Is Kensington Elementary a good school?

Yes! Kensington Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 237 th of 5862 California elementary schools.

How many students attend Kensington Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 454 students attended Kensington Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Kensington Elementary?

Students at Kensington Elementary are 52% White, 20% Two or more races, 15% Asian, 13% Hispanic, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Kensington Elementary attend?

Students who attend Kensington Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Fred T. Korematsu Middle High : El Cerrito High

Kensington Elementary

Summary:

Kensington Elementary is a public elementary school located in Kensington, CA, serving grades K-6 with a total enrollment of 421 students. This exceptional school consistently ranks among the top 5-10% of elementary schools in California, with a statewide ranking between 118-348 out of over 5,600 schools.

Kensington Elementary's students perform exceptionally well on standardized tests, with 82.75% proficient or better in English Language Arts and 75.2% proficient or better in Mathematics for the 2023-2024 school year. These scores are significantly higher than the West Contra Costa Unified district and state averages. The school's performance is particularly strong in 5th grade, where 96.49% of students are proficient or better in English Language Arts and 78.57% are proficient or better in Mathematics. Kensington Elementary also has a relatively low percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with only 9.03% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year.

Compared to nearby schools, Kensington Elementary's academic performance is significantly higher than Stege Elementary, which is ranked in the bottom 2% of California elementary schools. Other nearby schools, such as Harding Elementary, Madera Elementary, and Fairmont Elementary, also perform well above the district and state averages, but still lag behind Kensington Elementary in many areas. Schools in the neighboring Berkeley Unified School District, such as Ruth Acty Elementary and Thousand Oaks Elementary, also demonstrate strong academic performance, but Kensington Elementary still outperforms most of them.

Detail:

Public K-6

90 Highland Blvd.
Kensington, CA 94708-1023

(510) 231-1415

District: West Contra Costa Unified

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $5,426

Students who attend Kensington Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Fred T. Korematsu Middle
High:	El Cerrito High

Student/teacher ratio: 25.2

Number of students: 454

Racial breakdown:

White:

51.5%

Two or more races:

20.0%

Asian:

14.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 10.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Kensington Elementary ranks better than 96% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks first among 37 ranked elementary schools in the West Contra Costa Unified School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.33. (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 Kensington Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (51.5%), two or more races (20%), Asian (14.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 10.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Kensington Elementary is 25.2. 33 elementary schools in the West Contra Costa Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Kensington Elementary employs 18 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kensington Elementary is $5,426. 35 elementary schools in the West Contra Costa Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kensington Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Kensington Elementary 237^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Kensington Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

West Contra Costa Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks West Contra Costa Unified 1129^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Kensington Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Kensington Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	94.79	244^th	4809	94.9%
2005	91.95	389^th	4822	91.9%
2006	94.40	248^th	4818	94.9%
2007	90.69	484^th	5113	90.5%
2008	88.41	564^th	5113	89.0%
2009	91.76	365^th	5193	93.0%
2010	86.98	636^th	5314	88.0%
2011	90.44	412^th	5377	92.3%
2012	90.91	371^st	5390	93.1%
2013	92.99	258^th	5530	95.3%
2015	97.67	137^th	5611	97.6%
2016	96.77	182^nd	5614	96.8%
2017	97.68	118^th	5692	97.9%
2018	95.18	272^nd	5662	95.2%
2019	95.04	285^th	5789	95.1%
2022	95.22	348^th	5883	94.1%
2023	95.40	324^th	5874	94.5%
2024	96.33	237^th	5862	96.0%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Kensington Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	86.14	39^th	610	93.6%
2023	80.13	109^th	669	83.7%
2024	82.92	90^th	669	86.5%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Kensington Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	57.91	1906^th	5173	63.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Kensington Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	93.97	285^th	5413	94.7%
2019	93.15	347^th	5492	93.7%
2022	93.59	405^th	5635	92.8%
2023	95.14	270^th	5617	95.2%
2024	96.04	185^th	5605	96.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Kensington Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	94.37	292^nd	5431	94.6%
2019	93.35	351^st	5510	93.6%
2022	94.35	355^th	5663	93.7%
2023	93.74	380^th	5650	93.3%
2024	95.03	279^th	5636	95.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Kensington Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	90.03	101^st	2737	96.3%
2019	89.44	111^th	2834	96.1%
2022	83.57	323^rd	2726	88.2%
2023	87.91	166^th	2662	93.8%
2024	87.21	171^st	2647	93.5%

