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Riverside Elementary School

Q: Is Riverside Elementary School a good school?

Riverside Elementary School ranks 1102 nd of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1102^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 26% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Riverside Elementary School in Waterford, MI, is a mid-sized school serving 291 students in grades PK through 5 as part of the Waterford School District.

Riverside currently ranks in the 26th percentile statewide, making it the lowest-performing elementary school among its immediate neighbors. For context, nearby schools like Haviland Elementary School and Cooley Elementary School both rank in the 68th percentile, while Schoolcraft Elementary School sits at 66th. Even schools with nearly identical demographics, such as Knudsen Elementary School (just 1.12 miles away, with the same enrollment size and free/reduced lunch rate), outperform Riverside significantly—Knudsen ranks in the 46th percentile. The gap is especially wide in 3rd-grade ELA and math, where Riverside's proficiency rates (22.5% and 27.5%) are roughly half of Knudsen's (52.3% and 50%). One of the most concerning patterns is in 5th-grade math, where only 10.2% of Riverside students are proficient, compared to 26.2% districtwide and 32.2% statewide—a weakness that has persisted for three consecutive years.

What makes Riverside's situation particularly striking is the "investment paradox." The school spends more per student ($21,553) than almost all comparable schools and maintains one of the lowest student-teacher ratios in the area at 14.9. Yet these resources have not translated into academic gains. Riverside also struggles with a chronic absenteeism rate of 26.6%, which is nearly double that of higher-performing peers like Haviland (14.6%) and Beaumont Elementary School (13.2%). The school's performance has declined steadily since reaching the 64th percentile in 2016-2017, suggesting systemic challenges rather than a one-year dip. For parents, this data suggests that while Riverside offers smaller classes and higher funding, the school is currently struggling to convert those investments into strong academic outcomes, and absenteeism may be a key factor worth investigating.

291

Students ?

14.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,553

Per pupil spending ?

64.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5280 Farm Rd
Waterford, MI 48327-2420

(248) 674-0805

District: Waterford School District

Students who attend Riverside Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Pierce Middle School
High:	Waterford Kettering High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

61.2%

Hispanic:

16.2%

African American:

14.4%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Riverside Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 46th percentile in 2016 → 26th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (24% vs 38% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 20 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school24%

District avg37%

Michigan avg38%

1,102^nd of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 26%▼ down 20 pts since 2016

From bottom 46% (2016) to bottom 26% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

9^th of 9Elementary Schools in the Waterford School District

335^th of 625Waterford School District among Michigan districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	23.8	1102 of 1492	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.1	1138 of 1488	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.6	1135 of 1486	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.9	938 of 1470	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.0	956 of 1344	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	33.0	777 of 1153	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.5	937 of 1408	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	52.8	744 of 1448	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	58.6	527 of 1466	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	46.8	838 of 1548	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	35.6	1072 of 1580	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	55.0	735 of 1533	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	45.9	920 of 1563	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	31.5	1199 of 1566	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	51.0	973 of 1552	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2010	64.6	700 of 1552	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2009	62.3	745 of 1589	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2008	56.5	863 of 1577	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2007	50.5	992 of 1565	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2006	52.9	904 of 1545	41.5%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	22.9	1046 of 1343	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	20.8	1067 of 1338	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.6	980 of 1342	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.6	875 of 1321	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.7	854 of 1106	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	12.7	847 of 902	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	38.3	736 of 1171	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	59.0	604 of 1443	58.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	30.2	950 of 1352	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	25.5	1029 of 1346	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.8	1030 of 1381	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	46.2	693 of 1350	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.1	719 of 1099	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.9	511 of 749	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	36.6	756 of 1134	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	58.6	552 of 1397	60.5%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	22.4	1056 of 1372	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.8	1101 of 1366	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.0	1213 of 1347	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	38.0	814 of 1334	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	22.6	890 of 1139	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.2	1055 of 1196	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	41.4	881 of 1446	39.1%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	14.3	1074 of 1199	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.0	1030 of 1206	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	20.7	1011 of 1204	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	41.3	717 of 1198	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	22.1	898 of 1102	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.1	829 of 1005	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	34.7	762 of 1128	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.5	579 of 1253	53.8%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)30th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)23rd percentile-3 vs school

Female (2026)22nd percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)10th percentile-16 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts31%-10 vs state

Science25%-15 vs state

Math22%-16 vs state

Social Studies10%-17 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, October 13, 2023

Horrible run down building stuck in the 90s employing adults with control issues and extreme disorganization. I removed my child- 3 teachers throughout his year and his (kindergarten) classroom looked like a jail cell, the office staff do not check ID for pick ups in office, and front office staff also sent my child home with an emergency contact after speaking to me/telling me my child would be going back to class. Stay far away, this school destroyed my son’s love for school. Close Quote

