Is Meadow Elementary a good school?

Yes. Meadow Elementary ranks in the top 8.8% of California elementary schools.

How many students attend Meadow Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 377 students attended Meadow Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Meadow Elementary?

Students at Meadow Elementary are 62% White, 18% Hispanic, 15% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Meadow Elementary attend?

Students who attend Meadow Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Kenilworth Junior High High : Casa Grande High

Meadow Elementary

Summary:

Meadow Elementary is a high-performing public elementary school in Petaluma, California, serving 377 students in grades K-6. The school consistently ranks among the top 10% of California elementary schools, with exceptional academic achievement across all grade levels and subject areas.

Meadow Elementary's academic excellence is evident in its consistently high performance on Smarter Balanced Assessments, with proficiency rates 20-30 percentage points above the state average. The school also outperforms the Waugh Elementary School District average, with proficiency rates 5-10 percentage points higher in most cases. Notably, Meadow Elementary's female, White, and low-socioeconomic status (SES) student subgroups all perform exceptionally well, ranking in the top 10-20% of California elementary schools. The school's commitment to equity and inclusion is a key strength.

When compared to nearby schools, such as McKinley Elementary and Cinnabar Charter, Meadow Elementary stands out for its consistently higher academic performance and lower rates of chronic absenteeism. These differences may be attributed, in part, to the school's relatively low percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, indicating a more affluent student population. The Petaluma area offers a diverse range of school options, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, and a public elementary school within a high school district, providing families with various educational choices.

Detail:

Public K-6

880 Maria Dr.
Petaluma, CA 94954-6837

(707) 762-4905

District: Waugh Elementary

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,028

Students who attend Meadow Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Kenilworth Junior High
High:	Casa Grande High

Student/teacher ratio: 23.0

Number of students: 377

Racial breakdown:

White:

62.1%

Hispanic:

17.8%

Two or more races:

15.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 12.2%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Meadow Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Meadow Elementary ranks better than 91.2% of elementary schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.79. (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 Meadow Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (62.1%), Hispanic (17.8%), two or more races (15.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 12.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Meadow Elementary is 23. (See more...)

Compare Meadow Elementary employs 16.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Meadow Elementary is $10,028.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Meadow Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Meadow Elementary 514^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Meadow Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Waugh Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Waugh Elementary 140^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Meadow Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Meadow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	84.93	711^th	4809	85.2%
2005	88.15	587^th	4822	87.8%
2006	90.80	444^th	4818	90.8%
2007	90.96	467^th	5113	90.9%
2008	92.00	371^st	5113	92.7%
2009	89.57	502^nd	5193	90.3%
2010	88.39	552^nd	5314	89.6%
2011	89.12	482^nd	5377	91.0%
2012	87.10	614^th	5390	88.6%
2013	91.14	390^th	5530	92.9%
2015	83.92	938^th	5611	83.3%
2016	80.64	1103^rd	5614	80.4%
2017	85.76	876^th	5692	84.6%
2018	87.72	754^th	5662	86.7%
2019	91.19	581^st	5789	90.0%
2021	80.49	265^th	1417	81.3%
2022	91.10	649^th	5883	89.0%
2023	92.57	533^rd	5874	90.9%
2024	92.79	514^th	5862	91.2%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Meadow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	88.06	362^nd	5084	92.9%
2019	76.77	860^th	5173	83.4%
2024	73.66	1111^th	5511	79.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Meadow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	85.40	806^th	5413	85.1%
2019	86.86	731^st	5492	86.7%
2021	72.90	311^th	1267	75.5%
2022	91.79	526^th	5635	90.7%
2023	92.86	448^th	5617	92.0%
2024	93.21	423^rd	5605	92.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Meadow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	87.46	716^th	5431	86.8%
2019	91.55	472^nd	5510	91.4%
2021	83.48	210^th	1272	83.5%
2022	87.22	771^st	5663	86.4%
2023	89.54	644^th	5650	88.6%
2024	88.10	708^th	5636	87.4%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Meadow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	72.22	1025^th	4830	78.8%
2019	66.96	1294^th	4963	73.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Meadow Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	73.35	705^th	2737	74.2%
2019	80.50	453^rd	2834	84.0%
2022	80.83	420^th	2726	84.6%
2023	79.56	439^th	2662	83.5%
2024	80.33	412^th	2647	84.4%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, February 4, 2017

As a parent with kids that came from a top rated school in the Santa Clara area I wanted and needed a school that was as great as our old one. Well Meadow became that school. Mrs. Becker and the teachers are amazing and I couldn't ask for a better education system to teach my kids the foundation of tools to make they star students and future productive College graduates. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, April 6, 2011

