Summary:
ZIP code 92203 has three schools: two elementary schools serving kindergarten through grade 5 and one middle school serving grades 6–8. In 2025–26, the elementary schools had mixed results against California: James Monroe Elementary was above the state in all three subjects, while Richard R. Oliphant Elementary was close in English language arts (ELA) and math but further behind in science. Desert Ridge Academy was below state results in each middle-school grade and subject reported. The clearest finding for families comparing elementary schools is that Monroe led Oliphant in ELA, math, and science.
Monroe was the elementary standout: its all-grades results were 55% in ELA, 55% in math, and 43% in science, leading Oliphant by 7, 20, and 14 percentage points, respectively. Monroe’s grade 5 results were especially strong compared with California: 68% in ELA, 66% in math, and 18 and 29 points above the state in those subjects. Oliphant scored 48% in ELA, 35% in math, and 29% in science. Desert Ridge had the lowest raw all-grades figures—36%, 21%, and 26%—but serves older students, so those figures are not a fair direct ranking against the elementary schools. Within its grades, Desert Ridge’s math results were 12 to 21 points below the state.
Across the three schools, average proficiency rose 2 points in math and 6 in science from 2024–25 to 2025–26, while ELA slipped by less than 1 point. Science improved at every school; ELA varied, falling 3 points at Monroe while rising about 1 point at each of the others. SchoolDigger’s 2025–26 statewide percentiles put Monroe highest at the 72nd, followed by Oliphant at the 52nd and Desert Ridge at the 31st; these are rankings, not test scores. The elementary schools have similar enrollments, but Monroe’s 2024–25 student-teacher ratio was higher (25.5 versus 21.8). Their reported free/reduced lunch eligible shares that school year were 69% at Monroe and 76% at Oliphant; these figures provide context, not an explanation for results.
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