The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in English language arts. The lowest is 20% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mentone Elementary
Mentone Elementary is a small school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in an unincorporated community on the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains. Its enrollment is small, with roughly equal cohorts across grades. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, and a large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the Mentone area.
Academic performance across the school is below the state's proficiency standards. In English language arts, roughly between a third and half of tested students in grades three through five meet proficiency across the recent year, with grade four performing near the middle of that band and fifth grade lower. In math, proficiency drops more steeply, with roughly a third of students meeting standard in grade three, falling to about a third in grade four and a quarter in grade five. Science proficiency at fifth grade is substantially lower, under a quarter of students. When averaged across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency sits above the midpoint among other schools in San Bernardino County, a positioning that reflects relative rather than absolute strength and one a parent may want to examine more closely. The school has only one year of testing data available, so trend information is not yet present.
The school offers band and orchestra at the elementary level, providing students with structured music instruction. Beyond these offerings, the data does not detail other courses, enrichment programs, special education, English learner support, or other specialized pathways the school may provide, so a parent may want to visit or contact the school directly for a fuller picture of its academic and support infrastructure.
Mentone itself is a semi-rural, multi-generational community of roughly four to five thousand residents, with a tight-knit feel and a heritage in citrus agriculture. The town is car-oriented and relies on state highway 38 (Mentone Boulevard) as its main thoroughfare, with modest commercial activity and a few locally popular restaurants. A county library combined with a senior center anchors civic life, and the nearby mountains offer hiking and biking trails that draw residents and visitors. The area is experiencing active new residential construction, with single-family subdivisions under development and new homes marketed to builders and families, a sign of growth momentum.
Housing in the 92359 zip code is substantially below state benchmarks, with prices roughly a third of the state median and rents proportionally lower. For a household with median income for the region, the housing cost is within national norms but not trivially small. The broader regional economy is shaped by logistics, manufacturing, and warehousing across the Inland Empire, though Mentone itself is small. Employment among residents spans health care, construction, and educational services, with many local job openings in warehouse and distribution roles.
The school is part of Redlands Unified School District, a larger district serving multiple communities. In November 2024 voters approved a substantial facilities bond that will fund campus safety upgrades, modernization, and repairs across district schools, including new secure entry vestibules, perimeter fencing, and HVAC work. This represents a new property tax on district homeowners that families moving into the area would carry. More recently, in August 2025 the board approved a revised library materials policy allowing formal challenges and removal of books, and in July 2025 it approved a policy limiting flags on school property to the U.S. and California flags. Both moves reflected a 3-2 board vote and signal shifts in district policy on curriculum and identity-related issues that families may want to review when considering the school and district.
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