Vista Colorado Elementary

Summary:

Vista Colorado Elementary is a public elementary school in Needles, California, serving 321 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Needles Unified School District, which is ranked 1323 out of 1568 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Vista Colorado Elementary consistently performs below the district and state averages in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 17.14% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 29.59% for the district and 47.04% for the state. In mathematics, 21.14% of students were proficient or better, compared to 19.66% for the district and 35.54% for the state. The school's performance in science is also significantly lower than the district and state averages. Additionally, Vista Colorado Elementary has experienced high rates of chronic absenteeism, with 33.7% of students chronically absent in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to the state average of 14.3%.

The school's challenges are further compounded by its high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 82.55% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year. Despite these obstacles, Vista Colorado Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of California elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade. The school's ranking has declined over the years, from 3181 out of 5611 California elementary schools in the 2014-2015 school year to 5104 out of 5862 in the 2023-2024 school year, indicating a lack of improvement over time.


Detail:

Public K-5

 700 Bailey Ave.
       Needles, CA  92363-2802


(760) 326-2167

District: Needles Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
5104th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,609 Help


Students who attend Vista Colorado Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Needles Middle
High:    Needles High

Student/teacher ratio:  21.3 Help
Number of students:  327

Racial breakdown:

White:
46.8%
Hispanic:
36.7%
American Indian:
6.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  82.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Vista Colorado Elementary ranks worse than 87.1% of elementary schools in California. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.11. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (46.8%), Hispanic (36.7%), American Indian (6.1%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 82.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Vista Colorado Elementary is 21.3. (See more...)
Help
Compare Vista Colorado Elementary employs 15.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Vista Colorado Elementary is $6,609.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Vista Colorado Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Vista Colorado Elementary 5104th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Vista Colorado Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Needles Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Needles Unified 1323rd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Vista Colorado Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Vista Colorado Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 28.42 3339th 4809 30.6%
2005 26.29 3534th 4822 26.7%
2006 15.32 4332nd 4818 10.1%
2007 15.97 4576th 5113 10.5%
2008 20.89 4286th 5113 16.2%
2009 8.91 5046th 5193 2.8%
2010 18.59 4671st 5314 12.1%
2011 13.14 5059th 5377 5.9%
2012 21.35 4562nd 5390 15.4%
2013 25.07 4393rd 5530 20.6%
2015 37.32 3181st 5611 43.3%
2016 27.91 3938th 5614 29.9%
2017 28.23 3981st 5692 30.1%
2018 33.88 3548th 5662 37.3%
2019 25.97 4273rd 5789 26.2%
2022 30.69 3823rd 5883 35.0%
2023 23.00 4560th 5874 22.4%
2024 17.11 5104th 5862 12.9%
See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Vista Colorado Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 29.61 1667th 2420 31.1%
2024 22.98 2238th 2634 15.0%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Vista Colorado Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.27 3144th 5084 38.2%
2019 27.11 4090th 5173 20.9%
2022 37.29 3231st 5264 38.6%
2023 25.61 4259th 5374 20.7%
2024 19.55 4811th 5511 12.7%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Vista Colorado Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.61 3434th 5413 36.6%
2019 31.75 3693rd 5492 32.8%
2022 30.46 3689th 5635 34.5%
2023 23.61 4370th 5617 22.2%
2024 16.74 4981st 5605 11.1%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Vista Colorado Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 46.52 895th 2227 59.8%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Vista Colorado Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.15 3333rd 5431 38.6%
2019 21.46 4523rd 5510 17.9%
2022 31.47 3666th 5663 35.3%
2023 26.04 4150th 5650 26.5%
2024 19.70 4752nd 5636 15.7%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Vista Colorado Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.91 1790th 4830 62.9%
2019 40.04 2962nd 4963 40.3%
2022 45.56 2483rd 5084 51.2%
2023 50.88 2184th 5098 57.2%
2024 22.79 4288th 5102 16.0%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Vista Colorado Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 35.86 14th 18 22.2%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Vista Colorado Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.43 2336th 2737 14.7%
2019 10.11 2628th 2834 7.3%
2022 15.19 2389th 2726 12.4%
2023 4.07 2614th 2662 1.8%
2024 6.21 2545th 2647 3.9%
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.

