Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Summary:

Petaluma Accelerated Charter is a highly-ranked public charter middle school serving grades 7-8 in Petaluma, California, with just 123 students. This small school within the Petaluma Joint Union High School District has consistently ranked among the top middle schools in California, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years.

Petaluma Accelerated Charter significantly outperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests across all subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, 91.96% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 54.31% for the district and 47.04% statewide. In math, 90.27% of students were proficient or better, compared to 37.44% for the district and 35.54% statewide. The school also excels across all student subgroups, including female, male, Asian, Hispanic, and white students, as well as students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Petaluma Accelerated Charter's exceptional performance is further highlighted by its low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 1.8% to 8.7% over the past several years, significantly lower than the district and state averages. Additionally, the school has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 12.2% to 23.08% over the past few years, compared to higher rates at nearby Petaluma Junior High and Kenilworth Junior High. The school's small size and low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 26 to 27.4 students per teacher, may also contribute to its exceptional academic results.

Detail:

Public, Charter 7-8

110 Ellis St.
Petaluma, CA 94952-3305

(707) 778-4750

District: Petaluma Joint Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
9^th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,238

Student/teacher ratio: 27.1

Number of students: 116

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.2%

Hispanic:

19.8%

Asian:

15.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 27.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Petaluma Accelerated Charter ranks better than 99.7% of middle schools in California. It also ranks first among 3 ranked middle schools in the Petaluma Joint Union High School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 99.38. (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 Petaluma Accelerated Charter has the smallest middle school student body size in the Petaluma Joint Union High School District. Student population at Petaluma Accelerated Charter is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (55.2%), Hispanic (19.8%), Asian (15.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 27.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Petaluma Joint Union High School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Petaluma Accelerated Charter is 27.1, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Petaluma Joint Union High School District! (See more...)

Compare Petaluma Accelerated Charter employs 4.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Petaluma Accelerated Charter is $6,238, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Petaluma Joint Union High School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Petaluma Accelerated Charter:

SchoolDigger ranks Petaluma Accelerated Charter 9^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Petaluma Accelerated Charter in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

White students:

Petaluma Joint Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Petaluma Joint Union High 447^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Petaluma Accelerated Charter

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Rank History for all students at Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2017	99.06	10^th	2508	99.6%
2018	99.39	4^th	2480	99.8%
2019	99.48	6^th	2715	99.8%
2021	99.50	5^th	894	99.4%
2022	99.39	11^th	2740	99.6%
2023	99.85	2^nd	2802	99.9%
2024	99.38	9^th	2777	99.7%

See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	99.90	6^th	2369	99.7%
2021	99.93	3^rd	721	99.6%
2022	99.68	10^th	2458	99.6%
2024	99.53	13^th	2575	99.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	98.63	8^th	2262	99.6%
2019	98.85	11^th	2380	99.5%
2021	99.38	2^nd	738	99.7%
2022	98.55	23^rd	2509	99.1%
2023	99.71	2^nd	2547	99.9%
2024	98.53	20^th	2546	99.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	99.64	4^th	2273	99.8%
2019	99.64	6^th	2407	99.8%
2021	99.57	6^th	763	99.2%
2022	99.63	8^th	2527	99.7%
2023	99.87	2^nd	2558	99.9%
2024	99.57	10^th	2547	99.6%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	84.86	50^th	741	93.3%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	99.52	11^th	2213	99.5%
2022	99.76	7^th	2359	99.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	98.31	2^nd	1496	99.9%
2019	98.73	1^st	1602	99.9%
2022	98.64	3^rd	1555	99.8%
2023	99.18	1^st	1552	99.9%
2024	98.29	4^th	1535	99.7%

See the entire list of Best California Middle 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
Friday, April 30, 2021

Amazing school for kids who want a challenging and rigorous education! My student was beyond ready for honors courses in high school. Kids get one-to-one help daily from teachers who are passionate about their classes. The classrooms are current with technology and provide several STEAM elective choices. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Petaluma Accelerated Charter

