Is James Foster Elementary a good school?

James Foster Elementary ranks 1286 th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend James Foster Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 475 students attended James Foster Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of James Foster Elementary?

Students at James Foster Elementary are 44% White, 37% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 8% Asian, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of James Foster Elementary attend?

Students who attend James Foster Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Arroyo Seco Junior High High : Academy of the Canyons High : Saugus High

James Foster Elementary

Summary:

James Foster Elementary is a public elementary school in Saugus, California, serving 487 students in grades K-6. The school is part of the Saugus Union School District, which is ranked 221 out of 1,568 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

James Foster Elementary consistently performs above the California state average in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics across all grade levels. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in ELA/Literacy (61.17%) and Mathematics (54.27%) were higher than the Saugus Union district average and the California state average. The school also excels in serving Hispanic students and students with special education needs, ranking among the top elementary schools in the state for these subgroups.

While James Foster Elementary performs well compared to other schools in the Saugus Union district, it lags behind some of the higher-performing schools in the area, such as Emblem Academy, Charles Helmers Elementary, and West Creek Academy. The school also faces challenges, such as higher chronic absenteeism and a larger proportion of students from low-income backgrounds, which may impact its academic outcomes compared to the highest-performing schools in the area.

Detail:

Public K-6

22500 Pamplico Dr.
Saugus, CA 91350-3667

(661) 294-5355

District: Saugus Union

SchoolDigger Rank:
1286^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,766

Students who attend James Foster Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Arroyo Seco Junior High
High:	Academy of the Canyons
	Saugus High

Student/teacher ratio: 27.9

Number of students: 475

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.0%

Hispanic:

36.6%

Two or more races:

8.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details James Foster Elementary ranks better than 78.1% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 10^th among 15 ranked elementary schools in the Saugus Union School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77. (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 Racial makeup is: White (44%), Hispanic (36.6%), two or more races (8.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 40.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Foster Elementary is 27.9. 13 elementary schools in the Saugus Union School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare James Foster Elementary employs 17 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Foster Elementary is $9,766. 10 elementary schools in the Saugus Union School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James Foster Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks James Foster Elementary 1286^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See James Foster Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Saugus Union:

SchoolDigger ranks Saugus Union 221^st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for James Foster Elementary

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Rank History for all students at James Foster Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	84.04	746^th	4809	84.5%
2005	89.24	527^th	4822	89.1%
2006	89.51	510^th	4818	89.4%
2007	83.05	849^th	5113	83.4%
2008	80.66	946^th	5113	81.5%
2009	73.77	1266^th	5193	75.6%
2010	68.69	1532^nd	5314	71.2%
2011	75.52	1230^th	5377	77.1%
2012	74.09	1322^nd	5390	75.5%
2013	76.10	1256^th	5530	77.3%
2015	69.09	1536^th	5611	72.6%
2016	83.49	984^th	5614	82.5%
2017	73.10	1421^st	5692	75.0%
2018	72.82	1448^th	5662	74.4%
2019	68.03	1696^th	5789	70.7%
2022	78.74	1246^th	5883	78.8%
2023	80.46	1154^th	5874	80.4%
2024	77.00	1286^th	5862	78.1%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at James Foster Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	89.33	178^th	2420	92.6%
2024	82.19	308^th	2634	88.3%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James Foster Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	46.31	2592^nd	5084	49.0%
2019	56.20	1991^st	5173	61.5%
2022	79.12	789^th	5264	85.0%
2023	81.67	709^th	5374	86.8%
2024	83.43	690^th	5511	87.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at James Foster Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	66.95	1666^th	5413	69.2%
2019	69.66	1515^th	5492	72.4%
2022	76.53	1262^nd	5635	77.6%
2023	69.74	1504^th	5617	73.2%
2024	70.55	1467^th	5605	73.8%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at James Foster Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	54.56	684^th	2128	67.9%
2019	63.61	640^th	2585	75.2%
2022	75.10	364^th	2227	83.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at James Foster Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	75.81	1229^th	5431	77.4%
2019	64.59	1744^th	5510	68.3%
2022	78.29	1183^rd	5663	79.1%
2023	86.29	803^rd	5650	85.8%
2024	80.36	1060^th	5636	81.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at James Foster Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	79.55	712^th	4830	85.3%
2019	70.88	1128^th	4963	77.3%
2022	77.09	855^th	5084	83.2%
2023	85.43	533^rd	5098	89.5%
2024	88.45	413^th	5102	91.9%

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

Rank History for White students at James Foster Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	49.84	1531^st	2737	44.1%
2019	50.08	1544^th	2834	45.5%
2022	57.98	1222^nd	2726	55.2%
2023	55.42	1278^th	2662	52.0%
2024	49.30	1429^th	2647	46.0%

