Richmond Charter Elementary-benito Juarez, Richmond CA

Original Research by School Decision on Richmond Charter Elementary-benito Juarez

Richmond Charter Elementary-Benito Juarez is a charter school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Richmond with a student body that is substantially Hispanic, and a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is stable across grades.

The school employs a direct-instruction academic model paired with a social-emotional curriculum and restorative-justice discipline approach. Every student receives a one-to-one Chromebook. This is a defined pedagogical pathway rather than a play-based or project-based elementary model, so the fit depends on whether families align with that instructional philosophy.

Academic performance, as measured by California state assessments, is low across the school. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from the mid-thirties across tested grades three, four, and five. In math, proficiency is lower, ranging from the low-twenties to mid-thirties across those grades. In fifth-grade science, proficiency is below that. When these results are averaged across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among districts in Contra Costa County.

State testing data for kindergarten through second grade are not administered, so the performance picture covers upper elementary only. The school has only one year of assessment data available, so trend information or change over time cannot be determined. The data provided do not include information about the school's English learner population or students with individualized education programs, which are important context for understanding how supports are distributed within the school.

A significant operational concern has emerged for families to weigh. The school shares a building with a middle school that was part of the same nonprofit operator network. That middle school's charter was not renewed in 2025 after documented financial troubles came to light, and oversight officials found that the operator was shifting some of the middle school's expenses onto Benito Juarez Elementary's budget. The school is operated by Amethod Public Schools, a network with reported high turnover in leadership and administrative staff. Benito Juarez itself faces charter renewal in 2027, a milestone that determines whether the school continues to operate. While state law prohibits charter denial based solely on academic performance indicators, the operator's demonstrated financial and governance instability across its network makes the renewal outcome a real consideration for families planning to enroll their children. A parent may want to look into this further with the school and district to understand the financial trajectory and operational stability outlook.

The school is located in Richmond's 94804 zip code, where median home values have declined modestly year-over-year and rental costs remain relatively stable. Median household income in the region is in the mid-range nationally, and unemployment is moderate.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 333%

School 33% · district not reported

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 427%

School 27% · district not reported

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 524%

School 24% · district not reported

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 335%

School 35% · district not reported

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 435%

School 35% · district not reported

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 539%

School 39% · district not reported

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Science

Grade 518%

School 18% · district not reported

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

This schoolDistrict average, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income36%Higher-income50%14 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income25%Higher-income19%6 pp gap