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GreatSchools Rating

Joe Henderson Elementary School

Public | K-5 | 578 students

Last modified
Community Rating

5 stars

Community Rating by Year
2013:
No new ratings
2012:
No new ratings
2011:
No new ratings
2010:
Based on 1 rating

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11 reviews of this school


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Posted March 24, 2010

My family loves Joe Henderson! My son is in the afternoon kindergarten class with Ms.Costanza. She is an amazing teacher! My son has really enjoyed the past few months in her class. I love how organized every project, party and day is planned, and have enjoyed helping Ms.Costanza in the weekly class centers. Joe Henderson is an excellent school, and we are very blessed that our son attends such an amazing school. We hope that he can continue attending Joe Henderson for years to come!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 12, 2009

I love Joe Henderson elementary school as it is filled with artwork and innovative projects by the students, along with a group of teachers incredibly dedicated to maximizing resources to give our children the best educational experience. There are many teachers in the school who have been there over 20 years,testifying to the solid foundation of the staff who are an incredibly committed and inspirational group of teachers. I have loved my children's experience with their teachers and the entire Joe Henderson community.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 27, 2009

The teachers are wonderful and caring. The principal is a little disorganized but well intentioned. If your child is academically driven, he or she will succeed here. If your child is a free thinker or has any special needs, you may want to look elsewhere. If you are considering relocating to Benicia strictly for the schools, make sure you research what kind of culture you seek. Benicia transplants aren't always welcome.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted September 19, 2008

Gifted program for kids 4th grade and up is improving. Wonderful teachers. Nice parents at this school.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted June 11, 2008

Great school in a great community.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 25, 2006

Benicia's budget issues are much improved and far from negative. If anything, there is stepped-up community awareness and involvement. Furthermore, Benicia Schools, in general, are excellent. All three of our children attended Joe Henderson from 1993 through 2004. By all counts they received exceptional individual educations and were well prepared for their Benicia Middle School experience (in itself, a great school, just different due to the absolute incremental requirement that both the student and their parents come to the table prepared to be further involved in the process and support the educational staff). Plain comman sense parenting. Discount what you read from others who suggest and expect the system to independently solve all possible issues with very little (IMHO)personal involvement. Prepare to pitch-in and get involved with your student's educational experience and join a vibrant, healthy community that loves to be improved with another good family. Any family.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 1, 2006

I think it is a great school! Good teachers, very intelligent and have great teaching skills, lots of activities, fun, and cool!
—Submitted by gina lee, a parent


Posted March 22, 2006

This is a great elementary school. The teachers really know what they are doing and they are also dedicated to their work. My kid is in the 1st grade and she has the right amount of homeworks: not too much, not too little. The kids in her class are all well-behaved, and she loves to go to school. Parent involvement could be improved though: we did not get to talk to the teachers very often.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted March 8, 2006

I worked at this school as a student teacher. I found the staff to be friendly and supportive of students as well as fellow teachers.
—Submitted by a former student


Posted January 27, 2006

My child has attended this school for 4 years. It is one of the top rated elementary schools in Benicia. All of their programs are good. The teachers are great.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted December 7, 2004

Great school. Most teachers are very caring and dedicated. Great Parent involvement and diversity available.
—Submitted by a parent


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.

The API reflects year-over-year schools performance based on STAR test score results from spring 2012.

This school's
API score

902

Change from
2011 to 2012

+14

API Statewide Rank
(2011)

9 / 10

API Similar Schools Rank (2011)

7 / 10


API Growth scores over time

Did this school meet the API goal this year?
The state goal for API is 800. All schools that are below 800 are assigned an API improvement target each year.
  • This school met the state goal of 800.

API Growth scores by subgroup

In addition to schoolwide API scores, each student subgroup receives an API score.
Did this school meet all the API goals for student subgroups this year?
The state goal for the API is 800. All the student subgroups at a school that are below 800 are assigned an API improvement target each year.
  • This school met all student subgroup API targets for 2012

This school's
API score

902

What is the API?
The Academic Performance Index (API) is a single number assigned to each school by the California Department of Education to measure overall school performance and improvement over time on statewide testing. The API ranges from 200 and 1000, with 800 as the state goal for all schools.
Change from
2011 to 2012

+14

Change from 2011 to 2012
Comparing the API Growth to the Base shows whether or not this school’s test score performance improved between Spring 2011 and Spring 2012. The API ranges between 200 and 1000, with 800 as the statewide goal for all schools. Schools scoring below an 800 are given at least a 5 point target for the next year.
API Statewide Rank
(2011)

9 / 10

API Statewide Rank (2011)
The API Statewide Rank ranges from 1 to 10. A rank of 10, for example, means that the school’s API fell into the top 10% of all schools in the state with a comparable grade range. The 2011 rank is based on results from tests students took in Spring 2011.
API Similar Schools Rank (2011)

7 / 10

API Similar Schools Rank (2011)
The API Similar Schools Rank ranges from 1 to 10. It shows how the school compares to other schools with similar student demographic profiles. The California Department of Education uses parent education level, poverty level, student ethnicity and other data to identify similar schools.
English Language Arts

The state average for English Language Arts was 58% in 2012.

