River Oak Charter

River Oak Charter is a K-8 public charter school serving 245 students in Ukiah, California, offering a distinctive educational option within the Ukiah Unified area.

The school's standout strength is its exceptional science program, where student proficiency is nearly double the state average and significantly higher than most nearby traditional public schools like Calpella Elementary and Nokomis Elementary. While math and English performance are more mixed compared to the state, they are generally stronger than many surrounding schools, such as Anderson Valley Elementary. The school operates efficiently, achieving these results with lower per-student spending than neighboring schools in the Ukiah Unified district.

Parents should note some variability, with performance differing across grade levels and a notable achievement gap where female students consistently outperform male students. The school has made good progress improving attendance and has a history of strong results with economically disadvantaged students. Compared to other local charters, River Oak, part of the River Oak Charter District, is a solid middle ground, outperforming the struggling Shanel Valley Academy though trailing the high-performing Tree of Life Charter in some areas.