Is Alvarado Elementary a good school?

Alvarado Elementary ranks 1352 nd of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Alvarado Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 390 students attended Alvarado Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Alvarado Elementary?

Students at Alvarado Elementary are 49% Hispanic, 28% Asian, 12% African American, 6% White, 5% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Alvarado Elementary attend?

Students who attend Alvarado Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Jessie Nelson Academy High : Wilson High

Alvarado Elementary

Summary:

Alvarado Elementary is a public elementary school located in Signal Hill, California, serving grades K-5 with a student population of 390. It is part of the Long Beach Unified School District, which is ranked 654 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Alvarado Elementary consistently outperforms the Long Beach Unified School District and the state of California in standardized test scores across various grade levels and subjects. In the 2023-2024 school year, 63.98% of Alvarado Elementary students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 49.52% for the district and 47.04% for the state. In mathematics, 51.55% of Alvarado Elementary students were proficient or better, compared to 36.36% for the district and 35.54% for the state. The school also performs well for its Hispanic and English Language Learner (ELL) students, ranking 455 out of 5,102 and 210 out of 3,250 California elementary schools in these subgroups, respectively.

Despite having a relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, Alvarado Elementary's academic performance remains strong, suggesting effective strategies in supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 14.4% in the 2017-2018 school year to 42.5% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is an area of concern that the school and district should address. Compared to nearby schools in the Long Beach Unified School District, such as Bobbie Smith Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, and Whittier Elementary, Alvarado Elementary outperforms them in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency.

Detail:

Public K-5

1900 East 21st St.
Signal Hill, CA 90755-5858

(562) 591-7477

District: Long Beach Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1352^nd of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,246

Students who attend Alvarado Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Jessie Nelson Academy
High:	Wilson High

Student/teacher ratio: 26.0

Number of students: 390

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

49.2%

Asian:

27.7%

African American:

12.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59.7%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Alvarado Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Alvarado Elementary ranks better than 76.9% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 18^th among 53 ranked elementary schools in the Long Beach Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.28. (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 Alvarado Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (49.2%), Asian (27.7%), African American (12.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 59.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Alvarado Elementary is 26. 33 elementary schools in the Long Beach Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Alvarado Elementary employs 15 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Alvarado Elementary is $11,246, which is the 2^nd highest among 53 elementary schools in the Long Beach Unified School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Alvarado Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Alvarado Elementary 1352^nd of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Alvarado Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

Long Beach Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Long Beach Unified 654^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Alvarado Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Alvarado Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	60.48	1687^th	4809	64.9%
2005	64.41	1566^th	4822	67.5%
2006	64.03	1579^th	4818	67.2%
2011	55.21	2277^th	5377	57.7%
2012	50.68	2572^nd	5390	52.3%
2013	58.29	2222^nd	5530	59.8%
2015	64.61	1724^th	5611	69.3%
2016	57.62	2101^st	5614	62.6%
2017	76.59	1266^th	5692	77.8%
2018	78.64	1197^th	5662	78.9%
2019	68.47	1675^th	5789	71.1%
2021	54.60	582^nd	1417	58.9%
2022	61.99	1946^th	5883	66.9%
2023	65.42	1788^th	5874	69.6%
2024	75.28	1352^nd	5862	76.9%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Alvarado Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	61.99	761^st	3275	76.8%
2022	60.14	753^rd	3311	77.3%
2023	83.92	210^th	3250	93.5%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Alvarado Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	88.15	356^th	5084	93.0%
2019	78.88	771^st	5173	85.1%
2021	86.27	94^th	1110	91.5%
2022	84.54	565^th	5264	89.3%
2023	81.77	703^rd	5374	86.9%
2024	86.03	591^st	5511	89.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Alvarado Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	76.01	1241^st	5413	77.1%
2019	59.94	1970^th	5492	64.1%
2021	34.87	778^th	1267	38.6%
2022	53.00	2264^th	5635	59.8%
2023	62.37	1837^th	5617	67.3%
2024	70.90	1452^nd	5605	74.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Alvarado Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	78.60	1119^th	5431	79.4%
2019	74.09	1343^rd	5510	75.6%
2021	71.67	327^th	1272	74.3%
2022	69.90	1531^st	5663	73.0%
2023	66.51	1666^th	5650	70.5%
2024	75.87	1242^nd	5636	78.0%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Alvarado Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	57.88	578^th	1071	46.0%
2019	40.15	819^th	1149	28.7%
2022	28.12	912^th	1154	21.0%
2023	31.74	904^th	1190	24.0%
2024	47.94	781^st	1203	35.1%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Alvarado Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	80.73	661^st	4830	86.3%
2019	69.26	1206^th	4963	75.7%
2022	69.36	1185^th	5084	76.7%
2023	70.50	1165^th	5098	77.1%
2024	87.39	455^th	5102	91.1%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, April 8, 2009