85 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
77%

2011

 
 
81%

2010

 
 
66%

2009

 
 
74%
Math

The state average for Math was 64% in 2012.

85 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
83%

2011

 
 
80%

2010

 
 
68%

2009

 
 
79%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.

See California's state standards

Source: California Department of Education

English Language Arts

The state average for English Language Arts was 48% in 2012.

88 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
62%

2011

 
 
66%

2010

 
 
65%

2009

 
 
54%
Math

The state average for Math was 69% in 2012.

88 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
80%

2011

 
 
76%

2010

 
 
78%

2009

 
 
61%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.

See California's state standards

Source: California Department of Education

English Language Arts

The state average for English Language Arts was 67% in 2012.

86 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
80%

2011

 
 
84%

2010

 
 
72%

2009

 
 
85%
Math

The state average for Math was 71% in 2012.

87 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
69%

2011

 
 
79%

2010

 
 
72%

2009

 
 
75%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.

See California's state standards

Source: California Department of Education

English Language Arts

The state average for English Language Arts was 63% in 2012.

106 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
92%

2011

 
 
72%

2010

 
 
83%

2009

 
 
74%
Math

The state average for Math was 65% in 2012.

105 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
78%

2011

 
 
64%

2010

 
 
79%

2009

 
 
78%
Science

The state average for Science was 60% in 2012.

106 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
84%

2011

 
 
67%

2010

 
 
85%

2009

 
 
80%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.

See California's state standards

Source: California Department of Education

English Language Arts

All Students77%
Females76%
Males77%
African Americann/a
Asiann/a
Filipinon/a
Hispanic or Latino58%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Pacific Islandern/a
Other Pacific Islandern/a
White (not Hispanic)90%
Economically disadvantaged54%
Non-economically disadvantaged80%
Students with disabilityn/a
Students with no reported disability79%
English learnern/a
Fluent-English proficient and English only78%
Migrant educationn/a
Gifted and talentedn/a
Parent education - not a high school graduaten/a
Parent education - high school graduaten/a
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)78%
Parent education - college graduate76%
Parent education - graduate school/post graduate94%
Parent education - declined to staten/a

Math

All Students83%
Females81%
Males85%
African Americann/a
Asiann/a
Filipinon/a
Hispanic or Latino83%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Pacific Islandern/a
Other Pacific Islandern/a
White (not Hispanic)88%
Economically disadvantaged85%
Non-economically disadvantaged83%
Students with disabilityn/a
Students with no reported disability85%
English learnern/a
Fluent-English proficient and English only85%
Migrant educationn/a
Gifted and talentedn/a
Parent education - not a high school graduaten/a
Parent education - high school graduaten/a
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)81%
Parent education - college graduate83%
Parent education - graduate school/post graduate100%
Parent education - declined to staten/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.

The different student groups are identified by the California Department of Education; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See California's state standards

Source: California Department of Education

English Language Arts

All Students62%
Females61%
Males62%
African Americann/a
Asiann/a
Filipinon/a
Hispanic or Latino60%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Pacific Islandern/a
White (not Hispanic)67%
Economically disadvantaged50%
Non-economically disadvantaged65%
Students with disabilityn/a
Students with no reported disability62%
English learnern/a
Fluent-English proficient and English only62%
Migrant educationn/a
Gifted and talentedn/a
Parent education - not a high school graduaten/a
Parent education - high school graduaten/a
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)47%
Parent education - college graduate63%
Parent education - graduate school/post graduate86%
Parent education - declined to staten/a

Math

All Students80%
Females78%
Males84%
African Americann/a
Asiann/a
Filipinon/a
Hispanic or Latino73%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Pacific Islandern/a
White (not Hispanic)87%
Economically disadvantaged67%
Non-economically disadvantaged86%
Students with disabilityn/a
Students with no reported disability82%
English learnern/a
Fluent-English proficient and English only80%
Migrant educationn/a
Gifted and talentedn/a
Parent education - not a high school graduaten/a
Parent education - high school graduaten/a
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)67%
Parent education - college graduate91%
Parent education - graduate school/post graduate86%
Parent education - declined to staten/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.

