How to read California School Dashboard results
California does not grade schools A to F. The California School Dashboard, run by the California Department of Education (CDE), rates each school on several indicators using five colors, from lowest to highest: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Blue. Each color blends this year's result with the change from last year.
- English and math are reported as distance from standard: the average number of points students scored above (+) or below (-) the grade-level standard on state tests in grades 3 to 8 and 11.
- Graduation rate is the four-year cohort rate for high schools.
- Chronic absenteeism is the share of K-8 students who missed 10% or more of the school year. Lower is better.
Every figure here comes from the CDE's 2025 Dashboard data files for all students. Test results describe a school's students, not the quality of a single classroom, so visit and ask questions too.
Riverside school districts compared
| District | English (distance from standard) | Math | Graduation rate | Chronic absenteeism |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside Unified | -9.8 (Yellow, up 6.4) | -51.1 (Yellow, up 4.5) | 95.6% (Blue) | 18.0% (Yellow) |
| Alvord Unified | -33.2 (Yellow, up 3.8) | -75.2 (Orange) | 94.0% (Green) | 19.9% (Orange) |
| State of California | -8.1 | -42.4 | 87.8% | 17.1% |
Riverside Unified tested about 19,300 students in English, more than twice Alvord's 8,300. Both districts graduate a higher share of students than the state average. District averages hide wide gaps between schools, set out below. Alvord Unified's office is in Corona and it also serves part of that city, so its averages are not Riverside-only.
Riverside high schools
Martin Luther King Jr. High School (Riverside Unified)
King High scored 49.1 points above standard in English (Green) and 49.3 below in math (Yellow) on the 2025 Dashboard, the strongest English result of any comprehensive high school in the city. Its graduation rate was 96.8%, rated Blue.
Polytechnic High School (Riverside Unified)
Poly scored 33.2 above standard in English (Green) and 57.5 below in math, also rated Green because math rose 4.5 points. Its graduation rate was 96.4% (Blue).
Arlington, John W. North and Ramona high schools (Riverside Unified)
Arlington High scored 10.5 above standard in English and 106.2 below in math, with a 96.2% graduation rate. John W. North High was 0.6 below in English, up 12.7 points, and 102.4 below in math, up 25.7, with 95.1% graduating. Ramona High was 1.9 below in English and 108.9 below in math, with 95.8% graduating. All three graduation rates were rated Blue.
Hillcrest, La Sierra and Norte Vista high schools (Alvord Unified)
Hillcrest High scored 18.6 above standard in English and 82.4 below in math, and had the highest graduation rate of any Riverside high school, 98.8% (Blue). La Sierra High was 0.1 below in English, up 14.6 points, and 96.0 below in math, up 27.8, with 95.7% graduating. Norte Vista High fell 30.8 points to 23.7 below in English (Orange) and was 120.8 below in math (Red), with 94.7% graduating.
Riverside STEM Academy
Riverside STEM Academy results
Riverside STEM Academy, a Riverside Unified school at 4466 Mt. Vernon Avenue for grades 5 to 12, posted the best results in the city: 80.7 points above standard in English and 73.3 above in math, both rated Blue. Its chronic absenteeism was 9.0%, about half the state rate. Its graduation rate was 91.1% on a cohort of 56 students.
How admission to Riverside STEM Academy works
Students do not attend by address. The school's FAQ says fourth graders enrolled in Riverside Unified may apply for fifth grade if they scored at least "Nearly Meets" on the third-grade state test in English or math. Eligible families submit an interest form and enter a lottery, run by an outside vendor, that fills 105 fifth-grade seats by census block, with extra seats for nearby neighborhoods. GATE identification is not required. Check the school's site for the current application window.
