Is Williams Elementary a good school?

Yes! Williams Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 151 st of 5862 California elementary schools.

How many students attend Williams Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 539 students attended Williams Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Williams Elementary?

Students at Williams Elementary are 57% Asian, 22% White, 12% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Williams Elementary attend?

Students who attend Williams Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Bret Harte Middle High : Leland High

Williams Elementary

Summary:

Williams Elementary is a public elementary school located in San Jose, California, serving 550 students in grades K-5. It is part of the San Jose Unified School District, which is ranked 796 out of 1,568 districts in the state.

Williams Elementary stands out as an exceptional school, consistently ranking among the top 5% of elementary schools in California, with 80-90% proficiency in English Language Arts, 70-90% proficiency in Mathematics, and 70-85% proficiency in Science across grade levels. The school's student-teacher ratio is lower than the district average, and it maintains very low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 0.8% to 6.5% in recent years. In contrast, nearby schools like Allen at Steinbeck, Los Alamitos Elementary, and Graystone Elementary have significantly lower proficiency rates and higher chronic absenteeism, despite being part of the same school district.

The stark contrast in performance between Williams Elementary and the surrounding schools, as well as schools in the neighboring Oak Grove Elementary School District, highlights the importance of equitable access to high-quality education. Williams Elementary's success can be attributed to its highly engaged student population, effective teaching practices, and supportive community, which serve as a model for addressing the achievement gap and ensuring all students have the opportunity to thrive academically.

Detail:

Public K-5

1150 Rajkovich Way
San Jose, CA 95120-3145

(408) 535-6196

District: San Jose Unified

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,168

Students who attend Williams Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Bret Harte Middle
High:	Leland High

Student/teacher ratio: 24.5

Number of students: 539

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

57.3%

White:

22.4%

Two or more races:

12.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 6.3%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Williams Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Williams Elementary ranks better than 97.4% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 2^nd among 27 ranked elementary schools in the San Jose Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 97.14. (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 Williams Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Asian (57.3%), White (22.4%), two or more races (12.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 6.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the San Jose Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Williams Elementary is 24.5. 22 elementary schools in the San Jose Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Williams Elementary employs 21.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Williams Elementary is $10,168. 24 elementary schools in the San Jose Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Williams Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Williams Elementary 151^st of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Williams Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

White students:

San Jose Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks San Jose Unified 796^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Williams Elementary.

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Rank History for Williams Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Williams Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	98.23	66^th	4809	98.6%
2005	98.05	50^th	4822	99.0%
2006	98.05	52^nd	4818	98.9%
2007	97.96	54^th	5113	98.9%
2008	97.26	62^nd	5113	98.8%
2009	96.67	74^th	5193	98.6%
2010	96.27	64^th	5314	98.8%
2011	95.69	76^th	5377	98.6%
2012	94.29	136^th	5390	97.5%
2013	93.90	184^th	5530	96.7%
2015	99.09	11^th	5611	99.8%
2016	98.23	46^th	5614	99.2%
2017	98.75	30^th	5692	99.5%
2018	98.51	35^th	5662	99.4%
2019	98.55	30^th	5789	99.5%
2021	98.31	21^st	1417	98.5%
2022	98.46	62^nd	5883	98.9%
2023	97.61	129^th	5874	97.8%
2024	97.14	151^st	5862	97.4%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Williams Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	86.72	13^th	339	96.2%
2024	71.38	194^th	669	71.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Williams Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	97.95	37^th	5413	99.3%
2019	97.85	42^nd	5492	99.2%
2021	97.87	21^st	1267	98.3%
2022	98.13	54^th	5635	99.0%
2023	97.60	85^th	5617	98.5%
2024	96.37	160^th	5605	97.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at Williams Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	98.30	36^th	5431	99.3%
2019	98.36	34^th	5510	99.4%
2021	97.51	31^st	1272	97.6%
2022	98.05	80^th	5663	98.6%
2023	96.42	198^th	5650	96.5%
2024	96.61	154^th	5636	97.3%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Williams Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	84.83	30^th	1071	97.2%
2019	84.70	37^th	1149	96.8%
2022	86.50	25^th	1154	97.8%
2023	80.92	138^th	1190	88.4%
2024	78.24	211^th	1203	82.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Williams Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	84.59	266^th	2737	90.3%
2019	82.71	369^th	2834	87.0%
2022	85.11	265^th	2726	90.3%
2023	69.04	830^th	2662	68.8%
2024	73.10	698^th	2647	73.6%

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: 4)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, October 1, 2016