The different student groups are identified by the California Department of Education; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See California's state standards

Source: California Department of Education

English Language Arts

All Students80%
Females80%
Males80%
African Americann/a
Asiann/a
Filipinon/a
Hispanic or Latino85%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Pacific Islandern/a
White (not Hispanic)80%
Economically disadvantaged65%
Non-economically disadvantaged85%
Students with disabilityn/a
Students with no reported disability81%
English learnern/a
Fluent-English proficient and English only80%
Migrant educationn/a
Gifted and talentedn/a
Parent education - not a high school graduaten/a
Parent education - high school graduate92%
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)77%
Parent education - college graduate83%
Parent education - graduate school/post graduaten/a
Parent education - declined to staten/a

Math

All Students69%
Females68%
Males70%
African Americann/a
Asiann/a
Filipinon/a
Hispanic or Latino46%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Pacific Islandern/a
White (not Hispanic)73%
Economically disadvantaged48%
Non-economically disadvantaged77%
Students with disabilityn/a
Students with no reported disability72%
English learnern/a
Fluent-English proficient and English only69%
Migrant educationn/a
Gifted and talentedn/a
Parent education - not a high school graduaten/a
Parent education - high school graduate50%
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)67%
Parent education - college graduate79%
Parent education - graduate school/post graduaten/a
Parent education - declined to staten/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.

The different student groups are identified by the California Department of Education; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See California's state standards

Source: California Department of Education

English Language Arts

All Students92%
Females93%
Males92%
African Americann/a
Asiann/a
Filipinon/a
Hispanic or Latino93%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Pacific Islandern/a
Samoann/a
White (not Hispanic)93%
Economically disadvantaged88%
Non-economically disadvantaged93%
Students with disabilityn/a
Students with no reported disability95%
English learnern/a
Fluent-English proficient and English only93%
Migrant educationn/a
Gifted and talented100%
Parent education - not a high school graduaten/a
Parent education - high school graduate91%
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)89%
Parent education - college graduate94%
Parent education - graduate school/post graduate100%
Parent education - declined to staten/a

Math

All Students78%
Females76%
Males80%
African Americann/a
Asiann/a
Filipinon/a
Hispanic or Latino64%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Pacific Islandern/a
Samoann/a
White (not Hispanic)82%
Economically disadvantaged63%
Non-economically disadvantaged80%
Students with disabilityn/a
Students with no reported disability79%
English learnern/a
Fluent-English proficient and English only78%
Migrant educationn/a
Gifted and talented100%
Parent education - not a high school graduaten/a
Parent education - high school graduate64%
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)77%
Parent education - college graduate77%
Parent education - graduate school/post graduate88%
Parent education - declined to staten/a

Science

All Students84%
Females78%
Males88%
African Americann/a
Asiann/a
Filipinon/a
Hispanic or Latino79%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Pacific Islandern/a
Samoann/a
White (not Hispanic)87%
Economically disadvantaged65%
Non-economically disadvantaged86%
Students with disabilityn/a
Students with no reported disability84%
English learnern/a
Fluent-English proficient and English only83%
Migrant educationn/a
Gifted and talented100%
Parent education - not a high school graduaten/a
Parent education - high school graduate73%
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)81%
Parent education - college graduate86%
Parent education - graduate school/post graduate94%
Parent education - declined to staten/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.

The different student groups are identified by the California Department of Education; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See California's state standards

Source: California Department of Education

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »


Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
White 55% 28%
Multiple or No Response 15% 3%
Hispanic or Latino 10% 49%
African American 7% 7%
Asian 7% 8%
Filipino 6% 3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0% 1%
Pacific Islander 0% 1%
Source: CA Dept. of Education, 2008-2009

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
English language learners 16%N/A24%
Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 215%N/A52%
Source: 1 CA Dept. of Education, 2008-2009
Source: 2 NCES, 2008-2009

Average class size

  This school District averageState average
Average class size 22N/A25
Source: CA Dept. of Education, 2007-2008

Teacher experience

  This school District averageState average
Average years teaching in district 16N/A11
Average years teaching 19N/A13
Source: CA Dept. of Education, 2008-2009

Teacher credentials

  This school District averageState average
Full credential 100%N/A96%
Emergency credential or waiver 0%N/A2%
Source: CA Dept. of Education, 2008-2009
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!

650 Hastings Drive
Benicia, CA 94510
Phone: (707) 747-8370

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