I can't say enough about Meadow's total school environment. The administration, teachers, and families strive for excellence in educating students as a whole. Striving for educational excellence is not done in a stressful way but more so in a way that brings the level of the larger group to achieve higher standards. Also, the no bully zone posters are for real. Every one of the kids know all they have to do is tell any teacher or school worker and they don't have to worry about being intimidated. Chances are that student may no longer be there if caught or reported more than a couple of times. In all, Meadow is an environment of excellence in learning and growth in a safe environment. I promise you will not find a better school than Meadow. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Meadow Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1992	121	0	7	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	151
1993	183	0	4	24	0	n/a	n/a	0	211
1994	229	1	10	29	0	n/a	n/a	0	269
1995	373	3	20	53	0	n/a	n/a	0	449
1996	373	3	20	53	0	n/a	n/a	0	449
1997	451	3	38	75	0	n/a	n/a	0	567
1998	277	3	14	41	0	n/a	n/a	0	335
1999	325	2	8	31	0	n/a	n/a	0	366
2000	333	3	17	32	0	n/a	n/a	0	385
2001	325	6	15	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	374
2002	339	2	37	38	0	n/a	n/a	2	418
2003	339	2	37	38	0	n/a	n/a	2	418
2004	308	4	40	44	1	n/a	n/a	16	413
2005	306	4	51	52	1	n/a	n/a	16	430
2006	277	3	53	57	2	n/a	n/a	45	437
2007	291	11	65	75	3	n/a	n/a	8	453
2008	291	8	58	65	3	n/a	n/a	0	425
2009	296	5	49	55	3	2	43	0	453
2010	268	5	44	83	1	2	36	0	439
2011	281	4	43	105	1	1	31	0	466
2012	257	7	46	102	1	1	33	0	447
2013	252	3	36	122	1	1	46	0	461
2014	236	6	32	126	1	1	53	0	455
2015	230	7	29	126	1	2	52	0	447
2016	227	6	32	118	1	1	51	0	436
2017	239	10	31	104	1	1	51	0	437
2018	232	7	23	101	0	1	57	0	421
2019	238	8	13	91	1	2	56	0	409
2020	253	4	14	80	0	3	55	0	409
2021	234	3	17	77	0	4	53	0	388
2022	230	2	14	66	0	2	56	0	370
2023	234	1	15	67	0	2	58	0	377

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 Meadow Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	151	n/a	n/a	n/a
1993	211	9.6	22.0	0
1994	269	11.7	23.0	8.9
1995	449	19.0	23.6	11.4
1996	449	19.0	23.6	11.4
1997	567	28.0	20.3	9
1998	335	17.0	19.7	9.3
1999	366	13.5	27.1	12
2000	385	19.0	20.3	8.6
2001	374	18.0	20.8	6.7
2002	418	20.0	20.9	5.5
2003	418	20.0	20.9	5.5
2004	413	20.0	20.7	6.8
2005	430	20.5	21.0	7.5
2006	437	21.5	20.3	8.4
2007	453	22.5	20.1	7.2
2008	425	24.0	17.7	7.3
2009	453	21.0	19.7	11.5
2010	439	21.5	20.4	13
2011	466	n/a	n/a	10.9
2012	447	20.5	21.8	n/a
2013	461	20.5	22.4	13
2014	455	19.0	23.9	14.5
2015	447	19.0	23.5	17.7
2016	436	18.0	24.2	18.1
2017	437	18.5	23.6	14.6
2018	421	18.0	23.3	19.7
2019	409	17.2	23.7	17.1
2020	409	n/a	n/a	12.7
2021	388	17.1	22.5	9.5
2022	370	16.6	22.2	10.3
2023	377	16.3	23.0	12.2

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 Meadow Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	151	n/a	n/a	n/a
1993	211	9.6	22.0	0
1994	269	11.7	23.0	8.9
1995	449	19.0	23.6	11.4
1996	449	19.0	23.6	11.4
1997	567	28.0	20.3	9
1998	335	17.0	19.7	9.3
1999	366	13.5	27.1	12
2000	385	19.0	20.3	8.6
2001	374	18.0	20.8	6.7
2002	418	20.0	20.9	5.5
2003	418	20.0	20.9	5.5
2004	413	20.0	20.7	6.8
2005	430	20.5	21.0	7.5
2006	437	21.5	20.3	8.4
2007	453	22.5	20.1	7.2
2008	425	24.0	17.7	7.3
2009	453	21.0	19.7	11.5
2010	439	21.5	20.4	13
2011	466	n/a	n/a	10.9
2012	447	20.5	21.8	n/a
2013	461	20.5	22.4	13
2014	455	19.0	23.9	14.5
2015	447	19.0	23.5	17.7
2016	436	18.0	24.2	18.1
2017	437	18.5	23.6	14.6
2018	421	18.0	23.3	19.7
2019	409	17.2	23.7	17.1
2020	409	n/a	n/a	12.7
2021	388	17.1	22.5	9.5
2022	370	16.6	22.2	10.3
2023	377	16.3	23.0	12.2

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.

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