Vista Colorado Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Vista Colorado Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 264 14 8 57 20 n/a n/a 0 363
1989 279 15 12 59 22 n/a n/a 0 387
1990 283 10 16 87 30 n/a n/a 0 426
1991 319 14 16 77 26 n/a n/a 0 452
1992 240 15 13 72 38 n/a n/a 0 378
1993 209 16 14 73 34 n/a n/a 0 346
1994 214 28 7 64 28 n/a n/a 0 341
1995 203 17 7 61 48 n/a n/a 0 336
1996 203 17 7 61 48 n/a n/a 0 336
1997 169 11 9 62 28 n/a n/a 0 279
1998 184 8 9 49 37 n/a n/a 0 287
1999 195 11 4 59 29 n/a n/a 0 298
2000 203 6 2 40 28 n/a n/a 0 279
2001 190 5 3 59 27 n/a n/a 0 284
2002 180 8 3 49 41 n/a n/a 1 282
2003 180 8 3 49 41 n/a n/a 1 282
2004 196 9 2 55 52 n/a n/a 9 323
2005 171 14 3 63 47 n/a n/a 18 316
2006 149 10 7 55 34 n/a n/a 23 278
2007 162 6 5 52 48 n/a n/a 26 299
2008 146 9 4 48 50 n/a n/a 0 257
2009 141 15 3 53 42 0 2 0 256
2010 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2011 165 6 2 61 41 2 5 0 282
2012 253 5 2 114 63 5 9 0 451
2013 234 9 2 94 73 4 8 0 424
2014 219 10 6 94 73 2 17 0 421
2015 216 7 5 106 77 2 14 0 427
2016 227 11 5 120 72 1 16 0 452
2017 226 12 6 113 65 0 17 0 439
2018 220 10 4 114 56 1 16 0 421
2019 195 12 5 136 42 0 18 0 408
2020 203 12 5 131 23 2 9 0 385
2021 184 10 5 125 21 2 15 0 362
2022 177 7 5 130 13 2 11 0 345
2023 160 7 5 119 16 1 13 0 321
2024 153 16 5 120 20 0 13 0 327

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 Vista Colorado Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 363 13.9 26.1 n/a
1989 387 14.9 25.9 n/a
1990 426 17.0 25.0 n/a
1991 452 18.0 25.1 n/a
1992 378 18.3 20.6 71.2
1993 346 15.0 23.1 65
1994 341 15.0 22.7 62.2
1995 336 13.0 25.8 67.6
1996 336 13.0 25.8 67.6
1997 279 12.0 23.3 74.9
1998 287 15.0 19.1 82.2
1999 298 15.0 19.9 72.1
2000 279 14.0 19.9 69.2
2001 284 15.0 18.9 68.3
2002 282 16.8 16.8 71.5
2003 282 16.8 16.8 71.5
2004 323 16.0 20.2 67.2
2005 316 15.0 21.1 72.5
2006 278 14.0 19.9 70.6
2007 299 15.0 19.9 65.9
2008 257 15.0 17.1 82.5
2009 256 13.0 18.3 76.6
2010 0 10.0 0.0 n/a
2011 282 n/a n/a 75.2
2012 451 16.7 26.9 n/a
2013 424 14.7 28.7 74.5
2014 421 16.0 26.3 69.4
2015 427 17.0 25.1 78
2016 452 17.0 26.5 78.8
2017 439 18.0 24.3 79.3
2018 421 18.1 23.1 79.3
2019 408 17.0 24.0 78.9
2020 385 n/a n/a 80
2021 362 17.0 21.2 81.5
2022 345 17.7 19.4 80.3
2023 321 15.0 21.3 82.6
2024 327 15.3 21.3 82.6

