The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 24% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Aspire Monarch Academy
Aspire Monarch Academy is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade charter school located in East Oakland, serving a small enrollment of around four hundred students. The school sits within the Aspire Public Schools network, a group of charter schools operating across the Oakland area. The immediate neighborhood is predominantly residential, with Aspire Monarch positioned on 101st Avenue in the 94603 zip code.
The student body is substantially homogeneous by race and ethnicity. The overwhelming majority of students are Hispanic, with very small populations of Black, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and multiracial students, and no Asian or white students currently enrolled. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic need in the school's enrollment base.
State testing data from the most recent year shows academic performance that sits below the midpoint among Alameda County charter and district schools. Across all tested grades and subjects, proficiency rates cluster in the low to mid range. In mathematics, third graders showed proficiency around one in four; fourth graders achieved proficiency closer to one in seven; fifth graders reached proficiency around one in three. In English language arts, third and fourth graders showed proficiency near or below one in five, while fifth graders improved to proficiency closer to one in two. In science, tested only at grade five, proficiency was near one in four. The school has only one year of recent assessment data available, so trends cannot be measured. A parent may want to look into the school's instructional approach and any support systems the school has in place to help students progress toward grade-level standards, particularly in the lower grades where proficiency gaps are wide.
Aspire Monarch is part of a network that has experienced significant structural changes and authorizer disputes in recent years. In 2025, the district approved a merger of two elementary Aspire schools, consolidating operations. Additionally, Aspire Golden State Preparatory Academy, an Aspire secondary school, had its charter renewal denied by both Oakland Unified School District and the Alameda County Office of Education in 2026, creating uncertainty about high school continuation for families within the Aspire Oakland network. The network previously experienced the closure of Aspire ERES Academy in 2021 after a district-mandated enrollment freeze. These developments signal that families choosing Aspire schools in Oakland should understand that charter authorizer decisions can affect school continuity and long-term pathways.
The school serves Oakland, a diverse, walkable city organized into distinct residential and commercial neighborhoods anchored by downtown, Lake Merritt, and robust transit including BART and AC Transit. East Oakland, where Aspire Monarch is located, includes neighborhoods such as Fruitvale, known for immigrant-owned businesses and food markets, and residential areas with more modest housing costs than Oakland's hilltop or waterfront zones. Housing values in the 94603 zip code are below the California state benchmark, and rental costs have ticked upward modestly year-over-year. Oakland's development pipeline has shifted from market-rate construction toward affordable housing, with several large affordable projects underway and in the planning phase, reflecting the city's effort to build more inclusive housing stock.
Aspire Monarch Academy does not have a graduation rate because it does not serve high school grades. English learner and special education enrollment counts are not available in the data. Parents seeking enrollment at Aspire Monarch should contact the school directly for information about services, curriculum, and enrollment criteria, and should understand that the school operates within a charter network that has faced enrollment and renewal pressures in Oakland in recent years.
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