Is A. J. Dorsa Elementary a good school?

A. J. Dorsa Elementary ranks in the bottom 5.0% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend A. J. Dorsa Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 304 students attended A. J. Dorsa Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of A. J. Dorsa Elementary?

Students at A. J. Dorsa Elementary are 89% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 2% Two or more races, 2% Pacific Islander.

What schools do graduates of A. J. Dorsa Elementary attend?

Students who attend A. J. Dorsa Elementary usually go on to attend: High : William C. Overfelt High

A. J. Dorsa Elementary

Summary:

A. J. Dorsa Elementary is a public elementary school in San Jose, California, serving grades K-5 and part of the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District. The school faces significant challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom 5-10% of California elementary schools with low proficiency rates in core subjects compared to state and district averages.

A. J. Dorsa Elementary's academic performance is particularly concerning, with only 15.19% of students proficient in English Language Arts in 2023-2024, compared to 47.04% statewide. The school's struggles are especially pronounced for Hispanic students, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities, ranking in the bottom 10-20% of schools in California for these subgroups. Additionally, the school has experienced a sharp increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 5.4% in 2020-2021 to 25.8% in 2022-2023, which may be contributing to the low academic outcomes.

While the nearby schools within the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District, such as Sylvia Cassell Elementary and O.S. Hubbard Elementary, also perform poorly, some charter schools in the area, like Rocketship Si Se Puede Academy and Rocketship Los Suenos Academy, have higher academic performance compared to A. J. Dorsa Elementary and the district average. The high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at A. J. Dorsa Elementary, ranging from 80.83% to 87.83%, suggests that the school serves a predominantly low-income community, which can present additional challenges in terms of educational resources and support.

Detail:

Public K-5

1290 Bal Harbor Dr.
San Jose, CA 95122-1902

(408) 928-7400

District: Alum Rock Union Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
5567^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,116

Students who attend A. J. Dorsa Elementary usually attend:

High:

William C. Overfelt High

Student/teacher ratio: 21.7

Number of students: 304

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

89.5%

Asian:

5.9%

Two or more races:

2.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 87.8%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare A. J. Dorsa Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details A. J. Dorsa Elementary ranks worse than 95% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 15^th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.67. (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 (89.5%), Asian (5.9%), two or more races (2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 87.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at A. J. Dorsa Elementary is 21.7. 11 elementary schools in the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare A. J. Dorsa Elementary employs 14 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at A. J. Dorsa Elementary is $14,116. 8 elementary schools in the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

A. J. Dorsa Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks A. J. Dorsa Elementary 5567^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See A. J. Dorsa 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:

Hispanic students:

Alum Rock Union Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Alum Rock Union Elementary 1274^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for A. J. Dorsa Elementary

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Rank History for all students at A. J. Dorsa Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	13.33	4463^rd	4809	7.2%
2005	18.75	4053^rd	4822	15.9%
2006	11.64	4553^rd	4818	5.5%
2007	19.74	4312^th	5113	15.7%
2008	16.52	4562^nd	5113	10.8%
2009	29.94	3714^th	5193	28.5%
2010	25.33	4201^st	5314	20.9%
2011	38.33	3360^th	5377	37.5%
2012	26.61	4201^st	5390	22.1%
2013	40.07	3313^th	5530	40.1%
2015	25.69	4068^th	5611	27.5%
2016	26.48	4053^rd	5614	27.8%
2017	35.45	3408^th	5692	40.1%
2018	14.75	5119^th	5662	9.6%
2019	18.47	4948^th	5789	14.5%
2022	11.93	5609^th	5883	4.7%
2023	12.21	5552^nd	5874	5.5%
2024	11.67	5567^th	5862	5.0%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at A. J. Dorsa Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	25.22	2704^th	3246	16.7%
2019	24.63	2893^rd	3275	11.7%
2022	20.27	3189^th	3311	3.7%
2023	24.85	2885^th	3250	11.2%
2024	21.76	3004^th	3160	4.9%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at A. J. Dorsa Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	23.96	1962^nd	2420	18.9%
2024	20.07	2392^nd	2634	9.2%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at A. J. Dorsa Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	18.83	4551^st	5084	10.5%
2019	23.16	4347^th	5173	16.0%
2022	10.82	5152^nd	5264	2.1%
2023	12.22	5201^st	5374	3.2%
2024	9.05	5426^th	5511	1.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at A. J. Dorsa Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	21.33	4427^th	5413	18.2%
2019	22.52	4422^nd	5492	19.5%
2022	12.93	5368^th	5635	4.7%
2023	13.26	5304^th	5617	5.6%
2024	15.58	5072^nd	5605	9.5%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at A. J. Dorsa Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	20.57	1945^th	2128	8.6%
2022	14.52	2224^th	2227	0.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at A. J. Dorsa Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	11.81	5169^th	5431	4.8%
2019	17.10	4889^th	5510	11.3%
2022	13.39	5346^th	5663	5.6%
2023	13.09	5311^th	5650	6.0%
2024	9.82	5497^th	5636	2.5%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at A. J. Dorsa Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	17.90	4377^th	4830	9.4%
2019	22.90	4182^nd	4963	15.7%
2022	12.78	4918^th	5084	3.3%
2023	12.95	4909^th	5098	3.7%
2024	11.75	4932^nd	5102	3.3%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Thursday, September 27, 2018

