Reach Academy Elementary, Oakland CA

Original Research by School Decision on Reach Academy Elementary

Reach Academy Elementary sits in East Oakland on Bancroft Avenue, serving kindergarten through fifth grade in a neighborhood with substantial economic hardship. Virtually all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment is small. The school's student body is predominantly Latino, with a significant Black population and smaller shares of other communities.

State test results from the most recent year show proficiency rates well below what the state expects. In math, proficiency ranges from roughly one in ten students in fifth grade to about one in four in third grade. In English language arts, the pattern is similar, with proficiency ranging from about one in six students to about one in five. Science proficiency in fifth grade is also low. Across tested subjects and grades, Reach Academy's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among school districts in Alameda County. These results reflect real academic gaps that a parent should understand as a starting point for any school visit or conversation with the principal.

The school is part of Oakland Unified, a large urban district serving the city of Oakland. Oakland itself is a diverse, walking-friendly city organized around downtown, Lake Merritt, and distinct residential neighborhoods ranging from the walkable Rockridge and Temescal corridors to hillside areas and the industrial waterfront. The city has shifted away from market-rate development toward affordable housing in recent years. The area around Bancroft Avenue is less dense than downtown or the commercial strips; it is a quieter, more residential east Oakland setting where the school serves its immediate neighborhood.

Beyond the academic proficiency data, the data provided does not include information on staffing, discipline, attendance, chronic absenteeism, special education or English learner support rates, attendance policies, or specific instructional approaches. These are areas a parent may want to look into further with the school directly. The school does not report graduation rate, grade retention, or suspension data in the available records, which is typical for elementary schools. A parent visiting should ask what academic supports are in place for students working below grade level, how the school approaches reading and math instruction, and what parent involvement looks like.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 326%

School 26% · District 36% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

Grade 418%

School 18% · District 33% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Grade 510%

School 10% · District 28% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 319%

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

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

Grade 420%

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

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 36% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 41 pts below county median

Science

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 25% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

This schoolOakland 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.