The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on American River Collegiate Academy
American River Collegiate Academy is a small, young public charter school in Orangevale serving kindergarten through fourth grade, with plans to expand one grade level per year as it matures. The school is part of the Rocklin Academy Family of Schools and uses the Core Knowledge curriculum, a standards-based, content-rich pedagogical model that anchors instruction in specific grade-level topics across language arts, history, geography, mathematics, science, and the fine arts aligned to California standards. This curriculum defines the academic experience at the elementary level and prepares students for the college-preparatory, AP-focused pathway of the broader network's upper grades.
The school's test results show math proficiency at about the midpoint among Sacramento County districts, with proficiency across tested grades and subjects overall placing it in the top quartile of the county. In third grade, proficiency in math was better than in English language arts, while fifth grade showed notably lower performance in both subjects, particularly in ELA. Science proficiency in fifth grade fell below the county median. For a school in its early years of growth, these results are mixed: the overall position reflects strength in math instruction, but the decline in upper grades and lower ELA results warrant attention from families considering enrollment, particularly if they have older elementary students.
Enrollment is small at roughly a little over one hundred students, distributed across five grades from kindergarten to fourth grade, which creates tight class sizes. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student population is predominantly white and multiethnic, with roughly a quarter Hispanic, a sixth multiracial, a small Asian population, and smaller shares of Black students. The school has not reported rates for students with disabilities or English learners, a data gap common in small schools where such counts are suppressed for privacy.
A defining characteristic of American River Collegiate Academy is its facility instability. The school has operated from temporary classroom buildings at its Hazel Avenue location in Orangevale, and multiple plans for a dedicated permanent campus have fallen through: a proposed new building on an Antelope Road site in nearby Citrus Heights was abandoned in late 2022, and a subsequent plan to relocate to a Citrus Heights office facility for the 2024-25 school year did not materialize, reportedly due to funding challenges. Families considering the school should understand that it remains in temporary facilities and that future stability of the campus is unresolved. The school's rapid growth, adding one grade annually, is also a defining feature that affects class composition and available resources year to year.
Orangevale itself is a semi-rural, car-dependent residential community about twenty-five miles northeast of Sacramento, known for large wooded lots, Craftsman ranch-style homes, and properties that historically accommodated orchards and horses. Housing values are in the low to mid-range for the region, and the community has limited commercial development outside the Greenback Lane retail corridor. Schools are dispersed neighborhood campuses rather than clustered in a civic center, and civic life centers on parks and the recreation district rather than a downtown. Growth in Orangevale has been incremental infill of former orchard land rather than large-scale new development, making it a stable, quiet residential setting with limited urban amenities nearby.
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