Maxwell Elementary

Maxwell Elementary is a rural-scale elementary campus in Maxwell, California, part of Maxwell Unified. The school serves 124 students in grades K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 73% below the state mean of about 465.

Maxwell Unified runs 3 schools in total, collectively educating 331 students. Maxwell Elementary is one of those campuses.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Maxwell Elementary reports that 56% of the student body identifies as Hispanic; the rest looks like 35% White, 4% multiracial, 3% Asian, 2% Native American.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, Maxwell Elementary has 7 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 17.7:1. The state averages around 22.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Roughly 75% of students at Maxwell Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Maxwell Elementary sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 34.8%; this one delivers 37.6%.

Around the school, community-level numbers for Colusa County indicate the typical household earns roughly $75,672 per year, 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. In all, Colusa County runs 23 public schools (combined enrollment of about 4,732 students), of which Maxwell Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Maxwell Middle, roughly 0.0 miles away. Within five miles, there are 2 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Maxwell Elementary at 1st of 6; the average score across the group is 25.3%.

Geographically, the school is in a small-town area.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Maxwell Elementary has shrank 20%, going from 155 students in 2018 to 124 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share ticked up from 48% to 56%. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 21.3:1 in 2018 to 17.7:1 today.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.