Sequoia Elementary

Sequoia Elementary operates as a mid-tier elementary campus in Shafter, California, overseen by Richland Union Elementary. Current enrollment sits at 534 students spanning grades K through 6.

Across the 4 schools in Richland Union Elementary (2,410 students total), Sequoia Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Sequoia Elementary reports that nearly all students (89%) are Hispanic. Beyond that, the school shows 8% White, 3% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 57% Hispanic, putting the school's mix visibly more Hispanic than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 32 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 16.5:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 22.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 89% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. Set against Kern County (around 76%), the school's rate is noticeably above typical.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Sequoia Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 26.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 27.9%.

In the surrounding community, census data for Kern County shows the typical household earns roughly $70,210 per year, 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 15%. In all, Kern County runs 279 public schools (combined enrollment of about 197,431 students), of which Sequoia Elementary is one.

Nearest neighbor: Shafter High, around 0.4 miles off. Within five miles, there are 7 other public schools. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Sequoia Elementary ranks 5th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 30.3%.

The campus sits in a countryside setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Sequoia Elementary has shrank 29%, going from 747 students in 2018 to 534 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 19.7:1 in 2018 to 16.5:1 today.

Inside the community feed, members of the Sequoia Elementary community share and discuss sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.