Serrano Elementary, Moreno Valley CA

Original Research by School Decision on Serrano Elementary

Serrano Elementary is a public school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Moreno Valley, a suburban city in Riverside County that has grown substantially over the past decade and continues to develop housing and commercial space. The school sits in a car-dependent, residential area of single-family homes interspersed with commercial and logistics corridors that define much of the Inland Empire landscape.

The student body reflects Moreno Valley's demographic makeup. The enrollment is nearly all Hispanic, with smaller populations of Black, White, and Asian students. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a community where most families face economic hardship. Data on the share of students learning English as an additional language and those receiving special education services was not available in the records reviewed.

Academic performance is a significant concern. In mathematics, proficiency rates across the tested grades are low, ranging from near zero in sixth grade to about a third of students in third grade. English language arts shows similarly limited proficiency, with tested grades clustering in the low-to-mid range. Science testing data was sparse; only fifth grade was assessed, and fewer than a quarter of students demonstrated proficiency. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Riverside County. Only one year of assessment data was available, so trend information was not present in the records, and a parent may want to look into the school's trajectory and any recent interventions with school leadership directly.

The school enrollment is small for an elementary building, with fewer than five hundred students distributed across seven grades. Kindergarten through second grade carry more students, while the upper grades taper notably. This distribution is typical for an elementary that may feed into a separate intermediate or middle school for grades seven and beyond.

Moreno Valley Unified, the parent district, approved a substantial school-facilities bond in November 2024, funded by a property-tax levy. This investment signals district-wide modernization and technology upgrades over the coming years, which may benefit school buildings and learning infrastructure, though it also represents an increase to property tax bills for homeowners.

The broader Moreno Valley context is one of active growth. The city is adding housing and jobs, with major employers including military, logistics, healthcare, and education sectors. The housing market shows modest home values and moderate rent relative to statewide norms, though affordability remains a consideration for many families. This is a community in transition, with civic infrastructure and commercial development expanding to serve population growth.

A parent considering Serrano would be looking at an elementary school in a high-poverty community with demonstrated low academic proficiency across core subjects. The school serves a predominantly Hispanic student population and sits within a district investing in facilities. Visiting the school, talking with current families, and asking what academic supports and improvement efforts are underway would help clarify whether the school's environment and approach fit a family's expectations and needs.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 331%

School 31% · District 31%

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

Grade 412%

School 12% · District 23% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 18% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 60%

School 0% · District 18% · ▼ 18 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 322%

School 22% · District 34% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

Grade 415%

School 15% · District 31% · ▼ 16 pts below district

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

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 36%

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

Grade 625%

School 25% · District 32% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 18% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

This schoolMoreno Valley 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.