Taft Elementary

Summary:

Taft Elementary is a public elementary school in Santa Ana, California, serving 429 students in grades K-6. The school is part of the Santa Ana Unified School District, which is ranked 1241 out of 1568 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Taft Elementary faces significant challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate of 32.4%, which is notably higher than the district average of 21.7%. The school also consistently performs below the district and state averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, in 2023-2024, only 13.74% of Taft students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 30.96% for the district and 47.04% for the state. In Mathematics, only 12.96% of Taft students were proficient or better, compared to 21.03% for the district and 35.54% for the state. Taft's student subgroups, such as Hispanic and English Language Learners, also perform significantly below the state averages in both subjects. Additionally, Taft has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 55.35% to 77.48% over the past few years, which is higher than the district average of 69.8%.

When comparing Taft Elementary to nearby schools within the same district, such as McFadden Institute of Technology, Jim Thorpe Fundamental, and Jefferson Elementary, Taft consistently performs worse in both ELA and Mathematics test scores. Furthermore, when comparing Taft to schools in the neighboring Newport-Mesa Unified School District, such as Paularino Elementary and Sonora Elementary, the academic performance gap is even more significant.


Detail:

Public K-6

 500 West Keller
       Santa Ana, CA  92707-4823


(714) 431-7700

District: Santa Ana Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
5590th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,477 Help


Students who attend Taft Elementary usually attend:

High:    Saddleback High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.1 Help
Number of students:  429

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
88.3%
White:
4.9%
Asian:
4.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  73.2% Help


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 Compare Taft Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Taft Elementary ranks worse than 95.4% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 31st among 34 ranked elementary schools in the Santa Ana Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.33. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (88.3%), White (4.9%), Asian (4.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 73.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Taft Elementary is 15.1, which is the lowest among 34 elementary schools in the Santa Ana Unified School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Taft Elementary employs 28.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Taft Elementary is $12,477, which is the highest among 34 elementary schools in the Santa Ana Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Taft Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Taft Elementary 5590th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Taft Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:


Santa Ana Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Ana Unified 1241st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Taft Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Taft Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 42.58 2519th 4809 47.6%
2005 30.72 3235th 4822 32.9%
2006 33.03 3106th 4818 35.5%
2007 34.81 3237th 5113 36.7%
2008 49.37 2407th 5113 52.9%
2009 48.76 2563rd 5193 50.6%
2010 31.58 3733rd 5314 29.8%
2011 42.45 3054th 5377 43.2%
2012 46.77 2826th 5390 47.6%
2013 47.29 2846th 5530 48.5%
2015 22.11 4420th 5611 21.2%
2016 24.92 4186th 5614 25.4%
2017 9.65 5512th 5692 3.2%
2018 11.62 5343rd 5662 5.6%
2019 12.69 5409th 5789 6.6%
2021 14.85 1294th 1417 8.7%
2022 14.48 5406th 5883 8.1%
2023 18.02 5049th 5874 14.0%
2024 11.33 5590th 5862 4.6%
See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Taft Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.68 2613th 3246 19.5%
2019 18.58 3236th 3275 1.2%
2021 29.46 484th 602 19.6%
2022 21.64 3128th 3311 5.5%
2023 25.41 2851st 3250 12.3%
2024 26.24 2778th 3160 12.1%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Taft Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 18.79 2461st 2634 6.6%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Taft Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.85 4798th 5084 5.6%
2019 14.86 4845th 5173 6.3%
2021 22.66 955th 1110 14.0%
2022 18.88 4728th 5264 10.2%
2023 22.60 4491st 5374 16.4%
2024 13.15 5256th 5511 4.6%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Taft Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.19 5118th 5413 5.4%
2019 11.76 5212th 5492 5.1%
2021 16.56 1140th 1267 10.0%
2022 13.20 5349th 5635 5.1%
2023 19.19 4777th 5617 15.0%
2024 11.61 5381st 5605 4.0%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Taft Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.42 1416th 2128 33.5%
2019 18.01 2495th 2585 3.5%
2021 17.99 289th 293 1.4%
2022 23.61 1828th 2227 17.9%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Taft Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.97 5094th 5431 6.2%
2019 16.57 4929th 5510 10.5%
2021 14.84 1162nd 1272 8.6%
2022 17.51 4982nd 5663 12.0%
2023 18.79 4839th 5650 14.4%
2024 12.68 5329th 5636 5.4%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Taft Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.50 4618th 4830 4.4%
2019 12.54 4770th 4963 3.9%
2022 17.79 4649th 5084 8.6%
2023 17.98 4614th 5098 9.5%
2024 10.88 4970th 5102 2.6%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic 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.

