Rio Del Valle Middle, Oxnard CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Rio Del Valle Middle

Rio del Valle Middle sits in Oxnard, a city anchored in agriculture, manufacturing, and maritime trade that serves as Ventura County's largest population and commercial center. The city blends coastal location with suburban residential neighborhoods, historic downtown, and newer campus-style schools built on former farmland at the city's edges. Rio del Valle itself is a traditional middle school serving grades six through eight, part of the Rio Elementary School District, which recently passed a general obligation bond to fund classroom renovations, safety improvements, and new facilities including a new K-8 STEAM academy.

The school's academic performance shows below-average proficiency in core subjects. On the most recent state assessments, proficiency in English language arts across all grades averaged in the low-to-mid range, with sixth grade noticeably lower and seventh grade performing somewhat better. Mathematics proficiency is substantially weaker, hovering around one in five students across all three grades. Eighth-grade science proficiency, measured separately, is also low. On older data from social studies testing, proficiency was below a majority. Relative to other districts in Ventura County, the school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint of district performance. A parent may want to look into further what supports the school has in place for students working toward grade-level mastery.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting Oxnard's cultural composition. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating economic need is widespread in the enrollment. Data on the count of English learners and students receiving special education services were not available. The school enrolls a small number of students across all three grades, with relatively balanced distribution among sixth, seventh, and eighth grade.

Oxnard's housing market reflects broader Southern California trends. Home values in the area are moderate to high relative to national benchmarks, and monthly rent is a meaningful expense for renters, consuming a notable share of household income. The area is experiencing substantial new residential construction scattered across coastal, central, and developing north neighborhoods, with a mix of affordable and market-rate units. This growth creates both opportunity for new housing supply and ongoing development activity that shapes the community context.

The broader Rio Elementary district is undergoing structural change. Beyond the bond-funded facilities work, the district is shifting from a six-elementary-and-two-middle-school model toward a K-8 academy approach, including the new Rio del Sol K-8 STEAM academy designed around hands-on, inquiry-based learning. Rio del Valle Middle remains a traditional middle school within this transition, serving as a conventional grades-six-through-eight pathway while the district builds out alternative models elsewhere. Families choosing this school are entering a district actively reshaping its grade organization and instructional approach.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 620%

School 20% · District 22% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 718%

School 18% · District 19% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 23% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 627%

School 27% · District 36% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

Grade 741%

School 41% · District 39% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 37%

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

Science

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 18% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Social studies

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 40% · ▲ 4 pts above district

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

This schoolRio 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 6Lower-income26%Higher-income35%9 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income40%Higher-income48%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income34%Higher-income50%16 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income19%Higher-income25%6 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income17%Higher-income25%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income20%Higher-income33%13 pp gap