Schools Near Riverside Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				PSAT English Language Arts (2026)	PSAT Mathematics (2026)	M-Step English Language Arts (2026)					M-Step Math (2026)					M-Step Science (2026)		M-Step Social Studies (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Riverside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5280 Farm Rd	Waterford	48327	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 674-0805	291	19	14.9	64.9%	178 (61.2%)	42 (14.4%)	47 (16.2%)	6 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.2%)	23.8	1102^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	26.1%		21.1	1138^th of 1488 public elementary schools	23.5%	36			22.5	39.6	28.8			27.5	31.3	10.2			25.4		10.2		$21,553	$1,583	$19,970
Knudsen Elementary School	Public	K-5	5449 Crescent Rd	Waterford	48327	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 682-7300	278	19	14.8	64.4%	190 (68.3%)	27 (9.7%)	41 (14.7%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	16 (5.8%)	43.2	805^th of 1492 public elementary schools	46.0%		33.7	960^th of 1488 public elementary schools	35.5%	155			52.3	42.6	41.9			50.0	32.6	14.0			32.6		7.0		$18,156	$1,440	$16,715
Cooley Elementary School	Public	K-5	2000 Highfield Rd	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 673-0300	377	21	17.5	50.4%	273 (72.4%)	29 (7.7%)	49 (13.0%)	13 (3.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.2%)	65.8	477^th of 1492 public elementary schools	68.0%		56.4	622^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	58.2%	145			43.1	55.2	58.5			48.6	43.3	34.0			56.6		30.2		$17,539	$1,633	$15,905
Beaumont Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6532 Elizabeth Lake Rd	Waterford	48327	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 682-6822	298	18	16.7	61.1%	190 (63.8%)	55 (18.5%)	33 (11.1%)	12 (4.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.3%)	45.4	767^th of 1492 public elementary schools	48.6%		56.8	611^th of 1488 public elementary schools	58.9%	156			21.9	53.5	55.3			26.6	41.9	36.2			38.3		21.3		$17,439	$1,526	$15,913
Waterford Montessori Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	4350 Elizabeth Lake Rd	Waterford	48328	Oakland County	Waterford Montessori Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(248) 674-2400	188	14	13.4	38.8%	123 (65.4%)	23 (12.2%)	31 (16.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.8%)	32.2	968^th of 1492 public elementary schools	35.1%		68.5	431^st of 1488 public elementary schools	71.0%	537	85.3	23.5	21.7			42.9	64.7	26.1			14.3	44.1		55.9		76.5	$8,668	$616	$8,052
Haviland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5305 Cass Elizabeth Rd	Waterford	48327	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 682-2620	308	22	14.3	57.5%	177 (57.5%)	41 (13.3%)	62 (20.1%)	10 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.8%)	65.7	479^th of 1492 public elementary schools	67.9%		51.3	698^th of 1488 public elementary schools	53.1%	219			40.0	65.8	52.1			46.0	57.9	35.4			45.8		33.3		$21,081	$1,578	$19,503
Schoolcraft Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6400 Maceday Dr	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 623-6211	398	23	17.3	54.5%	307 (77.1%)	21 (5.3%)	47 (11.8%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (4.5%)	63	513^th of 1492 public elementary schools	65.6%		68.2	439^th of 1488 public elementary schools	70.5%	74			44.9	59.2	53.4			43.6	55.3	37.9			37.3		23.7		$17,791	$2,756	$15,035
Waterford Montessori Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	4860 Midland Ave	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford Montessori Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(248) 674-2400	213	14	15.6	38.5%	144 (67.6%)	18 (8.5%)	33 (15.5%)	3 (1.4%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.1%)	35.4	924^th of 1492 public elementary schools	38.1%		23.8	1096^th of 1488 public elementary schools	26.3%	172			42.1	41.5	37.5			31.6	31.7	10.0			35.0		17.5		$13,642	$899	$12,743
Grayson Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	3800 W Walton Blvd	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(248) 674-0200	437	24	17.9	53.8%	263 (60.2%)	53 (12.1%)	80 (18.3%)	11 (2.5%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.2%)	44.4	787^th of 1492 public elementary schools	47.3%		48.6	743^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	50.1%	44			27.0	55.2	45.7			31.1	43.3	27.1			37.1		18.6		$15,554	$1,465	$14,089
Donelson Hills Elementary School	Public	K-5	2690 Wewoka Rd	Waterford	48328	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 682-9530	392	22	17.8	79.8%	128 (32.7%)	86 (21.9%)	135 (34.4%)	9 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (8.4%)	33.6	946^th of 1492 public elementary schools	36.6%		28.9	1027^th of 1488 public elementary schools	31.0%	81			32.8	41.2	38.0			33.3	35.3	12.5			24.0		14.0		$16,769	$1,833	$14,936

Frequently Asked Questions about Riverside Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Riverside Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Riverside Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Pierce Middle School
High : Waterford Kettering High School

Is Riverside Elementary School a good school?

Riverside Elementary School ranks 1102^nd of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Riverside Elementary School?

Students at Riverside Elementary School are 61% White, 16% Hispanic, 14% African American, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

How many students attend Riverside Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 291 students attended Riverside Elementary School.

What district is Riverside Elementary School in?

Waterford School District

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MIMichigan Elementary School Rankings

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Schools in Waterford, MI

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2025–26 M-Step, PSAT & SAT test scoresSep 4, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataJan 6, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.