I was a student at this school for 5 years. My first few years I loved this school, but after 4th grade I hated it because I got bullied in 4th grade and kept getting bullied after that. In 5th grade, I moved to Visalia and I was so glad I left Dorsa. Another reason I hated 4th grade was because of the new principal. She was terrible. I'm so glad I left. Close Quote

Enrollment information for A. J. Dorsa Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	25	29	84	544	0	n/a	n/a	0	682
1989	23	21	113	573	3	n/a	n/a	0	733
1990	13	21	99	564	2	n/a	n/a	0	699
1991	9	19	97	549	4	n/a	n/a	0	678
1992	17	13	99	563	4	n/a	n/a	0	696
1993	18	17	104	551	3	n/a	n/a	0	693
1994	15	9	96	455	3	n/a	n/a	0	578
1995	12	9	87	476	3	n/a	n/a	0	587
1996	12	9	87	476	3	n/a	n/a	0	587
1997	15	10	82	494	1	n/a	n/a	0	602
1998	11	5	84	462	0	n/a	n/a	0	562
1999	24	7	71	491	0	n/a	n/a	0	593
2000	20	7	71	478	0	n/a	n/a	1	577
2001	15	4	60	513	0	n/a	n/a	5	597
2002	5	4	45	513	3	n/a	n/a	0	570
2003	5	4	45	513	3	n/a	n/a	0	570
2004	5	18	34	612	3	n/a	n/a	0	672
2005	4	16	30	564	1	n/a	n/a	0	615
2006	3	2	46	500	2	n/a	n/a	0	553
2007	4	3	46	530	1	n/a	n/a	1	585
2008	3	2	37	532	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	574
2009	4	4	16	524	1	17	0	0	566
2010	3	1	13	529	1	7	0	0	554
2011	0	0	19	498	0	9	1	0	527
2012	0	3	20	503	0	8	5	0	539
2013	2	2	25	480	0	9	7	0	525
2014	1	1	31	465	0	8	5	0	511
2015	1	2	29	458	0	5	5	0	500
2016	2	6	33	443	0	2	3	0	489
2017	2	5	30	377	0	2	2	0	418
2018	2	5	24	338	0	2	0	0	371
2019	2	6	26	328	0	3	6	0	371
2020	3	4	27	306	0	4	7	0	351
2021	2	2	20	330	0	4	7	0	365
2022	2	4	18	279	0	4	6	0	313
2023	1	2	18	272	0	5	6	0	304

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 A. J. Dorsa Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	682	25.0	27.2	n/a
1989	733	23.0	31.8	n/a
1990	699	24.5	28.5	n/a
1991	678	24.0	28.2	n/a
1992	696	24.4	28.5	82.2
1993	693	22.0	31.5	51.2
1994	578	18.0	32.1	78.5
1995	587	24.0	24.5	74.8
1996	587	24.0	24.5	74.8
1997	602	22.0	27.4	78.9
1998	562	23.0	24.4	89.3
1999	593	30.0	19.8	86.5
2000	577	25.0	23.1	88.5
2001	597	27.5	21.7	79.7
2002	570	27.0	21.1	83.5
2003	570	27.0	21.1	83.5
2004	672	29.0	23.2	83.3
2005	615	29.0	21.2	89.6
2006	553	31.0	17.8	99.5
2007	585	30.0	19.5	94.7
2008	574	30.0	19.1	99.3
2009	566	28.0	18.9	99.5
2010	554	25.0	22.1	88.3
2011	527	n/a	n/a	88.2
2012	539	27.8	19.3	99.4
2013	525	26.1	20.0	98.5
2014	511	23.0	22.2	88.5
2015	500	22.0	22.7	91.2
2016	489	18.0	27.1	91
2017	418	16.0	26.1	89.5
2018	371	16.0	23.1	83
2019	371	15.0	24.7	86.5
2020	351	n/a	n/a	84.6
2021	365	16.0	22.8	85.2
2022	313	15.0	20.8	80.8
2023	304	14.0	21.7	87.8

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 A. J. Dorsa Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	682	25.0	27.2	n/a
1989	733	23.0	31.8	n/a
1990	699	24.5	28.5	n/a
1991	678	24.0	28.2	n/a
1992	696	24.4	28.5	82.2
1993	693	22.0	31.5	51.2
1994	578	18.0	32.1	78.5
1995	587	24.0	24.5	74.8
1996	587	24.0	24.5	74.8
1997	602	22.0	27.4	78.9
1998	562	23.0	24.4	89.3
1999	593	30.0	19.8	86.5
2000	577	25.0	23.1	88.5
2001	597	27.5	21.7	79.7
2002	570	27.0	21.1	83.5
2003	570	27.0	21.1	83.5
2004	672	29.0	23.2	83.3
2005	615	29.0	21.2	89.6
2006	553	31.0	17.8	99.5
2007	585	30.0	19.5	94.7
2008	574	30.0	19.1	99.3
2009	566	28.0	18.9	99.5
2010	554	25.0	22.1	88.3
2011	527	n/a	n/a	88.2
2012	539	27.8	19.3	99.4
2013	525	26.1	20.0	98.5
2014	511	23.0	22.2	88.5
2015	500	22.0	22.7	91.2
2016	489	18.0	27.1	91
2017	418	16.0	26.1	89.5
2018	371	16.0	23.1	83
2019	371	15.0	24.7	86.5
2020	351	n/a	n/a	84.6
2021	365	16.0	22.8	85.2
2022	313	15.0	20.8	80.8
2023	304	14.0	21.7	87.8

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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