Lucero Elementary School

Lucero's 23.6% ELA proficiency and 22.2% math proficiency are roughly half the district 9 averages of 44.8% and 44.7%. The trend line is volatile: scores climbed from 10.3% ELA in 2016 to a peak of 38% ELA and 45.6% math in 2018-2019, then drifted downward, hit a low of 12.2% ELA in 2024, and partially recovered in 2025. Grade 5 ELA at 42.9% stands out as a clear bright spot and is essentially on par with the district average, while grade 3 (15.9% ELA) and grade 4 (14.8% ELA) drag the overall picture down. Overall quality score of 0.92 out of 4 sits well below the district average of 1.79.

On survey measures, this school is exceptional. Parent-principal trust and parent-teacher trust both land at 99%, parent satisfaction at 96%, teacher instruction quality at 99%, and teacher-reported safety at 94% — every figure comfortably above the district average. An 88% family survey response rate means these aren't faint signals; parents are highly engaged. The school has reported zero suspensions for three consecutive years, a remarkable consistency. The one sharp counterpoint is chronic absenteeism at 62%, meaning roughly two-thirds of students miss enough school to be flagged — that's a real concern even though day-to-day attendance (91.1%) is actually slightly above the district average. The day-to-day feel reads as warm and trusting, with a stable adult culture and zero discipline issues, but families should ask directly how the school is working to get kids in the building consistently.

Lucero's enrollment is overwhelmingly Hispanic (91%), with 7% Black and very small Asian, White, and multiracial populations, giving it a diversity index of just 21%. This mirrors the Mount Eden-Claremont (West) census picture closely. The economic need index of 94.4% places Lucero among the city's higher-need schools, and 24% of students have IEPs — a meaningfully higher share than typical, reflecting the school's self-contained special education program. Class size averages 20.8, essentially identical to the district average. The community reads as tight, culturally cohesive, and family-engaged, even if it isn't demographically mixed.

Mount Eden-Claremont (West) is a working-class neighborhood with a median household income around $45,400 and a poverty rate of 32.3%. About 19% of households include children, and the college-degree rate is 16.2%, well below the citywide figure. Homeownership is strikingly low at just 4.4%, meaning almost everyone rents. Families here are predominantly Hispanic, and the schools serving the area — including Lucero — reflect that population closely.

Lucero is genuinely walkable to public transit. The 170 St stop on the 4 train is roughly a 3-minute walk, the 170 St stop on the B and D trains is about 4 minutes, and the Mt Eden Av stop on the 4 train is around 6 minutes away — three subway options within easy walking distance.