Is Sierra Madre Elementary a good school?

Yes. Sierra Madre Elementary ranks in the top 9.1% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend Sierra Madre Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 618 students attended Sierra Madre Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Sierra Madre Elementary?

Students at Sierra Madre Elementary are 47% White, 24% Hispanic, 16% Two or more races, 10% Asian, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Sierra Madre Elementary attend?

Students who attend Sierra Madre Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Sierra Madre Middle High : Pasadena High

Sierra Madre Elementary

Summary:

Sierra Madre Elementary is a public elementary school serving 630 students in grades K-5 within the Pasadena Unified School District. This high-performing school has consistently ranked in the top 10-15% of California elementary schools over the past decade, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger in several recent years.

Sierra Madre Elementary excels academically, with 71.52% of students scoring proficient or better in ELA and 71.82% in math, significantly outperforming their Pasadena Unified and statewide peers. The school also serves diverse student populations well, ranking in the top 10 in California for Asian students and the top 266 for Hispanic students in ELA. Additionally, Sierra Madre Elementary maintains relatively low chronic absenteeism rates and a favorable student-teacher ratio around 26:1.

While Sierra Madre Elementary outperforms its district, some nearby schools in other districts, such as Holly Avenue Elementary and Highland Oaks Elementary in Arcadia Unified, demonstrate even stronger academic performance. Additionally, Sierra Madre Elementary's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, and the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism rates in the most recent year, which may be an area of concern.

Detail:

Public K-5

141 West Highland Ave.
Sierra Madre, CA 91024-1810

(626) 396-5890

District: Pasadena Unified

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,600

Students who attend Sierra Madre Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Sierra Madre Middle
High:	Pasadena High

Student/teacher ratio: 24.8

Number of students: 618

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.2%

Hispanic:

24.4%

Two or more races:

16.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 35.1%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Sierra Madre Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Sierra Madre Elementary ranks better than 90.9% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 2^nd among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Pasadena Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.5. (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 Sierra Madre Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (47.2%), Hispanic (24.4%), two or more races (16.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 35.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Pasadena Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sierra Madre Elementary is 24.8. 8 elementary schools in the Pasadena Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Sierra Madre Elementary employs 24.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sierra Madre Elementary is $6,600. 9 elementary schools in the Pasadena Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sierra Madre Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Sierra Madre Elementary 536^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Sierra Madre Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

Hispanic students:

White 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 Sierra Madre Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	65.40	1470^th	4809	69.4%
2005	66.57	1485^th	4822	69.2%
2006	69.05	1384^th	4818	71.3%
2007	83.31	834^th	5113	83.7%
2008	85.04	750^th	5113	85.3%
2009	84.47	783^rd	5193	84.9%
2010	90.03	435^th	5314	91.8%
2011	90.45	409^th	5377	92.4%
2012	88.64	513^th	5390	90.5%
2013	88.33	566^th	5530	89.8%
2015	90.07	622^nd	5611	88.9%
2016	88.72	693^rd	5614	87.7%
2017	84.30	938^th	5692	83.5%
2018	88.03	737^th	5662	87.0%
2019	88.05	750^th	5789	87.0%
2022	92.94	524^th	5883	91.1%
2023	91.03	638^th	5874	89.1%
2024	92.50	536^th	5862	90.9%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	63.83	265^th	669	60.4%
2024	67.07	242^nd	669	63.8%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	91.35	157^th	2420	93.5%
2024	94.94	112^th	2634	95.7%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	87.66	381^st	5084	92.5%
2019	87.00	404^th	5173	92.2%
2022	90.61	324^th	5264	93.8%
2023	89.74	399^th	5374	92.6%
2024	90.01	454^th	5511	91.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	87.19	709^th	5413	86.9%
2019	85.89	771^st	5492	86.0%
2022	87.27	763^rd	5635	86.5%
2023	89.00	693^rd	5617	87.7%
2024	88.32	702^nd	5605	87.5%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	89.59	160^th	2128	92.5%
2019	90.27	176^th	2585	93.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	86.70	761^st	5431	86.0%
2019	87.50	713^th	5510	87.1%
2022	95.14	294^th	5663	94.8%
2023	90.64	577^th	5650	89.8%
2024	93.20	409^th	5636	92.7%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	61.83	527^th	1149	54.1%
2024	88.90	10^th	1203	99.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	79.55	711^th	4830	85.3%
2019	85.00	504^th	4963	89.8%
2022	91.08	316^th	5084	93.8%
2023	92.55	256^th	5098	95.0%
2024	92.53	266^th	5102	94.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Sierra Madre Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	74.80	654^th	2737	76.1%
2019	76.63	576^th	2834	79.7%
2022	84.43	293^rd	2726	89.3%
2023	76.24	574^th	2662	78.4%
2024	76.76	562^nd	2647	78.8%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent on FaceBook
Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Our PreK-8th Grade school has three core values: high academic achievement (as evidenced by our test scores, fabulous teachers, and high parent involvement), creative culture (exemplified by our strong Visual and Performing Arts Programs), and a safe and nurturing environment (which our teachers, staff, and parents work together to provide). Our school not only values academics, but also recognizes the importance of enriching the academic experience of our students with monthly assemblies in which all elementary students are exposed to song, drama, instrumental music, and dance. Middle School students are able to expand their interests further in specific areas through enrichment classes.

As state and federal funding has dwindled in recent years, this school has made up for these shortfalls through a strong Annual Fund and high volunteerism. Walk our halls and you will find well-trained volunteers assisting teachers with instruction in classrooms. Community is fostered and built through monthly PTA extracurricular events, including a Fall Festival, Middle School Dances, Father-Daughter Dance, and Mother-Son Game Night, among others. Likewise, our school Annual Fund pays for approximately half of our discretionary funds budget including providing instructional, behavioral, health and recreational aides, arts specialists, and much more.