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2016	16	1	0	26	0	0	5	0	48
2017	57	2	5	27	0	1	6	0	98
2018	72	0	12	17	0	1	3	0	105
2019	68	1	10	26	1	0	4	0	110
2020	80	2	6	20	1	0	5	0	114
2021	78	1	6	22	0	0	10	0	117
2022	77	2	8	20	0	1	11	1	120
2023	78	1	21	12	0	0	10	1	123
2024	64	3	18	23	1	0	7	0	116

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 Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	48	2.0	24.0	58.3
2017	98	4.1	23.5	30.6
2018	105	4.2	25.0	17.1
2019	110	4.4	25.0	26.4
2020	114	n/a	n/a	24.6
2021	117	4.4	26.5	23.1
2022	120	4.6	26.0	20
2023	123	4.4	27.4	12.2
2024	116	4.2	27.1	27.6

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 Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	48	2.0	24.0	58.3
2017	98	4.1	23.5	30.6
2018	105	4.2	25.0	17.1
2019	110	4.4	25.0	26.4
2020	114	n/a	n/a	24.6
2021	117	4.4	26.5	23.1
2022	120	4.6	26.0	20
2023	123	4.4	27.4	12.2
2024	116	4.2	27.1	27.6

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.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$6,238

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Petaluma Accelerated Charter

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 6^th of 2715 Middle schools	Ranks 2^nd of 2802 Middle schools	0.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Petaluma Accelerated Charter)	98.2	100	1.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Petaluma Joint Union High)	64.4	58	6.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	51.4	47.4	3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Petaluma Accelerated Charter)	100	95.3	4.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Petaluma Joint Union High)	51.4	46.8	4.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (California)	37.9	33.2	4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Petaluma Accelerated Charter)	92.3	98.3	6%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Petaluma Joint Union High)	56.3	51.3	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	49.4	45.7	3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Petaluma Accelerated Charter)	94.2	98.3	4.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Petaluma Joint Union High)	43	37.2	5.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (California)	36.6	29.9	6.7%
8th Grade Science (Petaluma Accelerated Charter)	80.8	93.3	12.6%
8th Grade Science (Petaluma Joint Union High)	37.7	36.8	0.9%
8th Grade Science (California)	30.8	28.8	2.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	110	123	11.8%
African American	1	1
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	10	21	110%
Hispanic	26	12	53.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	68	78	14.7%
Two or More Races	4	10	150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	26.4%	12.2%	14.2%

