Arroyo Verde Elementary, Highland CA

Original Research by School Decision on Arroyo Verde Elementary

Arroyo Verde Elementary is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade school in Highland serving a student body of roughly mid-sized enrollment, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student population is diverse: roughly half Hispanic, with meaningful shares of white, Asian, and Black students, and a small number of Pacific Islander and Native American students. English learner and special education enrollment data were not available from the source.

On the most recent California state assessments, the school shows uneven performance across grades and subjects. In English language arts, proficiency varies considerably by grade: third grade is at the lower end, fourth grade sits near the midpoint, and fifth grade is substantially stronger. In mathematics, the school faces more consistent challenges, with proficiency declining as grades progress, particularly dropping in fifth grade. Science proficiency in fifth grade was below the mathematics level. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other schools in districts across San Bernardino County, a meaningful strength that reflects the school's standing despite the grade-level variation.

The school is part of Redlands Unified School District, which serves the eastern portion of Highland in San Bernardino County. The Redlands area is a foothill community in the Inland Empire with a varied housing stock spanning older ranch homes, newer master-planned developments, and manufactured housing. The region is primarily car-dependent, with commercial and retail activity spread across multiple nodes rather than concentrated in a single downtown. Master-planned growth is ongoing, with multiple residential developments approved or under way. The Yaamava' Resort and Casino at San Manuel is the region's dominant employer, though warehouse and logistics jobs are also widespread.

The district has recently approved a substantial school facilities bond and, separately, has enacted policies around library materials and flag displays on school property that reflect evolving positions on curriculum and identity issues. A parent evaluating Arroyo Verde may want to look into these district-level shifts further with school leadership to understand how they align with their own expectations and values.

The housing market in Highland's zip code sits near the national median home value and shows modest year-over-year appreciation. Monthly rent is moderate, and renting is generally more affordable than buying in this market, though both rent and mortgage payments represent a meaningful share of household income. Unemployment in the region is stable at a low level.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 341%

School 41% · District 45% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Grade 442%

School 42% · District 41% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 532%

School 32% · District 33% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 341%

School 41% · District 45% · ▼ 4 pts below district

even with state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 449%

School 49% · District 49% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 558%

School 58% · District 51% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Science

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 35% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

This schoolRedlands 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income38%Higher-income46%9 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income43%Higher-income58%16 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income83%37 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income34%Higher-income52%18 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income38%Higher-income47%9 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income38%9 pp gap