Taft Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Taft Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 287 50 109 191 0 n/a n/a 0 637
1989 267 45 110 232 0 n/a n/a 0 654
1990 257 43 125 284 0 n/a n/a 0 709
1991 234 49 129 331 0 n/a n/a 0 743
1992 246 38 139 395 0 n/a n/a 0 818
1993 201 49 146 428 0 n/a n/a 0 824
1994 229 46 172 529 0 n/a n/a 0 976
1995 188 44 137 623 0 n/a n/a 0 992
1996 188 44 137 623 0 n/a n/a 0 992
1997 179 49 137 685 0 n/a n/a 0 1050
1998 183 40 131 726 1 n/a n/a 0 1081
1999 186 37 137 767 1 n/a n/a 0 1128
2000 172 39 114 823 2 n/a n/a 3 1153
2001 174 39 126 922 2 n/a n/a 0 1263
2002 180 57 96 998 4 n/a n/a 0 1335
2003 180 57 96 998 4 n/a n/a 0 1335
2004 155 38 128 1031 2 n/a n/a 7 1361
2005 142 30 123 1029 9 n/a n/a 9 1342
2006 123 39 108 987 3 n/a n/a 3 1263
2007 106 34 108 928 1 n/a n/a 0 1177
2008 72 23 77 717 1 n/a n/a 0 890
2009 63 18 79 643 0 3 1 0 807
2010 52 24 72 649 0 3 2 0 802
2011 50 18 63 607 2 3 9 0 752
2012 43 26 59 561 1 5 10 0 705
2013 41 21 50 546 1 3 16 0 678
2014 34 19 47 525 6 2 10 0 643
2015 27 11 51 531 7 2 12 0 641
2016 24 10 41 499 3 2 8 0 587
2017 26 13 30 487 4 2 8 0 570
2018 26 7 35 498 4 2 9 0 581
2019 25 3 27 478 3 1 7 0 544
2020 30 2 27 443 1 1 9 0 513
2021 24 3 29 430 2 0 5 0 493
2022 13 2 22 399 0 0 3 0 439
2023 21 2 19 379 1 1 6 0 429

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 Taft Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 637 24.0 26.5 n/a
1989 654 25.0 26.1 n/a
1990 709 26.0 27.2 n/a
1991 743 27.0 27.5 n/a
1992 818 27.4 29.8 29.7
1993 824 27.0 30.5 39.7
1994 976 43.0 22.7 39.3
1995 992 46.5 21.3 44.8
1996 992 46.5 21.3 44.8
1997 1050 49.5 21.2 43.8
1998 1081 59.5 18.2 44.2
1999 1128 57.0 19.8 44.7
2000 1153 58.0 19.9 47.9
2001 1263 65.0 19.4 42.4
2002 1335 69.4 19.2 46
2003 1335 69.4 19.2 46
2004 1361 71.8 19.0 46.9
2005 1342 63.5 21.1 49.6
2006 1263 66.8 18.9 52.6
2007 1177 62.8 18.7 57
2008 890 56.8 15.7 68.9
2009 807 51.0 15.5 73.5
2010 802 42.9 18.6 83.5
2011 752 n/a n/a 80.6
2012 705 36.0 19.5 n/a
2013 678 31.5 21.5 74.3
2014 643 29.5 21.7 84
2015 641 30.0 21.3 81.1
2016 587 30.0 19.5 86.4
2017 570 31.0 18.3 82.8
2018 581 28.0 20.7 77.6
2019 544 29.0 18.7 78.5
2020 513 n/a n/a 77
2021 493 26.0 18.9 77.5
2022 439 26.8 16.3 55.4
2023 429 28.2 15.1 73.2

