Twin Rivers Unified, CA - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Twin Rivers Unified

Twin Rivers Unified is a large public school district serving kindergarten through twelfth grade across multiple communities in Sacramento County, including Rio Linda, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, and parts of Sacramento itself. The district enrolls students across a wide geographic area with substantial socioeconomic and racial diversity. Hispanic students make up roughly half the enrollment, while Asian, white, and Black students each represent meaningful portions of the population. The enrollment spans all grade levels, with relatively balanced representation from kindergarten through eighth grade and tapering at the high school grades.

Academic performance across Twin Rivers sits below the midpoint when measured against other Sacramento County districts. In English language arts, proficiency hovers around one-third of students across tested grades. Math performance is weaker, with proficiency rates ranging from the low twenties to low forties depending on grade level, and notably dropping as students progress into middle school. Science proficiency, measured in grades five and eight, sits around one-sixth of students. These results reflect substantial academic challenges that families should understand clearly: this is not a district where proficiency reaches even the median county benchmark.

The district is simultaneously navigating significant operational turbulence. Teachers conducted the district's first-ever strike in March 2026, lasting roughly two weeks and resulting in classroom disruption and lost instruction. The strike settlement included raises and expanded health benefits, reshaping the district's financial outlook. Underlying the labor action was a staffing and teacher-retention crisis that the union identified as central to classroom stability going forward. This context matters for families thinking about consistency and continuity in their child's learning environment.

Two facilities bond measures, approved by voters in November 2022, committed the district to major capital spending to modernize aging school buildings, with the cost passed to homeowners through new property taxes. The bonds fund long-overdue facility upgrades but represent a multi-year financial commitment. Housing values across the district's service areas range widely by zip code and neighborhood, from lower-cost areas near central Sacramento to more expensive suburban pockets. Rental costs have edged upward recently. The affordability picture shows housing prices running roughly five times annual median household income, putting homeownership out of reach for many families without substantial down payments or dual incomes.

The district operates roughly 40 schools spanning elementary, middle, and high campuses, plus a few alternative and specialized programs including a career and technology high school and independent study options. One charter school authorized by the district, Highlands Community Charter, is undergoing major restructuring after Twin Rivers moved to revoke its charter due to governance and financial concerns, though the school is implementing changes that may allow it to continue.

Chronic absenteeism across Twin Rivers runs higher than the county median, sitting around 39 percent of students. This is a meaningful red flag signaling either family barriers to attendance, student disengagement, or both. When combined with lower proficiency rates, it suggests a district where getting students into classrooms consistently and keeping them engaged academically are active challenges.

Spending per pupil sits in the upper range for Sacramento County districts, so resource constraints alone do not explain the performance gap. The combination of recent labor unrest, a teacher-staffing crisis, below-median academic results, and above-median chronic absenteeism points to a district in transition facing real obstacles to student learning. A parent considering Twin Rivers would be wise to look closely at the specific school or program their child would attend, understand the staffing situation in that building, and talk directly with teachers and families currently in the system about what instruction and stability actually look like on the ground.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

24,386

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 47%

Black 12%

White 16%

Asian 15%

Two+ 9%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 2%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

35%

—

Gr 3

33%

57%

Gr 4

34%

53%

Gr 5

33%

58%

Gr 6

37%

54%

Gr 7

35%

59%

Gr 8

33%

53%

Gr 11

41%

—

Math

Gr ALL

24%

—

Gr 3

35%

62%

Gr 4

30%

48%

Gr 5

20%

44%

Gr 6

26%

46%

Gr 7

22%

49%

Gr 8

18%

34%

Gr 11

17%

—

Science

Gr ALL

12%

—

Gr 5

15%

40%

Gr 8

15%

33%

Gr 11

15%

—

Gr 12

—

Gr HS

15%

—

Gr UG_SEC

15%

—

Schools in this District

44 schools are officially reported under this district.

Del Paso Heights Elementary

Fairbanks Elementary

Foothill Ranch Middle

Rio Linda Preparatory Academy

Rio Tierra Junior High

Foothill Oaks Elementary

Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences

D. W. Babcock Elementary

Hagginwood Elementary

Hazel Strauch Elementary

Michael J. Castori Elementary

Las Palmas Elementary

Northwood Elementary

Woodlake Elementary

Westside Preparatory Charter

Warren A. Allison Elementary

Dry Creek Elementary

Frederick Joyce Elementary

Sierra View Elementary

Village Elementary

Woodridge Elementary

Keema School for Independent Study

Pacific Career and Technology High

Miles P. Richmond

Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy

Garden Valley Elementary

Ridgepoint Elementary

Westside Elementary

Vista Nueva Career and Technology High

Creative Connections Arts Academy

Norwood Junior High

Regency Park Elementary

Northlake TK-8

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

38%

Grade 3

32%

Grade 4

22%

Grade 5

28%

Grade 6

24%

Grade 7

20%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

35%

Grade 3

35%

Grade 4

36%

Grade 5

39%

Grade 6

37%

Grade 7

35%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

17%

Grade 5

17%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

35%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$441,445

Year-over-year change-1.5%

Range across 16 ZIP codes$357K to $720K

vs. state typical0.57x

vs. national typical1.20x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (16 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
95673	Rio Linda	$453K	-0.9%	30.8%
95815	Sacramento	$357K	-1.6%	13.4%
95660	Sacramento	$387K	-0.9%	12.5%
95842	Sacramento	$424K	-1.6%	8.8%
95838	Sacramento	$398K	-1.7%	7.0%
95835	Sacramento	$575K	-3.4%	5.9%
95841	Sacramento	$434K	-2.3%	4.0%
95833	Sacramento	$459K	-2.6%	3.9%
95834	Sacramento	$528K	-4.3%	2.8%
95811	Sacramento	$600K	-1.6%	2.5%

Showing top 10 of 16 ZIP codes by land area weight

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,041/mo

Year-over-year change+3.1%

Range across 14 ZIP codes$1,694 to $2,692/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (14 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
95815	Sacramento	$1,813	+2.1%	13.4%
95660	Sacramento	$2,127	+8.5%	12.5%
95842	Sacramento	$1,887	+5.6%	8.8%
95838	Sacramento	$2,050	-1.8%	7.0%
95835	Sacramento	$2,692	+0.4%	5.9%
95841	Sacramento	$1,742	+1.4%	4.0%
95833	Sacramento	$2,166	+3.3%	3.9%
95834	Sacramento	$2,302	-0.1%	2.8%
95811	Sacramento	$1,904	+1.1%	2.5%
95816	Sacramento	$1,738	-0.1%	0.9%
95621	Citrus Heights	$1,861	+3.8%	0.3%
95843	Antelope	$2,324	-1.0%	0.2%
95608	Carmichael	$1,850	+1.8%	0.1%
95825	Sacramento	$1,694	+2.1%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,228/mo

Home price / national median income5.3x

Annual rent / national median income29.2%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$187/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.