Sage Oak Charter School - South, Redlands CA

Original Research by School Decision on Sage Oak Charter School - South

Sage Oak Charter School - South is a kindergarten through 12th-grade charter school in Redlands, California, serving a student body that spans all grade levels from early childhood through high school. The school enrolls a modest population and maintains a notably diverse demographic profile. White and Hispanic students each represent roughly two-fifths of enrollment, with smaller shares of two-or-more-races, Black, Asian, and other groups. About two-fifths of the student body qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income enrollment.

On state assessments in math and English language arts, the school's performance is mixed by grade level. In the upper elementary grades, math proficiency runs in the low-to-mid range, with fifth grade notably weaker than third and fourth. By middle school, math proficiency stabilizes in the mid-40s range. English language arts shows a different pattern: students struggle more in the lower elementary grades, but proficiency climbs steadily from fifth grade onward, reaching notably stronger levels by eighth grade. Science proficiency, tested only in fifth and eighth grades, stands around the midpoint in fifth grade and noticeably higher in eighth. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it in the top quartile of districts in San Bernardino County, a meaningful strength that reflects stronger relative standing in the county context.

The broad enrollment spread from kindergarten through 12th grade is itself an organizational choice. Younger grades carry more students than older ones, with kindergarten enrollment substantially larger and secondary grades considerably smaller. This structure means the school serves a wide developmental range under one roof, though testing data provides only limited visibility into how well the school serves high school students. No graduation rate data was available, so understanding secondary outcomes requires direct conversation with school staff.

Redlands itself is a city anchored by a walkable downtown with preserved historic districts, tree-lined streets, and a mix of civic institutions including the A.K. Smiley Public Library, the Civic Center, and the University of Redlands. The economy relies heavily on health care, education, government, and retail, with Esri, a major software company, adding a tech presence. Housing markets in the area remain mid-range for California, with home values higher than the national benchmark but below the state average. The city has pursued measured growth for decades under voter-approved limits on density and has recently rezoned parcels to encourage moderate-income housing, though permits for new units have fallen short of state-mandated targets. For families considering this school, understanding enrollment patterns by grade, learning more about course offerings and pathways in the high school years, and examining how the school supports transitions across its wide span would strengthen your sense of fit.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=50%Cohort of 6 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 346%

School 46% · district not reported

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 446%

School 46% · district not reported

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 523%

School 23% · district not reported

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 645%

School 45% · district not reported

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

Grade 749%

School 49% · district not reported

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Grade 843%

School 43% · district not reported

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

English language arts

Grade 343%

School 43% · district not reported

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 451%

School 51% · district not reported

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

Grade 556%

School 56% · district not reported

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

Grade 661%

School 61% · district not reported

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

Grade 760%

School 60% · district not reported

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 870%

School 70% · district not reported

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Science

Grade 541%

School 41% · district not reported

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

Grade 854%

School 54% · district not reported

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 34 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-income35%Higher-income49%14 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income68%35 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income60%Higher-income54%6 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income73%Higher-income55%18 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income50%Higher-income65%15 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income39%Higher-income52%12 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income28%Higher-income63%35 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income7%Higher-income33%27 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income36%Higher-income50%14 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income25%Higher-income61%36 pp gap