.79	510^th	5377	90.5%
2012	85.95	679^th	5390	87.4%
2013	85.03	758^th	5530	86.3%
2015	93.66	404^th	5611	92.8%
2016	96.34	204^th	5614	96.4%
2017	94.29	375^th	5692	93.4%
2018	95.33	260^th	5662	95.4%
2019	93.41	409^th	5789	92.9%
2022	97.08	196^th	5883	96.7%
2023	96.80	207^th	5874	96.5%
2024	96.82	181^st	5862	96.9%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	35.60	328^th	445	26.3%

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

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	98.10	48^th	3275	98.5%
2023	77.84	302^nd	3250	90.7%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	74.77	394^th	2420	83.7%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	74.53	947^th	5084	81.4%
2019	49.41	2443^rd	5173	52.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	94.58	244^th	5413	95.5%
2019	91.34	478^th	5492	91.3%
2022	97.34	112^th	5635	98.0%
2023	96.73	150^th	5617	97.3%
2024	95.76	224^th	5605	96.0%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	80.51	271^st	2128	87.3%
2019	47.39	1054^th	2585	59.2%
2022	57.23	653^rd	2227	70.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	93.96	321^st	5431	94.1%
2019	93.34	352^nd	5510	93.6%
2022	95.38	276^th	5663	95.1%
2023	95.46	268^th	5650	95.3%
2024	96.40	169^th	5636	97.0%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	73.84	284^th	1071	73.5%
2019	75.91	237^th	1149	79.4%
2022	79.02	173^rd	1154	85.0%
2023	78.40	190^th	1190	84.0%
2024	76.92	246^th	1203	79.6%

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

Rank History for White students at Donlon Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	70.06	824^th	2737	69.9%
2019	52.37	1482^nd	2834	47.7%
2022	60.90	1129^th	2726	58.6%
2023	70.21	795^th	2662	70.1%
2024	74.28	655^th	2647	75.3%

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: 3)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, February 16, 2015

This school is great if your kid can learn very independently. Most of the teachers are great. But if your kid is in the bottom 20%, expect to pay a tutor. They will lie through their teeth to avoid providing special education for kids with specific learning disabilities. 750+ students and not a single dyslexic kid? Yeah, right. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Donlon Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	563	19	34	34	3	n/a	n/a	0	653
1990	557	26	34	42	10	n/a	n/a	0	669
1991	520	16	64	40	12	n/a	n/a	0	652
1992	663	21	83	42	14	n/a	n/a	0	823
1993	695	16	96	59	14	n/a	n/a	0	880
1994	689	23	106	59	13	n/a	n/a	0	890
1995	735	23	95	59	15	n/a	n/a	0	927
1996	735	23	95	59	15	n/a	n/a	0	927
1997	742	16	108	61	12	n/a	n/a	0	939
1998	703	9	114	65	10	n/a	n/a	0	901
1999	702	5	112	53	7	n/a	n/a	4	883
2000	675	7	113	45	8	n/a	n/a	12	860
2001	647	10	119	46	11	n/a	n/a	17	850
2002	549	11	157	58	8	n/a	n/a	9	792
2003	549	11	157	58	8	n/a	n/a	9	792
2004	530	15	148	48	4	n/a	n/a	7	752
2005	486	11	138	41	3	n/a	n/a	10	689
2006	459	13	133	40	2	n/a	n/a	13	660
2007	434	17	145	45	3	n/a	n/a	19	663
2008	413	17	167	47	3	n/a	n/a	0	647
2009	418	17	164	43	2	3	29	0	676
2010	409	18	206	37	1	3	45	0	719
2011	405	24	233	48	1	5	37	0	753
2012	380	17	294	56	2	3	46	0	798
2013	373	21	287	68	0	2	60	0	811
2014	325	12	300	57	0	2	75	0	771
2015	307	11	326	53	0	2	79	0	778
2016	322	8	380	47	0	4	64	0	825
2017	283	8	398	68	0	4	63	0	824
2018	274	8	418	55	0	4	55	0	814
2019	210	7	438	45	2	3	53	0	758
2020	180	12	478	42	2	3	38	0	755
2021	156	15	504	36	2	3	38	0	754
2022	122	13	533	45	2	4	44	0	763
2023	110	17	528	46	2	3	33	0	739

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 Donlon Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	653	25.0	26.1	n/a
1990	669	26.0	25.7	n/a
1991	652	26.0	25.0	n/a
1992	823	26.4	31.1	2.1
1993	880	33.8	26.0	1.5
1994	890	35.3	25.2	1.6
1995	927	36.3	25.5	6.4
1996	927	36.3	25.5	6.4
1997	939	36.8	25.5	4.4
1998	901	43.5	20.7	6.4
1999	883	43.8	20.2	3.2
2000	860	43.4	19.8	2.8
2001	850	41.9	20.3	1.8
2002	792	44.1	18.0	3.6
2003	792	44.1	18.0	3.6
2004	752	39.4	19.1	3.4
2005	689	35.1	19.6	2.9
2006	660	38.6	17.1	3.2
2007	663	34.6	19.2	3.7
2008	647	38.5	16.8	2.9
2009	676	32.0	19.6	3.7
2010	719	33.2	21.6	4.6
2011	753	n/a	n/a	3.7
2012	798	36.0	22.1	n/a
2013	811	32.5	24.8	3.2
2014	771	29.0	26.5	3
2015	778	30.0	25.9	4.4
2016	825	32.0	25.7	4.2
2017	824	31.5	26.1	5.7
2018	814	32.0	25.4	6.8
2019	758	30.5	24.8	6.7
2020	755	n/a	n/a	5.2
2021	754	29.6	25.4	6.2
2022	763	29.8	25.5	6.9
2023	739	30.0	24.6	7

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 Donlon Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	653	25.0	26.1	n/a
1990	669	26.0	25.7	n/a
1991	652	26.0	25.0	n/a
1992	823	26.4	31.1	2.1
1993	880	33.8	26.0	1.5
1994	890	35.3	25.2	1.6
1995	927	36.3	25.5	6.4
1996	927	36.3	25.5	6.4
1997	939	36.8	25.5	4.4
1998	901	43.5	20.7	6.4
1999	883	43.8	20.2	3.2
2000	860	43.4	19.8	2.8
2001	850	41.9	20.3	1.8
2002	792	44.1	18.0	3.6
2003	792	44.1	18.0	3.6
2004	752	39.4	19.1	3.4
2005	689	35.1	19.6	2.9
2006	660	38.6	17.1	3.2
2007	663	34.6	19.2	3.7
2008	647	38.5	16.8	2.9
2009	676	32.0	19.6	3.7
2010	719	33.2	21.6	4.6
2011	753	n/a	n/a	3.7
2012	798	36.0	22.1	n/a
2013	811	32.5	24.8	3.2
2014	771	29.0	26.5	3
2015	778	30.0	25.9	4.4
2016	825	32.0	25.7	4.2
2017	824	31.5	26.1	5.7
2018	814	32.0	25.4	6.8
2019	758	30.5	24.8	6.7
2020	755	n/a	n/a	5.2
2021	754	29.6	25.4	6.2
2022	763	29.8	25.5	6.9
2023	739	30.0	24.6	7

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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