Riverside middle schools
Riverside Unified middle schools
Two Riverside Unified middle schools scored above standard in English on the 2025 Dashboard. Amelia Earhart Middle scored 25.1 above (Blue, up 18.2 points) and 7.8 below in math (Green). Frank Augustus Miller Middle scored 26.4 above in English and 9.6 below in math, both Green. Matthew Gage Middle was 14.2 below in English and 60.7 below in math, both Yellow. Central, Chemawa, Sierra and University Heights middle schools scored between 17.6 and 35.7 below in English. Central and University Heights had chronic absenteeism above 27%, rated Red.
Alvord Unified middle schools in Riverside
Ysmael Villegas Middle, the largest with about 1,070 students tested, scored 7.8 below standard in English (Yellow, up 10.1 points) and 53.8 below in math. Arizona Middle was 27.8 below in English and Loma Vista Middle 35.2 below, both Yellow. Wells Middle was 78.7 below in English and 129.8 below in math (both Orange).
Riverside elementary schools
Riverside Unified elementary schools
Benjamin Franklin Elementary had the strongest results among the district's elementary schools: 30.7 above standard in English and 21.4 above in math, both Green. Lake Mathews Elementary (29.2 above in English), John F. Kennedy Elementary (25.7 above) and Tomas Rivera Elementary (11.3 above) followed, all Green in English and at or near standard in math. Magnolia Elementary rose 16.3 points to 15.0 above in English, rated Blue. Mark Twain, Pachappa and Castle View elementary schools were within 9 points of standard either way. At the other end, Harada, Longfellow and Liberty elementary schools scored between 54.8 and 65.1 below in English.
Alvord Unified elementary schools in Riverside
Lake Hills Elementary scored 36.4 above standard in English and 23.8 above in math, both Green, with chronic absenteeism of 9.8%. Rosemary Kennedy Elementary gained 31.3 points in English to 21.5 below. Most other Alvord elementary schools with Riverside addresses scored between 27 and 60 below in English, and Foothill, La Granada and Arlanza elementary schools were rated Red in English, between 70.5 and 79.7 below.
School choice in Riverside: transfers, charters and online options
Riverside Unified open enrollment and intra-district transfers
Riverside Unified's open enrollment transfer window for the 2027-28 school year runs from November 1, 2026 to January 8, 2027, and requests are made online. Families can ask for a school other than their attendance-area school. Placement depends on space; if requests exceed seats, the district runs an electronic lottery with sibling priority, and there is no appeal for intra-district transfers. Families who move in after the window can apply at the Central Registration Center, 5700 Arlington Avenue.
District of Choice for families outside Riverside Unified
Riverside Unified takes District of Choice transfers from families who live outside its boundaries, including Alvord Unified addresses. Applications are online and only during the open enrollment window. No release from the home district is needed, but the district does not guarantee a particular school.
Charter and online schools in Riverside
REACH Leadership STEAM Academy, a charter school authorized by Riverside Unified, scored 4.0 below standard in English (Green) and 28.2 below in math. Riverside Virtual, the district's online K-12 school, scored 0.1 below in English (Green) and graduated 96.8% of its cohort. The Riverside County Office of Education also runs charter and alternative programs in the city, such as Gateway College and Career Academy, which serve specific student needs.
How to check which schools serve a Riverside address
We never state that a home is zoned for a school. Attendance areas follow district lines, not ZIP codes or city limits, and they change. A home with a Riverside mailing address can sit in Riverside Unified or Alvord Unified, and listing descriptions are often wrong. Before you buy:
- Riverside Unified: enter the address in the district's RUSD School Locator, which returns the school of residence. For questions call the Transfer Department at 951-352-1200.
- Alvord Unified: contact the district through alvordschools.org with the exact address and ask for the school of residence in writing.
- Check the tax bill. The district also shows up in the property tax rate: most Riverside Unified addresses pay 1.10117% in FY 2026-27, and many Alvord Unified addresses pay 1.23117% because of that district's bonds.
- Look at the Dashboard page for each assigned school, not only the district average.
For more on the city, see our Riverside homes guide, the Riverside neighborhoods guide and the Riverside cost of living page.