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

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Enrollment information for Kensington Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	298	45	23	11	6	n/a	n/a	0	383
1989	341	40	51	9	5	n/a	n/a	0	446
1990	402	54	70	12	7	n/a	n/a	0	545
1991	413	51	81	14	3	n/a	n/a	0	562
1992	387	36	91	9	3	n/a	n/a	0	526
1993	375	35	92	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	514
1994	383	29	97	17	1	n/a	n/a	0	527
1995	411	31	94	24	2	n/a	n/a	0	562
1996	411	31	94	24	2	n/a	n/a	0	562
1997	397	26	91	29	2	n/a	n/a	0	545
1998	376	35	102	38	2	n/a	n/a	0	553
1999	347	42	115	46	2	n/a	n/a	0	552
2000	326	46	107	58	2	n/a	n/a	0	539
2001	304	41	89	60	2	n/a	n/a	14	510
2002	299	40	104	59	1	n/a	n/a	42	545
2003	299	40	104	59	1	n/a	n/a	42	545
2004	272	40	89	55	0	n/a	n/a	36	492
2005	265	47	91	57	0	n/a	n/a	37	497
2006	249	69	79	46	0	n/a	n/a	54	497
2007	292	38	81	46	0	n/a	n/a	65	522
2008	326	33	80	42	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	481
2009	329	35	79	42	0	2	67	0	554
2010	362	46	107	41	0	1	1	0	558
2011	259	31	78	42	0	1	177	0	588
2012	391	36	90	39	0	1	2	0	559
2013	383	39	82	44	0	2	11	0	561
2014	351	32	80	46	0	2	10	0	521
2015	340	29	73	52	0	3	17	0	514
2016	306	29	75	58	0	3	63	0	534
2017	305	29	73	52	1	5	42	0	507
2018	295	19	65	52	0	3	47	0	481
2019	278	16	69	55	0	3	54	0	475
2020	282	17	73	59	0	2	73	0	506
2021	264	10	62	56	0	1	72	0	465
2022	231	11	61	50	0	0	79	0	432
2023	224	6	64	47	0	0	79	1	421
2024	234	5	67	57	0	0	91	0	454

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 Kensington Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	383	14.0	27.3	n/a
1989	446	16.4	27.1	n/a
1990	545	22.4	24.3	n/a
1991	562	20.8	27.0	n/a
1992	526	21.1	24.9	3.6
1993	514	16.0	32.1	4.3
1994	527	18.0	29.3	2.8
1995	562	19.0	29.6	3.7
1996	562	19.0	29.6	3.7
1997	545	19.2	28.4	6.6
1998	553	25.2	21.9	9.4
1999	552	24.0	23.0	7.8
2000	539	25.2	21.4	7.2
2001	510	25.0	20.4	5.2
2002	545	27.1	20.1	8.3
2003	545	27.1	20.1	8.3
2004	492	23.2	21.2	7
2005	497	22.5	22.1	8.5
2006	497	22.0	22.6	8.8
2007	522	24.6	21.2	8.1
2008	481	27.0	17.8	6.4
2009	554	26.6	19.8	5.8
2010	558	25.0	22.3	6.8
2011	588	n/a	n/a	6.3
2012	559	22.0	25.4	n/a
2013	561	20.0	28.0	7.1
2014	521	20.0	26.0	7.9
2015	514	20.0	25.7	8
2016	534	20.0	26.7	6.2
2017	507	19.3	26.2	7.7
2018	481	18.0	26.7	8.1
2019	475	18.0	26.3	7.4
2020	506	n/a	n/a	6.3
2021	465	18.4	25.2	7.1
2022	432	18.5	23.3	6.9
2023	421	19.0	22.1	9
2024	454	18.0	25.2	10.6

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 Kensington Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	383	14.0	27.3	n/a
1989	446	16.4	27.1	n/a
1990	545	22.4	24.3	n/a
1991	562	20.8	27.0	n/a
1992	526	21.1	24.9	3.6
1993	514	16.0	32.1	4.3
1994	527	18.0	29.3	2.8
1995	562	19.0	29.6	3.7
1996	562	19.0	29.6	3.7
1997	545	19.2	28.4	6.6
1998	553	25.2	21.9	9.4
1999	552	24.0	23.0	7.8
2000	539	25.2	21.4	7.2
2001	510	25.0	20.4	5.2
2002	545	27.1	20.1	8.3
2003	545	27.1	20.1	8.3
2004	492	23.2	21.2	7
2005	497	22.5	22.1	8.5
2006	497	22.0	22.6	8.8
2007	522	24.6	21.2	8.1
2008	481	27.0	17.8	6.4
2009	554	26.6	19.8	5.8
2010	558	25.0	22.3	6.8
2011	588	n/a	n/a	6.3
2012	559	22.0	25.4	n/a
2013	561	20.0	28.0	7.1
2014	521	20.0	26.0	7.9
2015	514	20.0	25.7	8
2016	534	20.0	26.7	6.2
2017	507	19.3	26.2	7.7
2018	481	18.0	26.7	8.1
2019	475	18.0	26.3	7.4
2020	506	n/a	n/a	6.3
2021	465	18.4	25.2	7.1
2022	432	18.5	23.3	6.9
2023	421	19.0	22.1	9
2024	454	18.0	25.2	10.6

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.

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