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 James Foster Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1990	495	9	42	81	2	n/a	n/a	0	629
1991	578	10	48	86	0	n/a	n/a	0	722
1992	601	12	47	81	0	n/a	n/a	0	741
1993	549	11	34	66	0	n/a	n/a	0	660
1994	605	15	37	84	0	n/a	n/a	0	741
1995	597	9	36	85	0	n/a	n/a	0	727
1996	597	9	36	85	0	n/a	n/a	0	727
1997	602	15	31	70	0	n/a	n/a	0	718
1998	616	13	47	69	0	n/a	n/a	0	745
1999	629	7	43	63	0	n/a	n/a	0	742
2000	648	6	37	56	0	n/a	n/a	0	747
2001	641	5	29	64	0	n/a	n/a	0	739
2002	605	8	30	64	0	n/a	n/a	0	707
2003	605	8	30	64	0	n/a	n/a	0	707
2004	486	12	59	108	3	n/a	n/a	1	669
2005	464	14	58	117	5	n/a	n/a	1	659
2006	461	11	63	138	5	n/a	n/a	0	678
2007	446	12	58	146	2	n/a	n/a	4	668
2008	430	10	42	142	2	n/a	n/a	0	626
2009	403	10	36	118	3	3	9	0	582
2010	361	10	40	148	3	0	0	0	562
2011	395	17	41	148	2	0	2	0	605
2012	404	17	35	145	3	0	4	0	608
2013	425	21	37	167	2	0	5	0	657
2014	405	16	33	168	2	0	8	0	632
2015	373	17	43	163	3	1	3	0	603
2016	368	12	44	166	2	2	7	0	601
2017	353	18	39	175	1	1	11	0	598
2018	344	13	46	164	2	0	21	0	590
2019	348	12	44	178	0	0	23	0	605
2020	334	13	54	190	0	1	28	0	620
2021	177	8	18	98	0	1	24	0	326
2022	247	16	30	163	0	0	39	0	495
2023	227	13	33	169	0	0	45	0	487
2024	209	13	38	174	0	0	41	0	475

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 James Foster Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	629	23.0	27.3	n/a
1991	722	26.0	27.7	n/a
1992	741	26.4	28.0	1.9
1993	660	28.0	23.6	2.7
1994	741	27.0	27.4	3
1995	727	27.0	26.9	3.3
1996	727	27.0	26.9	3.3
1997	718	29.0	24.8	4
1998	745	32.8	22.7	6.2
1999	742	34.8	21.3	5.9
2000	747	35.0	21.3	4.7
2001	739	34.0	21.7	5.1
2002	707	32.1	22.0	7.9
2003	707	32.1	22.0	7.9
2004	669	30.1	22.2	10.3
2005	659	30.2	21.8	7.6
2006	678	30.0	22.6	10.3
2007	668	30.0	22.3	10.1
2008	626	32.0	19.6	9.4
2009	582	26.0	19.4	9.3
2010	562	24.0	23.4	9.6
2011	605	n/a	n/a	8.4
2012	608	24.0	25.3	n/a
2013	657	23.0	28.5	10
2014	632	22.0	28.7	10.6
2015	603	22.0	27.4	11.3
2016	601	22.0	27.3	13.3
2017	598	22.0	27.1	13.7
2018	590	22.0	26.8	19.2
2019	605	22.0	27.5	19.3
2020	620	n/a	n/a	20
2021	326	13.0	25.0	23.9
2022	495	18.0	27.5	25.3
2023	487	17.0	28.6	31.6
2024	475	17.0	27.9	40.6

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 James Foster Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	629	23.0	27.3	n/a
1991	722	26.0	27.7	n/a
1992	741	26.4	28.0	1.9
1993	660	28.0	23.6	2.7
1994	741	27.0	27.4	3
1995	727	27.0	26.9	3.3
1996	727	27.0	26.9	3.3
1997	718	29.0	24.8	4
1998	745	32.8	22.7	6.2
1999	742	34.8	21.3	5.9
2000	747	35.0	21.3	4.7
2001	739	34.0	21.7	5.1
2002	707	32.1	22.0	7.9
2003	707	32.1	22.0	7.9
2004	669	30.1	22.2	10.3
2005	659	30.2	21.8	7.6
2006	678	30.0	22.6	10.3
2007	668	30.0	22.3	10.1
2008	626	32.0	19.6	9.4
2009	582	26.0	19.4	9.3
2010	562	24.0	23.4	9.6
2011	605	n/a	n/a	8.4
2012	608	24.0	25.3	n/a
2013	657	23.0	28.5	10
2014	632	22.0	28.7	10.6
2015	603	22.0	27.4	11.3
2016	601	22.0	27.3	13.3
2017	598	22.0	27.1	13.7
2018	590	22.0	26.8	19.2
2019	605	22.0	27.5	19.3
2020	620	n/a	n/a	20
2021	326	13.0	25.0	23.9
2022	495	18.0	27.5	25.3
2023	487	17.0	28.6	31.6
2024	475	17.0	27.9	40.6

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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