Madison Elementary, Riverside CA

Original Research by School Decision on Madison Elementary

Madison Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Riverside, enrolling a school population that is predominantly Hispanic and includes a substantial share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits within Riverside Unified, a mid-sized urban district that serves the city and surrounding areas.

On state assessments in math and English language arts, Madison's results show uneven performance across grade levels. In third grade, proficiency in math and English sits in the mid-range; by fourth grade, both subjects dip notably lower. Fifth grade math proficiency falls to its lowest point across all tested grades. Sixth grade shows partial recovery in English language arts but math proficiency remains below third-grade levels. Science proficiency, tested only in fifth grade, is similarly low. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among Riverside County's districts, though this reflects a narrow comparison group; most districts in the county show low proficiency overall. For context, only one point of data exists across both subjects and all grades, so parents cannot yet observe whether performance is improving or declining year to year.

The school serves about its expected enrollment for an elementary school of this size, with relatively balanced distribution across grades. Housing in the 92504 zip code where Madison sits is moderately priced; median home values reflect a more affordable segment of the region, and rent is correspondingly accessible. The area appears economically mixed but solidly working-class; families would find homeownership feasible compared to California's state average, though mortgage rates and economic conditions affect affordability significantly.

Riverside Unified has made deliberate moves to reshape classroom instruction. The district hired coaches and trained a substantial portion of its teaching staff in an evidence-based instructional model aimed at identifying struggling students earlier and removing learning barriers. Early reports indicate academic gains in English and math, though this coaching initiative is federally funded and scheduled to conclude in 2028, so the long-term sustainability of any gains is uncertain. The district also maintains an ethnic studies graduation requirement that it voted to preserve in late 2025 despite budget pressures; while that applies to high school pathways, it signals the district's educational priorities.

On facilities, Riverside voters approved a bond measure for school construction and upgrades including a STEM Education Center. A state auditor's report found, however, that the district delivered fewer projects than initially planned due to rising costs and shifted priorities, and raised concerns about inconsistent reporting on how bond funds were allocated. A parent may want to look into current and planned facility work at Madison specifically with the school or district.

Madison's demographic composition is largely Hispanic with smaller populations of white, Black, and Asian families. Special population enrollment counts for students with individualized education programs and English learners were not available, so a parent seeking that detail should contact the school directly. The school's location on Madison Street puts it in an urban neighborhood; whether it has particular programmatic strengths, clubs, or community partnerships beyond the district's instructional initiatives is not evident from available data.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 347%

School 47% · District 42% · ▲ 4 pts above district

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

Grade 435%

School 35% · District 36% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 33% · ▼ 13 pts below district

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

Grade 640%

School 40% · District 32% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 341%

School 41% · District 41% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 435%

School 35% · District 42% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 530%

School 30% · District 46% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Grade 656%

School 56% · District 48% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Science

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 31% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 1 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income39%Higher-income62%23 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income44%Higher-income69%26 pp gap