Riverside Preparatory, Oro Grande CA

Original Research by School Decision on Riverside Preparatory

Riverside Preparatory is a small charter school that spans kindergarten through grade twelve in Oro Grande, a rural desert community in San Bernardino County about an hour northwest of San Bernardino. The school serves roughly twenty-four hundred students across all grade levels, making it a substantial school for a place of Oro Grande's size and setting.

The charter is located on Third Street in Oro Grande, a sparse, car-dependent unincorporated community that straddles old Route 66 in the Mojave Desert. Oro Grande's character is shaped by a century-old cement plant and a cluster of antique shops and historic Route 66 buildings. The broader Victor Valley region around it is experiencing significant housing and logistics growth, but Oro Grande itself remains small and low-density. The community values its small-town anchors: the post office, schools, and surviving historic structures. Transit to the area is limited to Victor Valley Transit Authority bus service; the nearest commuter rail and intermodal hub is in Victorville, a short drive away.

Academically, Riverside Preparatory's state testing results reflect substantial challenge. In English language arts across tested grades, the overall proficiency rate sits in the lower portion of San Bernardino County districts. Performance varies by grade, with upper-elementary grades showing modest strength and middle school proficiency in the low-to-mid range, but math proficiency is notably low across all tested grades, clustered well below the county median. Science proficiency, measured in grades five and eight, is also low. These results position the school in the bottom quartile of county schools on overall proficiency. One data point worth noting: the school is new to state testing or has undergone recent changes in its testing data reporting, so trend comparisons across multiple years are not available; a parent may want to ask the school directly about enrollment patterns and recent initiatives that might explain the current performance picture.

The school's demographics reflect the broader Oro Grande community. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating widespread economic need. The student body is diverse, with large representation of Hispanic students, a significant Black student population, and smaller shares of white, Asian, American Indian, and Pacific Islander students. The enrollment grows noticeably in middle and high school grades, with smaller groups in the early elementary years.

The district recently posted a notice for adoption of new mathematics curriculum, with a public review window concluded in May 2026. This signals an intentional pivot toward more rigorous, standards-aligned math instruction. Beginning in fall 2025, the district also implemented universal dyslexia screening for kindergarten through second grade students, aligning with state law and aiming to identify reading risk early. Families can opt out in writing and receive screener results.

A meaningful enrollment note: Riverside Preparatory has historically been waitlisted due to demand exceeding available seats, particularly among families seeking a charter alternative to the standard district. In the 2025-26 school year, the district expanded capacity by hiring additional teachers and opening new seats. For families considering a move to the area or currently seeking charter enrollment, this expansion improves practical admission odds.

The community and housing context matters here. Median home values in Oro Grande's zip code are modest by California standards, several hundred thousand dollars below the state benchmark, and have edged upward modestly year-over-year. The broader Victor Valley is booming with new single-family homes and industrial development, and Adelanto, fifteen miles away, has been designated a Prohousing city. But Oro Grande itself remains quiet and small. For families drawn to a rural desert setting anchored by small-town schools and antique tourism, the location offers that directly. For families seeking urban amenities or suburban density, this is not the fit.

Riverside Preparatory presents as a small, locally-rooted charter with significant economic need among its students and substantial academic headwinds on state measures. The school's stated commitment to rigorous math and early literacy screening suggests institutional awareness of these challenges. The expansion in enrollment capacity reflects community demand and a vote of confidence from the district. For a family considering enrollment, the relevant questions are whether the school's charter mission and instructional approach align with their values, and whether they can support their student's learning given the current proficiency context. The school's website and a direct conversation with administration would be the best place to understand those specifics and any progress underway.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=95%Cohort of 140 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 322%

School 22% · district not reported

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 417%

School 17% · district not reported

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 518%

School 18% · district not reported

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

Grade 615%

School 15% · district not reported

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 713%

School 13% · district not reported

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

Grade 814%

School 14% · district not reported

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

English language arts

Grade 322%

School 22% · district not reported

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

Grade 422%

School 22% · district not reported

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

Grade 532%

School 32% · district not reported

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 635%

School 35% · district not reported

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

Grade 730%

School 30% · district not reported

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 830%

School 30% · district not reported

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

Science

Grade 526%

School 26% · district not reported

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

Grade 814%

School 14% · district not reported

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below 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-income20%Higher-income27%7 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income20%Higher-income27%6 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income32%Higher-income32%0 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income32%Higher-income46%14 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income29%Higher-income32%3 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income29%Higher-income38%9 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income19%Higher-income30%11 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income15%Higher-income23%8 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income17%Higher-income21%5 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income13%Higher-income21%7 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income14%Higher-income12%2 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income14%Higher-income16%2 pp gap