Enrollment
143
Elementary
DISTRICT 66 · STATE 465
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·POTTER VALLEY COMMUNITY UNIFIED·NCES 063140004867
Potter Valley Elementary
10401 Main St., Potter Valley, CA 95469 · (707) 743-1115 · Mendocino County
GRADES KG–06ELEMENTARY42-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL143 STUDENTS
C
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 28% of California public elementary schools
- C+Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- C-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- B-Three-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
16.8:1
9 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 12.3:1 · STATE 22.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
66%
94 students
DISTRICT 61% · STATE 65%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 24 | 17% |
| Grade 1 | 17 | 12% |
| Grade 2 | 19 | 13% |
| Grade 3 | 20 | 14% |
| Grade 4 | 17 | 12% |
| Grade 5 | 27 | 19% |
| Grade 6 | 19 | 13% |
This year's kindergarten class (24) is 26% larger than its 6th grade class (19).
Student demographics
57%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 57% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Potter Valley Elementary→Potter Valley Junior High
Based on grade levels within Potter Valley Community Unified. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
31.2%
CA avg 49.1% . +1.2pp since 2014
Math
31.2%
CA avg 37.7% . +14.2pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 31 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 31 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are up about 1 points since 2014, while math scores are up about 14 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 6.5% | 24.7% | 26.0% | 42.9% |
| Math | 13.0% | 18.2% | 33.8% | 35.1% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 31.2% | 31.2% |
| 2023-24 | 33.3% | 37.0% |
| 2022-23 | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2021-22 | 31.6% | 27.3% |
| 2018-19 | 44.0% | 35.4% |
| 2017-18 | 35.6% | 27.2% |
| 2016-17 | 33.7% | 24.4% |
| 2015-16 | 36.0% | 32.0% |
| 2014-15 | 30.0% | 17.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
32.4%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
41.0%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-8.6pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 32% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 41% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among California's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Potter Valley Elementary
Potter Valley Elementary's state test result (32.4% proficient) is higher than 2 of the 4 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potter Valley Elementary this school | 143 | 65.7% | 32.4% |
| Blue Lake Union Elementary Blue Lake | 153 | 62.1% | 29.5% |
| Pioneer Magnet School for the Visual and Performing Arts Pioneer | 171 | 64.9% | 34.8% |
| SHANEL VALLEY ACADEMY Hopland | 124 | 69.4% | N/A |
| West Point Elementary West Point | 114 | 69.3% | 34.4% |
| Minnie Cannon Elementary Middletown | 164 | 62.8% | 20.2% |
Matched among California elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Potter Valley Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Mendocino County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 32.4% | #3,230 of 5,151 | #4 of 14 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 31.2% | #3,107 of 5,172 ▼ 684 | #4 of 14 ▼ 1 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 31.2% | #3,858 of 5,172 ▼ 443 | #4 of 14 no change |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +1.7pp | #2,770 of 5,116 | #7 of 14 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 143 | #5,534 of 5,915 | #17 of 28 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 65.7% | #3,182 of 5,625 | #15 of 19 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
143
-11 (-7%) vs 2020
-47% since 1990-91, when it was 271
Student : Teacher
16.8:1
was 22.0:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 143 | 8.5 | 16.8:1 | 66% (94) |
| 2023-24 | 153 | 8.8 | 17.5:1 | 59% (90) |
| 2022-23 | 145 | 10.5 | 13.8:1 | 60% (87) |
| 2020-21 | 154 | 7 | 22.0:1 | 55% (84) |
| 2017-18 | 160 | 8 | 20.0:1 | 66% (106) |
| 2015-16 | 159 | 7 | 22.7:1 | 69% (109) |
| 2010-11 | 119 | N/A | N/A | 81% (96) |
| 2000-01 | 230 | 12 | 19.2:1 | 49% (113) |
| 1990-91 | 271 | 15 | 18.1:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Potter Valley Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 11% (160 to 143); teachers up 6% (8 to 8.5).
About Potter Valley Elementary
Potter Valley Elementary operates as a small elementary school in Potter Valley, California. Classes run from kindergarten through 6, and the school has 143 students. The average for elementary schools in California is about 465 students, so this school is 69% smaller than average.
Potter Valley Elementary is in Potter Valley Community Unified, a district with 262 students across 4 schools.
By race and ethnicity, Potter Valley Elementary is 58% White. Other reported shares: 29% Hispanic, 6% multiracial, and 6% Native American. By the diversity index, Potter Valley Elementary comes in at 57%.
Its teaching staff equals 8.5 full-time positions, a ratio of 16.8:1. For comparison, elementary schools in California average 22.3:1. Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, a common measure of family income, is 66%. The 75% average for public schools in Mendocino County is 9 points higher.
The allk12 Grade for Potter Valley Elementary is C. Compared with California public elementary schools, the school scored higher than 28% on a mix of test scores, poverty-adjusted results, and recent trend.
Potter Valley Elementary's average proficiency rate on state tests of 32.4% is 8.6 points below the 41.0% the model predicts from its lunch-eligibility share.
In Mendocino County (population about 90,244), median household income is about $68,092, roughly 25% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and about 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Potter Valley Elementary is one of 66 public schools in Mendocino County, which together enroll about 12,738 students.
The next-closest public school is Centerville High (Continuation), less than a tenth of a mile away. In all, 3 other public schools sit within five miles of Potter Valley Elementary. Among its closest neighbors with test data, Potter Valley Elementary is 1st of 5 on proficiency.
The school's locale code, Rural: Distant, means it is in rural territory some distance from an urban area.
A comparison of 2020-21 and 2024-25 shows enrollment down 7%, from 154 to 143. The school's ratio fell from 22.0:1 to 16.8:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
Questions about science fairs, picture day, and bus routes can be posted here. Reviews and ratings from people who know the school are welcome.
Mendocino County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
90,244
Census ACS
Median income
$68,092
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
25%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
66
12,738 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Potter Valley Community Unified
- Potter Valley HighHigh · 79 students
- Potter Valley Junior HighMiddle · 39 students
- Centerville High (Continuation)High · 1 students
Other schools in Potter Valley
- Potter Valley HighHigh · 79 students
- Potter Valley Junior HighMiddle · 39 students
- Centerville High (Continuation)High · 1 students
Nearby schools
- Centerville High (Continuation)0.0 mi · 1
- Potter Valley Junior High0.0 mi · 39
- Potter Valley High0.0 mi · 79
- Eagle Peak Middle7.1 mi · 552
- Calpella Elementary8.1 mi · 475
- La Vida Charter10.9 mi · 60
Frequently asked questions
About Potter Valley ElementaryHow large is Potter Valley Elementary?
Potter Valley Elementary enrolls approximately 143 students in grades KG-06.
What grades does Potter Valley Elementary serve?
Potter Valley Elementary serves grades KG-06.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Potter Valley Elementary?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Potter Valley Elementary is approximately 16.8:1 (9 FTE teachers).
How diverse is Potter Valley Elementary?
Potter Valley Elementary reports a student body of 58% White, 29% Hispanic, 1% Black, 1% Asian, 6% Two or more.
Who oversees Potter Valley Elementary?
Potter Valley Elementary is overseen by Potter Valley Community Unified in Mendocino County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.