Schools Near Petaluma Accelerated Charter

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts (2024)				CAST Science (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading/Language Arts End of Course	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Petaluma Accelerated Charter	Public, Charter	7-8	110 Ellis St.	Petaluma	94952	Sonoma County	Petaluma Joint Union High	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 778-4750	116	4	27.1	27.6%	64 (55.2%)	3 (2.6%)	23 (19.8%)	18 (15.5%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (6.0%)	99.4	9^th of 2777 public middle schools	99.7%		99.9	2^nd of 2802 public middle schools	99.9%	7					81.0	81.0		84.0	98.4	92.0		86.0	93.7	90.3	$6,238
Petaluma Junior High	Public	7-8	700 Bantam Way	Petaluma	94952	Sonoma County	Petaluma Joint Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 778-4724	428	23	18.9	44.9%	239 (55.8%)	3 (0.7%)	151 (35.3%)	6 (1.4%)	4 (0.9%)	2 (0.5%)	20 (4.7%)	47.9	1214^th of 2777 public middle schools	56.3%		60.3	896^th of 2802 public middle schools	68.0%	318					22.7	22.7		43.3	41.4	42.4		38.7	24.8	32.1	$7,551
Kenilworth Junior High	Public	7-8	800 Riesling Rd.	Petaluma	94954	Sonoma County	Petaluma Joint Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 778-4710	824	40	20.3	43.6%	395 (47.9%)	15 (1.8%)	344 (41.7%)	20 (2.4%)	6 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	41 (5.0%)	63.4	804^th of 2777 public middle schools	71.0%		62.9	824^th of 2802 public middle schools	70.6%	20					32.4	32.4		50.4	49.9	50.1		37.7	40.7	39.2	$7,239
Technology Middle	Public	6-8	7165 Burton Ave.	Rohnert Park	94928	Sonoma County	Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 792-4800	405	22	18.0	64.4%	79 (19.5%)	16 (4.0%)	252 (62.2%)	11 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.5%)	41 (10.1%)	13.8	2519^th of 2777 public middle schools	9.3%		14.3	2541^st of 2802 public middle schools	9.3%	22					6.7	6.7	27.9	16.5	27.0	23.9	4.5	5.5	7.9	6.1	$7,083
Lawrence E. Jones Middle	Public	6-8	5154 Snyder Ln.	Rohnert Park	94928	Sonoma County	Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 588-5600	796	37	21.7	28.3%	384 (48.2%)	9 (1.1%)	286 (35.9%)	40 (5.0%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	72 (9.0%)	45.2	1303^rd of 2777 public middle schools	53.1%		45	1313^th of 2802 public middle schools	53.1%	10					24.3	24.3	49.1	49.8	35.3	44.4	32.2	27.9	18.2	25.7	$5,834
Altimira Middle	Public	6-8	17805 Arnold Dr.	Sonoma	95476	Sonoma County	Sonoma Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 935-6020	351	22	16.2	68.4%	63 (17.9%)	0 (0.0%)	281 (80.1%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	17.5	2366^th of 2777 public middle schools	14.8%		18.5	2357^th of 2802 public middle schools	15.9%	9					8.2	8.2	25.3	36.6	23.6	28.4	5.1	8.0	10.7	8.1	$10,321
Adele Harrison Middle	Public	6-8	1150 Broadway	Sonoma	95476	Sonoma County	Sonoma Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 935-6080	330	19	17.3	44.5%	139 (42.1%)	0 (0.0%)	180 (54.5%)	6 (1.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)	46.2	1268^th of 2777 public middle schools	54.3%		43.2	1369^th of 2802 public middle schools	51.1%	101	22.0	0.0	3.0	9.4	33.3	33.3	40.8	35.7	44.6	40.5	25.0	26.9	30.1	27.4	$11,422
Sinaloa Middle	Public	6-8	2045 Vineyard Rd.	Novato	94947	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 897-2111	752	35	21.5	26.5%	379 (50.4%)	14 (1.9%)	251 (33.4%)	38 (5.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	67 (8.9%)	77.4	539^th of 2777 public middle schools	80.6%		79.3	508^th of 2802 public middle schools	81.9%	31					43.1	43.1	55.8	55.4	63.1	58.1	43.2	45.0	53.2	47.2	$6,674
San Jose Middle	Public	6-8	1000 Sunset Pkwy.	Novato	94949	Marin County	Novato Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(415) 883-7831	516	27	19.4	48.3%	140 (27.1%)	11 (2.1%)	298 (57.8%)	35 (6.8%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (5.0%)	56.8	963^rd of 2777 public middle schools	65.3%		61.9	851^st of 2802 public middle schools	69.6%	112	11.1			11.1	34.7	34.7	37.1	52.1	51.8	46.8	38.0	34.7	28.2	33.7	$6,567
Hillcrest Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	725 Bloomfield Rd.	Sebastopol	95472	Sonoma County	Gravenstein Union Elementary	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(707) 823-7653	289	18	16.2	31.5%	176 (60.9%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (22.5%)	9 (3.1%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.0%)	33 (11.4%)	82.4	432^nd of 2777 public middle schools	84.4%		85	372^nd of 2802 public middle schools	86.7%	60					49.5	49.5	56.8	58.3	61.6	59.0	44.3	58.4	57.7	53.9	$10,156

Frequently Asked Questions about Petaluma Accelerated Charter

How many students attend Petaluma Accelerated Charter?

In the 2023-24 school year, 116 students attended Petaluma Accelerated Charter.

Is Petaluma Accelerated Charter a good school?

Yes! Petaluma Accelerated Charter is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 9^th of 2777 California middle schools.

What district is Petaluma Accelerated Charter in?

Petaluma Joint Union High

What is the racial makeup of Petaluma Accelerated Charter?

Students at Petaluma Accelerated Charter are 55% White, 20% Hispanic, 16% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 3% African American.

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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.