We moved to this school neighborhood based on our agent recommendation (our main criteria were schools and budget). However, we had quite a real culture shock when we started school. Our previous school never asked for donations as aggressive as this school.
Minimum donation of hundreds of dollars per child per year was very strongly requested at the beginning of school. There were also other multiple donation requests that go over a a hundred per student...for teachers to buy classroom supplies, for room parents to buy crafts and party supplies etc. There are at least 4 parties planned per year! These donations do not include food and some items.
Apparently for some reasons, the school does not get enough funding from the substantial property taxes..to fund PE, music, science etc.
Parents and students are pressurized to donate. A parent was "shamed" by other parents and teacher, because he did not donate as much as requested, through emails and teacher talking to parent about it in front of other parents and the class of students themselves. The affected child apparently heard the loud conversation and asked the parent at home. This is quite a culture to experience.
So, I am just saying this openly to prepare any parents who are thinking of moving to this neighborhood based on school etc. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Williams Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1993	90	7	62	26	3	n/a	n/a	0	188
1994	137	8	98	43	9	n/a	n/a	0	295
1995	156	5	119	75	11	n/a	n/a	0	366
1996	156	5	119	75	11	n/a	n/a	0	366
1997	156	5	139	76	12	n/a	n/a	0	388
1998	194	4	201	83	14	n/a	n/a	0	496
1999	215	6	228	81	10	n/a	n/a	0	540
2000	258	7	262	78	10	n/a	n/a	0	615
2001	277	7	308	72	8	n/a	n/a	0	672
2002	285	4	328	46	3	n/a	n/a	0	666
2003	285	4	328	46	3	n/a	n/a	0	666
2004	283	5	333	37	3	n/a	n/a	0	661
2005	292	6	333	27	7	n/a	n/a	5	670
2006	285	4	333	23	8	n/a	n/a	7	660
2007	291	5	332	23	0	n/a	n/a	9	660
2008	298	4	329	27	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	658
2009	291	4	343	25	1	1	9	0	674
2010	288	7	365	31	1	2	10	0	704
2011	269	7	366	33	1	2	26	0	704
2012	271	5	372	34	2	1	28	0	713
2013	280	6	358	35	1	0	38	0	718
2014	253	4	352	40	0	0	51	0	700
2015	244	3	350	36	0	0	55	0	688
2016	235	4	348	43	0	0	63	0	693
2017	227	6	334	46	0	1	61	0	675
2018	196	4	360	58	0	1	60	0	679
2019	194	4	371	55	0	0	58	0	682
2020	182	4	351	57	0	1	61	0	656
2021	165	3	352	54	0	1	55	0	630
2022	133	4	322	49	0	1	55	0	564
2023	117	4	327	41	0	1	60	0	550
2024	121	3	309	38	0	1	67	0	539

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 Williams Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	188	7.1	26.5	5.3
1994	295	10.1	29.2	3.4
1995	366	12.5	29.3	3.8
1996	366	12.5	29.3	3.8
1997	388	14.0	27.7	3.1
1998	496	21.0	23.6	3.4
1999	540	25.0	21.6	2
2000	615	28.0	22.0	1.8
2001	672	32.0	21.0	0.9
2002	666	31.6	21.1	0.9
2003	666	31.6	21.1	0.9
2004	661	29.6	22.3	2
2005	670	30.6	21.9	2.4
2006	660	26.6	24.8	1.4
2007	660	29.1	22.7	1.4
2008	658	31.8	20.7	0
2009	674	30.5	21.4	1.8
2010	704	26.0	27.0	2.6
2011	704	n/a	n/a	2.7
2012	713	25.5	27.8	n/a
2013	718	25.7	27.8	2.4
2014	700	24.3	28.7	3
2015	688	24.0	28.6	1.6
2016	693	24.0	28.8	3.9
2017	675	24.9	27.0	3.7
2018	679	24.9	27.2	4
2019	682	23.8	28.5	4.1
2020	656	n/a	n/a	4.1
2021	630	24.1	26.0	3.7
2022	564	23.8	23.6	4.6
2023	550	22.4	24.4	4.5
2024	539	21.9	24.5	6.3

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 Williams Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	188	7.1	26.5	5.3
1994	295	10.1	29.2	3.4
1995	366	12.5	29.3	3.8
1996	366	12.5	29.3	3.8
1997	388	14.0	27.7	3.1
1998	496	21.0	23.6	3.4
1999	540	25.0	21.6	2
2000	615	28.0	22.0	1.8
2001	672	32.0	21.0	0.9
2002	666	31.6	21.1	0.9
2003	666	31.6	21.1	0.9
2004	661	29.6	22.3	2
2005	670	30.6	21.9	2.4
2006	660	26.6	24.8	1.4
2007	660	29.1	22.7	1.4
2008	658	31.8	20.7	0
2009	674	30.5	21.4	1.8
2010	704	26.0	27.0	2.6
2011	704	n/a	n/a	2.7
2012	713	25.5	27.8	n/a
2013	718	25.7	27.8	2.4
2014	700	24.3	28.7	3
2015	688	24.0	28.6	1.6
2016	693	24.0	28.8	3.9
2017	675	24.9	27.0	3.7
2018	679	24.9	27.2	4
2019	682	23.8	28.5	4.1
2020	656	n/a	n/a	4.1
2021	630	24.1	26.0	3.7
2022	564	23.8	23.6	4.6
2023	550	22.4	24.4	4.5
2024	539	21.9	24.5	6.3

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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