Gold Rush Home Study Charter, Sonora CA

Original Research by School Decision on Gold Rush Home Study Charter

Gold Rush Home Study Charter is a kindergarten-through-twelfth-grade public charter school located in Sonora serving a student population of moderate size. The school operates as a home study program, which shapes the academic and social environment fundamentally.

On standardized state assessments, the school shows uneven performance across subjects. In English language arts, students demonstrate moderate proficiency, with some grade levels performing better than others; fifth and sixth grade stand out with stronger results. Mathematics proficiency is lower and declines noticeably in the upper middle grades. Science proficiency, where measured, falls below the English language arts results. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the other districts in Tuolumne County, though the baseline for comparison reflects the county's own performance landscape.

The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller Latino enrollment and very limited representation of other racial and ethnic groups. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting economic challenges in the enrollment. Data on students receiving special education services and English learners were not available from the sources reviewed, so a parent may want to reach out directly to the school about its capacity and services in those areas.

As a home study charter, the school's operational model differs from traditional brick-and-mortar school. Enrollment is small across most grade levels, and the learning structure centers on home-based instruction with school support, which appeals to families seeking an alternative to conventional classroom settings. This model requires significant parental engagement and may work well for students who benefit from personalized pacing and flexible scheduling, but it is not a fit for families expecting daily in-school attendance or intensive peer interaction.

The school spans all grade levels from kindergarten through twelfth grade within one enrollment, which is less common and may mean shared resources and staff across a wide developmental range. Specific information about course offerings, extracurricular programs, or advanced pathways was not available in the data reviewed. A parent considering this school should contact the administration directly to understand the curriculum breadth, support services, and how the school structures instruction across its mixed age groups.

Housing values in the surrounding area are below the state benchmark, reflecting the rural and historically mining-based character of the region. The economic context shows a stable but modest labor market, which aligns with Tuolumne County's economic profile.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=95%Cohort of 65 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 336%

School 36% · district not reported

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

Grade 436%

School 36% · district not reported

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 532%

School 32% · district not reported

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 637%

School 37% · district not reported

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 735%

School 35% · district not reported

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 823%

School 23% · district not reported

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 345%

School 45% · district not reported

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 439%

School 39% · district not reported

▼ 3 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 559%

School 59% · district not reported

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 663%

School 63% · district not reported

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 741%

School 41% · district not reported

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

Grade 844%

School 44% · district not reported

even with state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 546%

School 46% · district not reported

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 840%

School 40% · district not reported

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above 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 3Lower-income64%Higher-income29%35 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income31%Higher-income47%16 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income41%Higher-income77%35 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income20%Higher-income65%45 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income29%Higher-income41%13 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income31%Higher-income40%9 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income12%Higher-income53%41 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income27%Higher-income20%7 pp gap