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 Taft Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 637 24.0 26.5 n/a
1989 654 25.0 26.1 n/a
1990 709 26.0 27.2 n/a
1991 743 27.0 27.5 n/a
1992 818 27.4 29.8 29.7
1993 824 27.0 30.5 39.7
1994 976 43.0 22.7 39.3
1995 992 46.5 21.3 44.8
1996 992 46.5 21.3 44.8
1997 1050 49.5 21.2 43.8
1998 1081 59.5 18.2 44.2
1999 1128 57.0 19.8 44.7
2000 1153 58.0 19.9 47.9
2001 1263 65.0 19.4 42.4
2002 1335 69.4 19.2 46
2003 1335 69.4 19.2 46
2004 1361 71.8 19.0 46.9
2005 1342 63.5 21.1 49.6
2006 1263 66.8 18.9 52.6
2007 1177 62.8 18.7 57
2008 890 56.8 15.7 68.9
2009 807 51.0 15.5 73.5
2010 802 42.9 18.6 83.5
2011 752 n/a n/a 80.6
2012 705 36.0 19.5 n/a
2013 678 31.5 21.5 74.3
2014 643 29.5 21.7 84
2015 641 30.0 21.3 81.1
2016 587 30.0 19.5 86.4
2017 570 31.0 18.3 82.8
2018 581 28.0 20.7 77.6
2019 544 29.0 18.7 78.5
2020 513 n/a n/a 77
2021 493 26.0 18.9 77.5
2022 439 26.8 16.3 55.4
2023 429 28.2 15.1 73.2

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

Taft Elementary

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPolioHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMMR
201274.0%0.0%1.0%25.0%77.0%93.0%97.0%76.0%76.0%
201370.0%0.0%0.0%30.0%79.0%91.0%96.0%75.0%77.0%
201464.0%2.0%0.0%34.0%81.0%94.0%93.0%70.0%74.0%
201583.0%0.0%0.0%17.0%85.0%96.0%95.0%86.0%84.0%
201686.0%3.0%0.0%11.0%86.0%97.0%96.0%86.0%88.0%
201797.0%0.0%1.0%1.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%97.0%
201898.0%0.0%0.0%1.0%98.0%≥99.0%≥99.0%98.0%≥99.0%
2019≥98.0%≤2.0%≤2.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%
202164.0%0.0%0.0%97.0%67.0%
202281.6%0.0%0.0%81.6%81.6%81.6%81.6%

Data source: California Department of Public Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Taft Elementary

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $12,477

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Taft Elementary

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 5409th of 5789 Elementary schoolsRanks 5049th of 5874 Elementary schools
 7.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Taft Elementary)21.228
 6.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Ana Unified)31.628.4
 3.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.543
 5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Taft Elementary)20.818
 2.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Santa Ana Unified)35.229.2
 6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (California)50.245.1
 5.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Taft Elementary)23.814.6
 9.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Ana Unified)33.631.4
 2.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.543.7
 5.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Taft Elementary)21.25.3
 15.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Santa Ana Unified)33.326.6
 6.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (California)44.940.8
 4.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Taft Elementary)24.730
 5.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Ana Unified)37.634
 3.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Taft Elementary)12.219.7
 7.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Santa Ana Unified)27.420.5
 6.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (California)3833.4
 4.6%
5th Grade Science (Taft Elementary)12.216.7
 4.5%
   5th Grade Science (Santa Ana Unified)17.817.1
 0.7%
   5th Grade Science (California)31.731.9
 0.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Taft Elementary)25.420
 5.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Ana Unified)25.924
 1.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Taft Elementary)16.914.3
 2.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Santa Ana Unified)1915.9
 3.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students544429
 21.1%
African American32
 33.3%
American Indian31
 66.7%
Asian2719
 29.6%
Hispanic478379
 20.7%
Pacific Islander11
White2521
 16%
Two or More Races76
 14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients78.5%73.2%
 5.3%


Schools Near Taft Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Taft Elementary

Students at Taft Elementary are 88% Hispanic, 5% White, 4% Asian, 1% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 429 students attended Taft Elementary.

Students who attend Taft Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Saddleback High

Taft Elementary ranks in the bottom 4.6% of California elementary schools.


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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.





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