William Land Elementary School

2120 12th Street

School District

Sacramento City Unified
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:22
Type

public

School Map for Sacramento City Unified School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on October 06, 2024

If your child is Chinese they will do fine here. We have had several instances of racism from staff and children. The principal and teachers did nothing, saying the child didn’t mean to call my child the “n” word. The principal seems to genuinely care about the school but will always back up the teachers no matter what and will not meet with a parent. The immersion program starts slowly with barely any Chinese in kindergarten and then in first grade it takes off. They expect the parents to teach the children at home which is why an entrance exam is given to any child wishing to enter the dual immersion program. There is a Spanish dual immersion program that they could take a few pointers off of Where they only speak the language in kindergarten then they go to 80% Spanish 20% English in first grade and And it continues until they are at 50-50. This school barely speaks any Chinese to the students in class but expect them to know the language. They also assign over 25 pages of homework for the week but the afterschool program does not require the children to do any homework, putting the kids in front of a television as often as they can. If you are a working parent it will be very difficult to get this homework done and assist in the level that the school expects. If you’re a single full time working parent good luck. In kindergarten and first grade they had large project assignments to be done at home as well. With the dual immersion it feels like they are hiring based on language instead of skills with children. Most of the dual immersion teachers don’t seem to like children very much despite having their own and if they were trained on teaching methods they seem to have forgotten everything they were taught. My other child learned more Chinese in 1 year at churchill middle school than my 3rd grade William land child has learned since kindergarten. There is one tutor in the afterschool program that has to work their time between every child. If you would like your child to learn a second language through public school system and it doesn’t matter that it is mandarin I would recommend the Spanish dual immersion program at the elementary school off of Fulton. If I could do it over I would’ve placed my daughter there but you have to start dual immersion in kindergarten unless you already speak the language.
Submitted by parent on April 24, 2024

My son went from disliking learning due to his preschool experience to loving kindergarten. His teacher is experienced and accommodating of his impulsive and hyperactive tendencies. After school care is free. Enrichment programs are ample and good quality. He loves his enrichments/extracurriculars, has made friends and is overall thriving. He even asks to do homework at home without prompting. If homework is not done at home, there is homework help during after school care. I have really nothing bad to say.
Submitted by parent on February 16, 2022

If you have the means to move your child to another school, do. My daughter has always loved school. She started fighting in the mornings to stay home. When I observed her classroom, I understood why she did not want to go. The teacher yells at students and treats the Asian kids with a kindness not shown to other students. After putting my daughter in counseling, we moved her to another school where she is so happy. Office staff are friendly and ignore problematic issues as if to pretend they do not exist.
Submitted by parent on March 07, 2020

Hands down the worst school experience I’ve experienced. The district bully specialist helped to get my son a safety transfer to another school.
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2020

As high as I can! I am so thankful that this is my kid’s elementary school. We have a principal that puts her whole heart into the school and would never let a kid suffer or fall behind. She actually cares. She puts her blood, sweat, and tears into this school and it shows. We have amazing extracurricular activities that our kids can sign up for after school. These outside groups like firefly art and Sacramento theatre company do sometimes cost $ because they are outside of our school but our PTA and Principal Lee have offered scholarships to kids based on need and interest. I asked a couple of these outside groups how our kids compare to other schools they have programs at, and they all say that our kids are the most well behaved and that they are so respectful. They said it’s night and day compared to some of the other schools. I cannot imagine my kid surviving at another school, much less thriving as they are here at William Land. The teachers that are currently at William Land are so dedicated to our kid’s success and learning. The community at William Land is one that I am so lucky to be a part of. The parents that I have met while volunteering are some of the best people I have ever known. They follow the example of our Principal and care not just about their own kids but really ALL of the kids at our school. They put in the time and effort for all the kids. I am amazed at how well my kid is learning and at how well rounded her education is. I know the district has funding issues and art, music and theatre are always the first to get cut but William Land has worked to get those programs back. I heard that a lot of it is through fundraisers and PTA and the Principal... and am so very thankful.
Submitted by parent on January 28, 2020

If I could move my student out I would. The district has not allowed a transfer because of a lack of room in other schools.
Submitted by parent on December 13, 2019

The William Land Elementary has a hostile environment and unhealthy classroom morale. Teachers and staff are lack of common sense, responsibilities, and communications. The principal Ellen Lee Carlson is bias, disorganized, and impatient. This school does not have a method in place to teach the students. This is an untidy place and harmful to our future generations. This school needs a serious reform. Our children deserve a fair education.
Submitted by parent on June 14, 2019

The William Land Elementary is the most chaotic school I've ever come across. There are a lot of bullying going on. Some staff openly ashamed kids in front of their class mates, and some of them are immoral. This school environment does more harm to the children than learning. These staff here should be ashamed of themselves as they are supposed to teaching kindness and respect. My kids were repeated bullied here on a regular basis, the principal Ellen Lee Carlson is rude, bias, and does not seem to care about the students. This school needs a new leader that will act on behalf of the children, not just there to connect wages!
Submitted by parent on February 15, 2017

Great school, principal is very proactive. Teachers are good. principal is advocating for students, she does a lot her students and, she know every kid by name! We love you, Ms Lee-Carlson!
Submitted by parent on January 14, 2016