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 Vista Colorado Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 363 13.9 26.1 n/a
1989 387 14.9 25.9 n/a
1990 426 17.0 25.0 n/a
1991 452 18.0 25.1 n/a
1992 378 18.3 20.6 71.2
1993 346 15.0 23.1 65
1994 341 15.0 22.7 62.2
1995 336 13.0 25.8 67.6
1996 336 13.0 25.8 67.6
1997 279 12.0 23.3 74.9
1998 287 15.0 19.1 82.2
1999 298 15.0 19.9 72.1
2000 279 14.0 19.9 69.2
2001 284 15.0 18.9 68.3
2002 282 16.8 16.8 71.5
2003 282 16.8 16.8 71.5
2004 323 16.0 20.2 67.2
2005 316 15.0 21.1 72.5
2006 278 14.0 19.9 70.6
2007 299 15.0 19.9 65.9
2008 257 15.0 17.1 82.5
2009 256 13.0 18.3 76.6
2010 0 10.0 0.0 n/a
2011 282 n/a n/a 75.2
2012 451 16.7 26.9 n/a
2013 424 14.7 28.7 74.5
2014 421 16.0 26.3 69.4
2015 427 17.0 25.1 78
2016 452 17.0 26.5 78.8
2017 439 18.0 24.3 79.3
2018 421 18.1 23.1 79.3
2019 408 17.0 24.0 78.9
2020 385 n/a n/a 80
2021 362 17.0 21.2 81.5
2022 345 17.7 19.4 80.3
2023 321 15.0 21.3 82.6
2024 327 15.3 21.3 82.6

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Vista Colorado Elementary

Help
Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPolioHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMMR
201273.0%0.0%0.0%27.0%76.0%85.0%85.0%77.0%78.0%
201382.0%2.0%0.0%16.0%93.0%92.0%95.0%89.0%96.0%
201461.0%10.0%0.0%29.0%80.0%67.0%74.0%71.0%70.0%
201567.0%3.0%0.0%30.0%68.0%81.0%94.0%71.0%70.0%
201697.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%97.0%97.0%97.0%97.0%97.0%
201795.0%0.0%0.0%1.0%96.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%96.0%≥98.0%
201892.0%0.0%1.0%7.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%95.0%
201993.0%0.0%7.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%93.0%≥98.0%
202094.5%0.0%0.0%95.9%97.3%
202196.7%0.0%0.0%96.7%96.7%96.7%96.7%

Data source: California Department of Public Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Vista Colorado Elementary

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $6,609

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Vista Colorado Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 4273rd of 5789 Elementary schoolsRanks 4560th of 5874 Elementary schools
 3.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Vista Colorado Elementary)27.921.1
 6.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Needles Unified)23.921.8
 2.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.543
 5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Vista Colorado Elementary)37.736.6
 1.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Needles Unified)33.835.6
 1.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (California)50.245.1
 5.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Vista Colorado Elementary)2023.2
 3.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Needles Unified)23.129.4
 6.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.543.7
 5.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Vista Colorado Elementary)2023.2
 3.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Needles Unified)21.529
 7.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (California)44.940.8
 4.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Vista Colorado Elementary)39.525.5
 13.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Needles Unified)3727.3
 9.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Vista Colorado Elementary)39.519.2
 20.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Needles Unified)38.320
 18.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (California)3833.4
 4.6%
5th Grade Science (Vista Colorado Elementary)17.114.9
 2.2%
   5th Grade Science (Needles Unified)16.112.7
 3.3%
   5th Grade Science (California)31.731.9
 0.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students408321
 21.3%
African American127
 41.7%
American Indian4216
 61.9%
Asian55
Hispanic136119
 12.5%
Pacific Islander01
White195160
 17.9%
Two or More Races1813
 27.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients78.9%82.6%
 3.6%


Schools Near Vista Colorado Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Vista Colorado Elementary

Vista Colorado Elementary ranks in the bottom 12.9% of California elementary schools.

Students at Vista Colorado Elementary are 47% White, 37% Hispanic, 6% American Indian, 5% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Students who attend Vista Colorado Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Needles Middle
High : Needles High

In the 2023-24 school year, 327 students attended Vista Colorado Elementary.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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