Jackson Elementary, Riverside CA

Original Research by School Decision on Jackson Elementary

Jackson Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Riverside and draws a diverse student body, with nearly all students identifying as Hispanic and a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school enrollment sits at roughly the size typical for an elementary school across its grade span.

In state testing, Jackson Elementary's performance across math and English language arts is below the midpoint among the county's school districts. Proficiency in math ranges from around one-fifth to one-third of students depending on grade level, with third grade showing the highest rate and fourth and sixth grades the lowest. In English language arts, proficiency is similarly distributed, ranging from just over one-quarter to just over one-third. Science testing, administered only in fifth grade, shows proficiency at one-sixth of students. These results reflect meaningful academic challenges that a parent would want to discuss directly with school staff about how the school is addressing gaps and supporting students toward proficiency.

The district that operates Jackson Elementary, Riverside Unified, has recently adopted a coaching-driven instructional model aimed at identifying struggling students faster and removing learning barriers. Teachers receive support from district coaches trained in four core concepts, and about one-third of the district's educators have been trained on this approach so far. Early reported gains have appeared in both English and math, though the coaching initiative is federally funded and scheduled to conclude in 2028. This means Jackson Elementary's classrooms are likely shaped by this instructional shift, and families may see evolving teaching methods as the rollout continues.

The district also maintains an ethnic studies graduation requirement adopted locally in 2020, before California made it statewide. That local requirement remains in place after the district board voted in December to keep it despite budget pressures, shaping the course landscape for students who eventually reach high school. Additionally, the district has received voter-approved bond funding for facility upgrades and new construction, including a STEM Education Center, though a state audit found the district delivered fewer projects than initially planned due to rising costs and raised questions about transparency in how bond money was allocated.

Housing in the Riverside area includes both owner-occupied and rental markets. Home values in the zip code are moderate and have declined slightly year over year. Rents have risen modestly. Monthly mortgage payments remain substantial relative to local income levels, and renters typically allocate a meaningful share of household income to rent.

Jackson Elementary is a neighborhood elementary school with no specialized programs. State testing data for performance trends is available only for the current year, so longer-term progress trajectories are not available. Whether the school's recent engagement with the district's instructional coaching initiative will move performance results over time is something a parent could ask the school directly about.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 335%

School 35% · District 42% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 419%

School 19% · District 36% · ▼ 17 pts below district

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

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 33% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 620%

School 20% · District 32% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 41% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

Grade 426%

School 26% · District 42% · ▼ 17 pts below district

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

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 46% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

Grade 637%

School 37% · District 48% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 517%

School 17% · District 31% · ▼ 14 pts below district

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

This schoolRiverside 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.