Emmerton Elementary, San Bernardino CA

Original Research by School Decision on Emmerton Elementary

Emmerton Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in a residential neighborhood on Arden Avenue in San Bernardino. It is a school serving a very high-poverty community. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Latino, with meaningful enrollment of Black students and smaller populations of Asian, white, and multiracial students.

The school's most recent state test results show below-grade-level performance across the curriculum. In English language arts, students in fifth grade performed better than those in third and fourth grade, with proficiency highest in the upper elementary. Math proficiency was lower across all tested grades. In the science assessment given to fifth graders, proficiency was similarly low. Overall, Emmerton's proficiency level sits below the midpoint among elementary schools in San Bernardino County on a comparative index of tested subjects and grades.

These are recent results from the 2024-25 school year, the first year available in the data. No prior-year results were provided, so trend information cannot be assessed. The school has not reported data on rates of students with individualized education plans or English learners, so the degree to which those populations shape instruction and support needs is not visible here. A parent may want to look into those details directly with the school.

San Bernardino itself is California's largest city by population within the state's largest county. The city contains distinct neighborhoods ranging from downtown's mix of single-family homes and apartment complexes to tree-lined mid-century residential districts and foothill areas. The downtown area, guided by a city-wide Specific Plan, is envisioning mixed-use development and residential infill. The University District surrounding California State University San Bernardino is experiencing ongoing development aimed at students and young professionals. Retail and commercial growth is also occurring in the Hospitality and Mountain districts. Housing values in the zip code are modest relative to state benchmarks, and rents are moderate; affordability is favorable compared to national standards. The local unemployment rate sits near historical norms.

Emmerton's parent district, San Bernardino City Unified, adopted a strategic framework called Vision 2030: SBCUSD SHINES in April 2024, which sets multi-year direction for academics, college and career readiness, equity, student wellness, and safe learning environments through 2030. The district has also built a lasting structural model around Linked Learning career pathways at the high school level, integrating college-prep academics with career-technical education and work-based learning. These frameworks define the priorities families can expect as their elementary students progress through the system.

For families considering Emmerton, the key questions are whether the school offers the academic supports and intervention needed to address the proficiency gaps evident in the testing data, and what specific programs or partnerships exist to prepare students for the district's career-pathway model once they reach secondary grades.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 329%

School 29% · District 31% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 426%

School 26% · District 23% · ▲ 3 pts above district

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

Grade 521%

School 21% · District 19% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 328%

School 28% · District 31% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 428%

School 28% · District 32% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 34% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 520%

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

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

This schoolSan Bernardino City 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.