Sierra Ridge Middle, Pollock Pines CA

Original Research by School Decision on Sierra Ridge Middle

Sierra Ridge Middle is a public middle school serving grades five through eight in Pollock Pines, a rural mountain community in the El Dorado County foothills. The school's most recent state testing data shows proficiency that falls in the bottom quartile relative to districts across the county.

In English Language Arts, just over a third of students scored at proficient or above. Performance was strongest in seventh grade and lowest in sixth grade. In math, proficiency was lower, with roughly a quarter of the entire school reaching that mark. Fifth and sixth graders showed the most limited proficiency in math; seventh and eighth graders performed somewhat better, though still at modest levels. Science testing, when administered in fifth and eighth grades, showed proficiency rates in the low thirties. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grade levels places it in the bottom quartile among the county's districts.

The school enrolls a small to mid-sized student body. About half qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic makeup of the rural foothill community. The enrollment is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic students and other racial and ethnic groups. Data on the number of English learners and students with disabilities was not available.

Sierra Ridge is one of two schools in Pollock Pines Elementary School District, the other being Pinewood Elementary. In November 2024, voters approved a bond measure to renovate and modernize both campuses, which are over four decades old. The bond will fund classroom renovations, roof and infrastructure repairs, plumbing and accessibility upgrades, playfield improvements, and technology. This represents a lasting property tax increase for families in the district.

The broader community is a dispersed, car-dependent mountain residential area gateway to the Sierra Nevada, built around subdivisions rather than a compact downtown. Most residents own their homes. Commercial activity centers on Highway 50 and Pony Express Trail. Sly Park Recreation Area at Jenkinson Lake, about an hour away, anchors outdoor life; the Pollock Pines-Camino Community Center and local library serve civic needs. Public transit to Placerville is available via El Dorado Transit. Housing values in the area are moderate and relatively stable. The population appears to have leveled off or begun a slow decline in recent years after rapid growth in prior decades.

A parent considering Sierra Ridge should focus on the school's current academic performance and whether the school's academic support systems match their student's needs. The bond measure passed and upcoming renovation work may bring facility improvements over time. For families choosing among county options, the school's position in state testing results warrants direct conversation with staff about how the school approaches reading and math instruction and about available support programs.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 20%

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

Grade 619%

School 19% · District 18%

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

Grade 736%

School 36% · District 36%

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

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 33%

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 538%

School 38% · District 38%

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

Grade 630%

School 30% · District 30%

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

Grade 744%

School 44% · District 44%

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

Grade 835%

School 35% · District 35%

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

Science

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 29%

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 832%

School 32% · District 32%

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 841%

School 41% · District 41%

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

This schoolPollock Pines Elementary, 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 5Lower-income33%Higher-income41%8 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income24%Higher-income34%10 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income23%Higher-income61%38 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income27%Higher-income43%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income12%Higher-income28%16 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income17%Higher-income20%3 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income14%Higher-income54%40 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income18%Higher-income47%29 pp gap