William Land is a great urban school with very good leadership from the principal, Ms. Ellen Lee-Carlson. The Mandarin Immersion program is spectacular, with students having outstanding results in all subjects while learning Mandarin to boot. The school is Title I school, with most of the non-Mandarin learners coming from low-income families. The school does very well considering this situation, with for example all kindergartners learning to read in both programs last year. There are complaints here about fundraising at William Land, unfortunately this has become the norm at California public schools. Unfortunately Wm Land in some ways operates like 2 schools, with the Mandarin program parents fulfilling the vast majority of fundraising, PTA, and school improvement functions despite representing a minority of the students. Instead of complaining about paying $8 for a field trip, how about leading a fundraising group so the field trip can be free for all? Or going to a school board meeting and lobbying for more funding?
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2015

This is one of thee most unprofessional staff I've come across at an elementary. The attendance lady was always so rude and disrespectful my son's fourth grade teacher openly bullied him in front of class mates. These adults here should be ashamed of themselves. They're supposed to be these children's role models and peers not making them cry and tear them down. I'm so thankful he will be attending a new school and getting away from these rude immature so called adults.
Submitted by parent on May 07, 2015

I question the legality of all this fundraising they do. After 2years of attendance I have YET to see where these funds go. EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING cost at this school. Every field trip we paid $8 to $15 per kid and one of which my son wasn't able to attend and till this day our money wasn't returned to us after repeatedly asking. every school function, carnival, talent show etc. was $5 to $10 dollars per person, even for the students who attend the school unless they're part of the show which sucks if you have a big family and then can't see your child perform. afterschool programs are $50 to $300 which they call a donation but won't let your child attend without payment, they're constantly sending flyers or phone calls about needing donations or needing participants so businesses can donate to them. They put our children to work with these fundraisers and yet they don't see a dime. We're responsible for school supplies at the beginning of the year so what in the world is all this money going to????? At least the field trips that are suppose to be for educational purposes should be paid for. I've never seen such a thing in a public school with not so great test scores.
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2014

My daughter is currently attending Kindergarten in the Mandarin Immersion program. She attends various after school activities at the school. Her instructor is Ms. Go and she teaches the students in both Mandarin and English. The students are from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. I have only interacted with several of the instructors, but have found them friendly and helpful. I have found that many of the parents of the students to be very supportive of the teachers and the students. The principal, Ms. Ellen Lee Carlson, to be very involved with the students and teachers and seems to know all of the children and many of the parents names. The after school activities include piano, eastern martial arts, theater, Chinese folk songs and dances, chess club and others. Most of them required $50 per school year, though at least one of them had higher costs.
Submitted by other on April 29, 2014

My school is William Land Elementary School and it is wonderful! They have a great after school program and keep the students challenged by knowing what each one needs in their curriculum. My grand daughter loves school and her teacher.
Submitted by parent on January 17, 2014

What a pleasant school. The teachers are caring. The front office staff is helpful. The afterschool program is very well organized and structured. But more than anything else, my children are happy to go to school everyday. This was not the case at their other school. Since coming to William Land, my children have turned the corner academically. Their teachers treat them like little people, not test scores. They care about what the children are learning and encourage them to do their best work. The afterschool enrichment activities are some of the most extensive, I have seen. We left a very popular elementary school and have not looked back. I am thankful for being told about William Land.
Submitted by parent on September 25, 2013

My son has gone to this school since kindergarten. He is now in the sixth grade. I also attended this school when I was a kid (from pre-school to 4th grade). I have always loved William Land. Lee-Carlson is a good, friendly principal. She knows every child and appears to be very well-received by both the students and teachers. I believe my son is being very well educated and has developed friendships with kids that are smart, kind and interested in learning all that the school has to offer. The children here have always been of a wide variety of mixed ethnic groups and diverse cultures. I think this helps build a very healthy mindset about equality and an appreciation of all people. I know it did for me. I am going to be very sad when my son has to leave the school at the end of the year. It's going to be very difficult to find another school that even comes close.
Submitted by parent on November 02, 2012

The principal, Ms Lee, is very personable and knows the name of every child. My child is in the Chinese immersion program and I am astounded at how much she has learned in just 2 months. Ms Go is a fantastic teacher, kind, patient and very much in control of her classroom. The children all seem to respect and love her. This school was a 9 rating at one time but due to budget cuts they had to bring in children from other schools who tested poorly. Their test scores are steadily improving and I am sure they will get back to the 9 rating before long! They have many after school activities, piano, martial arts, ballet, and theater to name a few. I couldn't be happier with the education and environment that William Land is providing for my child!
Submitted by parent on September 12, 2012

The Principal and teachers at William Land Elementary are dedicated and committed to their students! The principal continually tries to bring in more arts programming to provide more enrichment for the students. My children love the school and the parents seem supportive of their kids education. We are happy we chose WLE!
Submitted by parent on June 26, 2012

I find it disturbing that they've framed the immersion class as something special but in my opinion its a slick way to boost test scores because 14 out of 24 kids are being taught in their language plus the program is not available for all. Also while they have a fund for this class the rest of the kids are left to sell candy, walk a thons,car washes and other fund raisers to buy toiletries and supposed school supplies even though your given a list at the start of school with supplies to bring and being charged for almost every function even if you pay for an after School program.With this fundraising, donations and so forth there is any new grass, paint on the blacktop, or bark in the play area.Also in my opinion the principal not very forthcoming for example knowing parents love our start program she's doing everything in her power to get rid of it without informing the parents why or even with what. Though always front and center asking for money she had the sign up for after school program a couple of days before school ended so parents couldn't mobilize she was nowhere to ne found to explain anything leaving parents to sign up blindly for next years after school program.
Submitted by parent on May 08, 2012

My kids are in Ms. Tri's class and they love her alot! Ms. Tri really works hard to help her students in every way and she also interacts with me as a parent. Thank you Ms. Tri for being a great teacher!