Paul Rogers Elementary, Colton CA

Original Research by School Decision on Paul Rogers Elementary

Paul Rogers Elementary is a traditional public school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Colton, a mid-sized Inland Empire city shaped by its role as a logistics and transportation hub. The school sits in a community with a tight-knit, family-oriented character, anchored by civic institutions like the public library and several parks, though car dependence is the norm outside the older downtown core.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with the vast majority of families qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic composition of the neighborhood. The enrollment is stable and typical for an elementary school serving this grade span, with slightly more students in the upper grades.

State assessment results show persistent academic challenges across the school. In English language arts, proficiency rates range from around a third of students in grades three through six meeting state standards. Mathematics performance is notably lower, with proficiency declining sharply in grades four and five, hovering around a fifth of students or fewer, before recovering modestly in grade six. Science proficiency, measured in fifth grade, stands at a low level. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it below the midpoint among elementary schools across San Bernardino County districts.

The data available does not include measures of chronic absenteeism, detailed special populations data such as English learner or special education identification rates, or staffing ratios. These gaps are common in the data reported for elementary schools but would be worth exploring with the school directly if they are factors in your decision. The school's performance, taken as a whole, suggests it serves a student population facing real academic headwinds that require sustained, targeted support.

Colton Joint Unified, the parent district, recently secured voter approval for a major school facilities bond in November. This represents the district's first new bond in over a decade and aims to address aging facilities across neighborhood schools, with many structures built decades ago. The bond carries a property-tax cost for homeowners and signals the district's commitment to facility improvements, though the academic progress trajectory at Paul Rogers itself would merit close conversation with school leadership about their instructional priorities and the specific supports available to students.

Housing in Colton is moderately priced relative to California standards but remains a meaningful commitment, and the city is experiencing active residential growth with new construction underway. For families considering this school, the question is whether the academic supports and instructional intensity align with their children's needs.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 31% · ▲ 12 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 416%

School 16% · District 26% · ▼ 10 pts below district

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

Grade 511%

School 11% · District 16% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 620%

School 20% · District 22% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 32% · ▲ 8 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 34% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 531%

School 31% · District 33% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 635%

School 35% · District 36% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 17% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

This schoolColton Joint Unified, 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.