When looking at our API ranking, be aware that the score is for both an elementary campus and a middle school campus, which are a few blocks apart. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Sierra Madre Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	283	150	10	237	0	n/a	n/a	0	680
1989	269	134	14	263	0	n/a	n/a	0	680
1990	237	130	14	272	0	n/a	n/a	0	653
1991	219	125	12	274	0	n/a	n/a	0	630
1992	283	119	15	238	1	n/a	n/a	0	656
1993	286	118	16	285	0	n/a	n/a	0	705
1994	287	115	20	280	2	n/a	n/a	0	704
1995	296	94	17	271	0	n/a	n/a	0	678
1996	296	94	17	271	0	n/a	n/a	0	678
1997	275	88	18	271	0	n/a	n/a	0	652
1998	292	82	20	282	0	n/a	n/a	0	676
1999	274	90	13	315	1	n/a	n/a	0	693
2000	262	84	19	329	1	n/a	n/a	0	695
2001	258	85	19	346	1	n/a	n/a	0	709
2002	264	61	22	304	1	n/a	n/a	0	652
2003	264	61	22	304	1	n/a	n/a	0	652
2004	294	67	29	307	3	n/a	n/a	0	700
2005	367	68	36	346	2	n/a	n/a	0	819
2006	434	83	41	398	0	n/a	n/a	0	956
2007	481	71	41	315	1	n/a	n/a	9	918
2008	545	73	46	279	4	n/a	n/a	0	947
2009	607	77	43	247	3	1	2	0	980
2010	503	63	38	338	4	1	68	0	1015
2011	523	68	36	332	4	1	70	0	1034
2012	576	59	47	338	3	1	64	0	1088
2013	601	58	47	313	3	2	55	0	1079
2014	443	37	40	162	2	1	17	0	702
2015	452	34	54	156	1	0	14	0	711
2016	411	33	56	153	1	0	12	0	666
2017	377	34	61	157	0	0	14	0	643
2018	394	29	62	164	0	1	23	0	673
2019	393	28	78	162	0	1	27	0	689
2020	383	24	68	176	1	1	47	0	700
2021	311	21	64	177	1	1	52	0	627
2022	300	13	55	147	1	1	68	0	585
2023	300	12	65	163	2	1	87	0	630
2024	292	12	60	151	2	0	101	0	618

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 Sierra Madre Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	680	28.0	24.2	n/a
1989	680	28.0	24.2	n/a
1990	653	28.0	23.3	n/a
1991	630	26.0	24.2	n/a
1992	656	26.4	24.8	52.7
1993	705	26.8	26.3	57.4
1994	704	27.8	25.3	48.9
1995	678	24.7	27.4	51.6
1996	678	24.7	27.4	51.6
1997	652	28.6	22.8	51.2
1998	676	31.5	21.5	53.6
1999	693	34.5	20.1	52.4
2000	695	36.6	19.0	51.4
2001	709	35.6	19.9	53
2002	652	35.6	18.3	51.1
2003	652	35.6	18.3	51.1
2004	700	33.7	20.8	46.4
2005	819	40.7	20.1	45.1
2006	956	39.4	24.3	39.4
2007	918	43.0	21.3	28.5
2008	947	49.0	19.3	0
2009	980	47.9	18.6	15.9
2010	1015	46.0	22.0	20.8
2011	1034	n/a	n/a	21.6
2012	1088	41.5	26.2	n/a
2013	1079	41.7	25.8	20
2014	702	25.8	27.2	19.5
2015	711	27.0	26.3	20.8
2016	666	26.0	25.6	20.3
2017	643	25.3	25.4	17.6
2018	673	28.3	23.7	19.5
2019	689	26.5	26.0	17.6
2020	700	n/a	n/a	24.7
2021	627	27.3	22.9	30.5
2022	585	24.5	23.8	34.4
2023	630	24.0	26.2	35.6
2024	618	24.8	24.8	35.1

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 Sierra Madre Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	680	28.0	24.2	n/a
1989	680	28.0	24.2	n/a
1990	653	28.0	23.3	n/a
1991	630	26.0	24.2	n/a
1992	656	26.4	24.8	52.7
1993	705	26.8	26.3	57.4
1994	704	27.8	25.3	48.9
1995	678	24.7	27.4	51.6
1996	678	24.7	27.4	51.6
1997	652	28.6	22.8	51.2
1998	676	31.5	21.5	53.6
1999	693	34.5	20.1	52.4
2000	695	36.6	19.0	51.4
2001	709	35.6	19.9	53
2002	652	35.6	18.3	51.1
2003	652	35.6	18.3	51.1
2004	700	33.7	20.8	46.4
2005	819	40.7	20.1	45.1
2006	956	39.4	24.3	39.4
2007	918	43.0	21.3	28.5
2008	947	49.0	19.3	0
2009	980	47.9	18.6	15.9
2010	1015	46.0	22.0	20.8
2011	1034	n/a	n/a	21.6
2012	1088	41.5	26.2	n/a
2013	1079	41.7	25.8	20
2014	702	25.8	27.2	19.5
2015	711	27.0	26.3	20.8
2016	666	26.0	25.6	20.3
2017	643	25.3	25.4	17.6
2018	673	28.3	23.7	19.5
2019	689	26.5	26.0	17.6
2020	700	n/a	n/a	24.7
2021	627	27.3	22.9	30.5
2022	585	24.5	23.8	34.4
2023	630	24.0	26.2	35.6
2024	618	24.8	24.8	35.1

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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