Is Norma Coombs Elementary a good school?

Norma Coombs Elementary ranks 2971 st of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Norma Coombs Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 334 students attended Norma Coombs Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Norma Coombs Elementary?

Students at Norma Coombs Elementary are 63% Hispanic, 16% African American, 12% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Norma Coombs Elementary attend?

Students who attend Norma Coombs Elementary usually go on to attend: High : Pasadena High

Norma Coombs Elementary

Summary:

Norma Coombs Elementary is a public elementary school in Pasadena, California, serving 294 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Pasadena Unified School District, which is ranked 730 out of 1,568 districts in the state.

Academically, Norma Coombs Elementary performs below the district and state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 42.75% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 45.87% for Pasadena Unified and 47.04% for California. The school also faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 32.1% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, 76.53% of Norma Coombs students come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, which may contribute to the school's academic struggles.

However, Norma Coombs Elementary has some bright spots. The school's Hispanic and English Language Learner students perform relatively well, ranking in the top 25% of California elementary schools in recent years. Additionally, the school's proximity to higher-performing Don Benito Fundamental, Longfellow (Henry W.) Elementary, and Field (Eugene) Elementary presents an opportunity for collaboration and sharing of best practices that could benefit Norma Coombs students.

Detail:

Public K-5

2600 Paloma St.
Pasadena, CA 91107-2642

(626) 396-5660

District: Pasadena Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2971^st of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,447

Students who attend Norma Coombs Elementary usually attend:

High:

Pasadena High

Student/teacher ratio: 22.2

Number of students: 334

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

62.9%

African American:

15.9%

White:

12.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 72.2%

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Compare Norma Coombs Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Norma Coombs Elementary ranks worse than 50.7% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 11^th among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Pasadena Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 43.32. (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 Norma Coombs Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (62.9%), African American (15.9%), White (12%). (See more...)

Compare Details 72.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Norma Coombs Elementary is 22.2, which is the 4^th best among 14 elementary schools in the Pasadena Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Norma Coombs Elementary employs 14.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Norma Coombs Elementary is $8,447, which is the 4^th highest among 14 elementary schools in the Pasadena Unified School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Norma Coombs Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Norma Coombs Elementary 2971^st of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Norma Coombs 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:

Pasadena Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Pasadena Unified 730^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Norma Coombs Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	62.02	1627^th	4809	66.2%
2005	67.46	1437^th	4822	70.2%
2006	73.30	1202^nd	4818	75.1%
2007	69.72	1385^th	5113	72.9%
2008	69.09	1447^th	5113	71.7%
2009	75.07	1204^th	5193	76.8%
2010	76.90	1138^th	5314	78.6%
2011	66.73	1656^th	5377	69.2%
2012	51.21	2547^th	5390	52.7%
2013	69.50	1596^th	5530	71.1%
2015	68.34	1561^st	5611	72.2%
2016	65.19	1754^th	5614	68.8%
2017	49.58	2572^nd	5692	54.8%
2018	53.10	2383^rd	5662	57.9%
2019	42.10	3061^st	5789	47.1%
2022	52.86	2395^th	5883	59.3%
2023	53.78	2354^th	5874	59.9%
2024	43.32	2971^st	5862	49.3%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	69.14	557^th	3275	83.0%
2022	60.61	740^th	3311	77.7%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	35.77	1517^th	2634	42.4%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	45.28	2662^nd	5084	47.6%
2019	44.65	2769^th	5173	46.5%
2022	64.42	1445^th	5264	72.5%
2023	60.98	1689^th	5374	68.6%
2024	48.31	2501^st	5511	54.6%

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

Rank History for Female students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	53.24	2314^th	5413	57.3%
2019	35.41	3381^st	5492	38.4%
2022	49.84	2419^th	5635	57.1%
2023	46.42	2608^th	5617	53.6%
2024	41.93	2924^th	5605	47.8%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	66.91	451^st	2128	78.8%
2019	49.77	990^th	2585	61.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	51.89	2342^nd	5431	56.9%
2019	47.76	2570^th	5510	53.4%
2022	54.48	2218^th	5663	60.8%
2023	58.75	2006^th	5650	64.5%
2024	43.62	2841^st	5636	49.6%

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

Rank History for African American students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	62.21	204^th	700	70.9%
2019	54.99	279^th	747	62.7%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	55.70	1855^th	4830	61.6%
2019	52.94	2100^th	4963	57.7%
2022	67.36	1282^nd	5084	74.8%
2023	59.45	1700^th	5098	66.7%
2024	55.00	1946^th	5102	61.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Norma Coombs Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	51.65	1409^th	2726	48.3%

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: 3.7)

67%

33%

Reviews:

by a parent
Sunday, July 2, 2023

Wonderful caring school. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, March 14, 2018

My child was here 3 years until we couldn’t take it anymore. My child was falling behind academically and I didn’t my child was safe.
In 2015, after an award ceremony, 3 parents got into a physical altercation. The police was called but no arrests were made. The principal did nothing despite having footage of the fight. We stayed another year in 2016 my child’s teacher had a “dumb table” which was where the teacher sent all the children that she felt weren’t learning. I expressed my concerns to the principal and asked her to keep them anonymous. The principal did not respect my wishes and the teacher began retaliating against my child. Homework came home with unclear instructions and she started giving my child extremely low grades despite my child being ahead of the class previously (according to her)
We stayed another year hoping these were isolated incidents. Our last year we noticed that our child was being treated differently by the principal. He was left out of all awards ceremonies and I was the butt of everyone’s jokes being called out of my name. Aside from the uncomfortable environment and the condescending attitude we were receiving, the things they teach the kids are not up to par compared to other schools. The kinder and first grade teachers are great. The PTA is too demanding. They want all your time and all your money. The school has tons of volunteer hours but they’re all from the same parents. Literally the same group of parents. My child is much happier now, leaving NCES was the best thing ever! Close Quote