As a parent of two Alvarado students and one graduate, I am very pleased with the education available at Alvarado. It is a small school FULL of caring teachers. Teachers use Columbia University's Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project to teach language arts. They also have started a math project, CGI, to teach math. Neither of the programs are complicated but I have learned how to write, right along side my daughter. I am a highly educated person, yet no one ever taught me what writers do in order to complete a story, essay, etc. As my son graduated and moved on to middle and high school, he has taken the basics he learned at Alvarado and successfully built a strong background in all academic areas. I am very pleased with my children's experience, now and in the past, at Alvarado. I hope that the new principal brings the school to even higher levels. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Alvarado Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	114	45	106	114	0	n/a	n/a	0	379
1992	125	70	139	122	0	n/a	n/a	0	456
1993	128	54	138	136	1	n/a	n/a	0	457
1994	102	51	150	136	6	n/a	n/a	0	445
1995	91	65	154	124	5	n/a	n/a	0	439
1996	91	65	154	124	5	n/a	n/a	0	439
1997	74	64	168	134	6	n/a	n/a	0	446
1998	71	62	168	151	3	n/a	n/a	0	455
1999	73	70	169	176	2	n/a	n/a	0	490
2000	62	79	162	176	1	n/a	n/a	0	480
2001	49	68	169	185	0	n/a	n/a	0	471
2002	53	60	163	205	1	n/a	n/a	0	482
2003	53	60	163	205	1	n/a	n/a	0	482
2004	56	57	165	212	1	n/a	n/a	0	491
2005	41	52	165	214	1	n/a	n/a	1	474
2006	34	59	146	190	1	n/a	n/a	0	430
2007	22	70	137	179	1	n/a	n/a	1	410
2008	29	68	138	166	1	n/a	n/a	0	402
2009	31	74	127	169	1	8	1	0	411
2010	33	68	120	194	0	9	4	0	428
2011	31	58	135	178	0	7	6	0	415
2012	30	52	141	188	0	6	7	0	424
2013	25	43	138	184	0	6	16	0	412
2014	25	41	127	192	0	4	23	0	412
2015	23	43	130	215	1	5	26	0	443
2016	21	33	129	215	1	6	30	0	435
2017	21	37	131	194	2	6	21	0	412
2018	13	52	116	201	2	2	24	0	410
2019	14	47	125	194	0	1	23	0	404
2020	14	47	116	189	0	0	22	0	388
2021	18	43	111	177	0	1	19	0	369
2022	20	52	106	164	0	0	20	0	362
2023	23	47	108	192	0	1	19	0	390

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 Alvarado Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	379	22.0	17.2	n/a
1992	456	22.4	20.3	71.5
1993	457	20.0	22.9	69.8
1994	445	20.0	22.3	76.2
1995	439	22.1	19.9	79.7
1996	439	22.1	19.9	79.7
1997	446	23.0	19.4	80.7
1998	455	23.5	19.4	80.2
1999	490	24.0	20.4	83.3
2000	480	26.5	18.1	81.3
2001	471	29.0	16.2	81.5
2002	482	28.0	17.2	79.5
2003	482	28.0	17.2	79.5
2004	491	29.0	16.9	82.1
2005	474	26.0	18.2	77.6
2006	430	26.0	16.5	77.2
2007	410	24.0	17.1	80.4
2008	402	25.5	15.8	77.1
2009	411	22.0	15.6	85.2
2010	428	24.0	17.8	80.6
2011	415	n/a	n/a	85.3
2012	424	18.0	23.5	n/a
2013	412	16.0	25.7	82.5
2014	412	16.0	25.7	85
2015	443	18.0	24.6	84.2
2016	435	18.0	24.1	77.9
2017	412	16.4	25.1	80.8
2018	410	15.0	27.3	82.2
2019	404	14.5	27.8	79.5
2020	388	n/a	n/a	82.5
2021	369	14.0	26.3	74.3
2022	362	14.0	25.8	63.5
2023	390	15.0	26.0	59.7

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 Alvarado Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	379	22.0	17.2	n/a
1992	456	22.4	20.3	71.5
1993	457	20.0	22.9	69.8
1994	445	20.0	22.3	76.2
1995	439	22.1	19.9	79.7
1996	439	22.1	19.9	79.7
1997	446	23.0	19.4	80.7
1998	455	23.5	19.4	80.2
1999	490	24.0	20.4	83.3
2000	480	26.5	18.1	81.3
2001	471	29.0	16.2	81.5
2002	482	28.0	17.2	79.5
2003	482	28.0	17.2	79.5
2004	491	29.0	16.9	82.1
2005	474	26.0	18.2	77.6
2006	430	26.0	16.5	77.2
2007	410	24.0	17.1	80.4
2008	402	25.5	15.8	77.1
2009	411	22.0	15.6	85.2
2010	428	24.0	17.8	80.6
2011	415	n/a	n/a	85.3
2012	424	18.0	23.5	n/a
2013	412	16.0	25.7	82.5
2014	412	16.0	25.7	85
2015	443	18.0	24.6	84.2
2016	435	18.0	24.1	77.9
2017	412	16.4	25.1	80.8
2018	410	15.0	27.3	82.2
2019	404	14.5	27.8	79.5
2020	388	n/a	n/a	82.5
2021	369	14.0	26.3	74.3
2022	362	14.0	25.8	63.5
2023	390	15.0	26.0	59.7

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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