Summary:
The Riverdale Joint Unified school district in California operates five public schools serving grades K-12 for approximately 1,400 students in a community with high economic need.
Among the district's schools, Riverdale High stands out for its exceptional 97.5% graduation rate and very low dropout rate, significantly outperforming state averages despite the challenges of poverty. In contrast, Horizon High, a much smaller alternative school, shows severe attendance challenges with over 60% chronic absenteeism. The district's elementary and middle grades are served by Fipps Primary and Riverdale Elementary, where test scores in English are strongest but show a notable decline in middle school.
Overall, the district's chronic absenteeism rate is better than the state average, which correlates with its strong high school completion outcomes. However, academic proficiency in math and science lags behind state averages across all schools. The small Riverdale Virtual school has remarkably high attendance and the highest per-student spending. Parents should note the consistent economic challenges across all schools and the significant variation in performance and resources between the traditional comprehensive high school and the smaller alternative programs.
Thank you for your feedback!