Alice Birney Elementary, Colton CA

Original Research by School Decision on Alice Birney Elementary

Alice Birney Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Colton, a mid-sized logistics and healthcare hub in the Inland Empire. The school enrolls about that size across its grades, with the vast majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and the student body predominantly Hispanic, reflecting Colton's demographic makeup.

Test results show marked academic difficulty. In the most recent state assessments, proficiency across mathematics and English language arts ranged from very low single digits in some grades to around one-fifth to one-quarter in others. Science proficiency was similarly constrained. Across all tested subjects and grades, Alice Birney sits in the bottom quartile among districts in San Bernardino County on overall proficiency. State testing data from prior years was not available, so the trend picture is incomplete; a parent may want to ask the school directly about where performance stands and what interventions are in place.

The school is a regular public elementary, not a charter or magnet program. It sits on East Olive Street in the city core. Alice Birney is part of Colton Joint Unified, which in November 2024 won voter approval for a substantial school facilities bond, the district's first new bond authorization in many years. The bond targets repairs and modernization of aging neighborhood schools, many of which were built long ago. This represents a multi-year property-tax commitment for homeowners and signals district-level investment in facility upgrades, though funding flows to schools over time rather than immediately.

Colton itself is a tight-knit community with strong railroad and logistics heritage. The city's older core near downtown, where Alice Birney is located, is substantially more walkable than the sprawl-prone areas on the periphery. Housing has been rising steadily and remains below the state average, though rents are climbing. The city has seen notable new residential development with townhome and mixed-use projects in recent years, and public services include the Colton Public Library and several parks. Transit options within Colton are limited; bus service exists but regional Metrolink does not stop in the city itself.

For a family considering Alice Birney, the core question centers on academic support. The school's test results indicate that students are facing significant headwinds in core academics. Parents should connect directly with the school to understand the curriculum, instructional approach, and specific supports available for students who are behind. The facility bond signals district commitment to physical plant improvement, but that unfolds over years and does not immediately address classroom instruction or tutoring capacity.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 319%

School 19% · District 31% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

Grade 412%

School 12% · District 26% · ▼ 14 pts below district

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

Grade 59%

School 9% · District 16% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

Grade 617%

School 17% · District 22% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 32% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 420%

School 20% · District 34% · ▼ 13 pts below district

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

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 33% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 627%

School 27% · District 36% · ▼ 10 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 56%

School 6% · District 17% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 16 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.