by a parent
Saturday, March 10, 2018

NCES is the perfect school for my child. It's a diverse, warm, nurturing environment. Academics are rigorous with a lot of individual attention from teachers to help students perform. There are a lot of great enrichment opportunities accessible to all students. I highly recommend it. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Norma Coombs Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	112	47	33	38	1	n/a	n/a	0	231
1989	127	76	23	35	1	n/a	n/a	0	262
1990	114	67	19	42	0	n/a	n/a	0	242
1991	121	62	11	50	0	n/a	n/a	0	244
1992	129	59	9	42	0	n/a	n/a	0	239
1993	155	89	11	70	0	n/a	n/a	0	325
1994	148	82	6	72	5	n/a	n/a	0	313
1995	149	77	11	55	3	n/a	n/a	0	295
1996	149	77	11	55	3	n/a	n/a	0	295
1997	119	67	16	45	0	n/a	n/a	0	247
1998	124	62	22	38	0	n/a	n/a	0	246
1999	152	136	45	147	4	n/a	n/a	5	489
2000	120	159	39	150	4	n/a	n/a	0	472
2001	112	144	36	142	4	n/a	n/a	0	438
2002	143	170	45	151	4	n/a	n/a	0	513
2003	143	170	45	151	4	n/a	n/a	0	513
2004	170	192	28	184	3	n/a	n/a	0	577
2005	182	155	33	174	5	n/a	n/a	3	552
2006	194	149	19	181	5	n/a	n/a	0	548
2007	183	182	19	195	3	n/a	n/a	4	586
2008	152	169	26	225	3	n/a	n/a	0	575
2009	140	182	22	262	2	1	5	0	614
2010	84	170	35	276	2	2	6	0	575
2011	59	113	30	167	0	2	4	0	375
2012	72	135	40	182	3	3	5	0	440
2013	81	125	33	163	2	2	8	0	414
2014	85	125	37	171	3	1	7	0	429
2015	81	123	44	177	3	2	10	0	440
2016	79	119	40	199	3	2	16	0	458
2017	73	99	32	211	3	2	22	0	442
2018	57	93	22	218	1	0	22	0	413
2019	46	91	14	211	0	0	20	0	382
2020	40	69	11	206	1	1	25	0	353
2021	44	65	11	207	1	1	17	0	346
2022	43	40	9	193	1	0	17	0	303
2023	30	42	9	198	0	0	15	0	294
2024	40	53	8	210	0	0	23	0	334

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 Norma Coombs Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	231	9.5	24.3	n/a
1989	262	9.4	27.8	n/a
1990	242	10.0	24.2	n/a
1991	244	9.5	25.6	n/a
1992	239	9.7	24.6	n/a
1993	325	10.7	30.4	27.4
1994	313	11.2	27.9	26.8
1995	295	10.6	27.8	30.2
1996	295	10.6	27.8	30.2
1997	247	12.0	20.6	43.7
1998	246	11.9	20.7	37.8
1999	489	20.0	24.5	55.2
2000	472	21.0	22.5	47.2
2001	438	22.0	19.9	45.4
2002	513	27.0	19.0	42.9
2003	513	27.0	19.0	42.9
2004	577	28.0	20.6	43.5
2005	552	27.8	19.9	39.3
2006	548	21.7	25.3	40.1
2007	586	25.8	22.7	44.3
2008	575	26.0	22.1	46.3
2009	614	24.0	25.6	34.5
2010	575	23.8	24.1	51.8
2011	375	n/a	n/a	52
2012	440	17.9	24.4	99.3
2013	414	19.0	21.7	51.7
2014	429	17.4	24.6	61.8
2015	440	18.0	24.4	68.6
2016	458	19.0	24.1	64.2
2017	442	18.0	24.5	63.3
2018	413	19.0	21.7	65.4
2019	382	17.0	22.4	63.4
2020	353	n/a	n/a	67.4
2021	346	16.0	21.6	68.5
2022	303	15.5	19.5	76.2
2023	294	14.0	21.0	76.5
2024	334	14.9	22.2	72.2

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 Norma Coombs Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	231	9.5	24.3	n/a
1989	262	9.4	27.8	n/a
1990	242	10.0	24.2	n/a
1991	244	9.5	25.6	n/a
1992	239	9.7	24.6	n/a
1993	325	10.7	30.4	27.4
1994	313	11.2	27.9	26.8
1995	295	10.6	27.8	30.2
1996	295	10.6	27.8	30.2
1997	247	12.0	20.6	43.7
1998	246	11.9	20.7	37.8
1999	489	20.0	24.5	55.2
2000	472	21.0	22.5	47.2
2001	438	22.0	19.9	45.4
2002	513	27.0	19.0	42.9
2003	513	27.0	19.0	42.9
2004	577	28.0	20.6	43.5
2005	552	27.8	19.9	39.3
2006	548	21.7	25.3	40.1
2007	586	25.8	22.7	44.3
2008	575	26.0	22.1	46.3
2009	614	24.0	25.6	34.5
2010	575	23.8	24.1	51.8
2011	375	n/a	n/a	52
2012	440	17.9	24.4	99.3
2013	414	19.0	21.7	51.7
2014	429	17.4	24.6	61.8
2015	440	18.0	24.4	68.6
2016	458	19.0	24.1	64.2
2017	442	18.0	24.5	63.3
2018	413	19.0	21.7	65.4
2019	382	17.0	22.4	63.4
2020	353	n/a	n/a	67.4
2021	346	16.0	21.6	68.5
2022	303	15.5	19.5	76.2
2023	294	14.0	21.0	76.5
2024	334	14.9	22.2	72.2

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates