Renaissance at Mathson, San Jose CA

Original Research by School Decision on Renaissance at Mathson

Renaissance at Mathson is an alternative middle school serving grades six through eight in San Jose's Alum Rock Union Elementary district. The school houses a small enrollment distributed fairly evenly across the three grades.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share of students from Asian backgrounds and very small numbers from other racial and ethnic groups. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, marking this as a school serving economically stretched families. Data on special education enrollment and English learner populations were not available.

The academic picture requires direct attention. On the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress in English language arts, proficiency rates range from the lower to upper twenties across the three grades, with eighth grade somewhat higher. Mathematics proficiency is considerably lower, in the single digits at sixth grade and rising only modestly to under one-fifth by eighth grade. Science proficiency at eighth grade, the only tested grade in that subject, is similarly low. These numbers place the school in the bottom quartile when compared to other schools serving districts across Santa Clara County. A parent weighing this school should understand that most students are not meeting grade-level standards in tested subjects. The school does not report trend data across multiple years, so the direction of movement is unclear.

Renaissance at Mathson is positioned as an alternative school, which typically means it serves students who have not thrived in traditional classroom settings, face attendance or behavioral challenges, or benefit from a smaller, more personalized learning environment. The alternative designation itself does not explain the low proficiency outcomes, but it does signal that the school's population and approach may differ from a conventional middle school. A parent may want to look into further with the school what its specific mission and pedagogical approach are, what support systems it offers, and how it measures student progress beyond state testing. It would also be worthwhile to understand whether proficiency growth over the course of a school year or cohort is occurring even if absolute proficiency levels are low.

San Jose's housing market is expensive, with home values well above the state average and rents rising. The city itself is a sprawling patchwork of neighborhoods ranging from dense downtown with tech offices and new residential towers to suburban single-family areas. The broader economy is driven by technology employers. For families in the school's catchment area, affordability is likely a significant constraint.

The school itself sits on Kammerer Avenue in a residential part of San Jose. No additional information about its physical plant, facilities, or specific program offerings was available.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 69%

School 9% · District 19% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

Grade 719%

School 19% · District 18% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 819%

School 19% · District 16% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 625%

School 25% · District 28% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Grade 726%

School 26% · District 33% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 834%

School 34% · District 30% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Science

Grade 821%

School 21% · District 18% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

This schoolAlum Rock Union Elementary, 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 6Lower-income17%Higher-income65%48 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income21%Higher-income58%37 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income28%Higher-income67%39 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income6%Higher-income29%24 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income14%Higher-income46%32 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income12%Higher-income56%44 pp gap