Richardson Prep Hi Middle, San Bernardino CA

Original Research by School Decision on Richardson Prep Hi Middle

Richardson PREP HI Middle is a middle school serving grades six through eight in San Bernardino. It enrolls a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits in a city that is a mix of residential and commercial neighborhoods, with downtown redevelopment underway and a visible university district anchored by California State University San Bernardino.

The school's academic performance across recent state testing is notably strong. In English language arts, students across all grades showed proficiency at healthy levels, with the sixth grade reaching roughly mid-to-high eighties and the eighth grade also reaching mid-eighties. In mathematics, the sixth and seventh grades posted performance in the low-to-mid eighties, while eighth grade jumped to a much higher level. Science proficiency at eighth grade, measured by California's science test, sits lower than the humanities and math, at roughly the mid-sixties. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile among districts in San Bernardino County, a county-wide comparison showing the school is performing above the median in its region.

The school's test results reflect what appears to be a successful academic environment, particularly in the upper grade levels and in language arts and mathematics. Science proficiency is a relative soft spot; a parent interested in STEM might want to discuss with the school what science support and enrichment looks like and whether gains are being made in that area.

San Bernardino City Unified, the district serving this school, adopted Vision 2030: SBCUSD SHINES as its strategic plan in April 2024, setting multi-year direction around academics, college and career readiness, equity, and safe learning environments. The district has built a substantial commitment to Linked Learning career pathways at the high school level, integrating academics with career-technical education and work-based learning. While this is a middle school and feeds into that ecosystem, it signals the district's intentional focus on preparing students for options beyond traditional four-year college paths.

Richardson PREP HI Middle's location on South K Street places it in central San Bernardino. The city itself is the largest in San Bernardino County and contains distinct neighborhoods ranging from downtown mixed-use development and dense residential areas near downtown to mid-century tree-lined districts and foothill areas. Housing costs in the zip code are moderate relative to state benchmarks, with median home values well below the state average. Rental costs are also moderate, though rising. The economic context shows a stable unemployment rate and median household income at the national level.

No recent discipline data, attendance or chronic absenteeism rates, special populations counts, or staffing detail are available for this school, leaving those dimensions of the school environment unconfirmed. The school serves a population with high needs as measured by lunch eligibility, and a parent considering this school might seek clarity on what interventions, supports, and resources are in place to serve students at different proficiency levels and to close any gaps in science and mathematics.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 682%

School 82% · District 24% · ▲ 58 pts above district

▲ 52 pts above state median · ▲ 59 pts above county median

Grade 780%

School 80% · District 24% · ▲ 56 pts above district

▲ 50 pts above state median · ▲ 60 pts above county median

Grade 891%

School 91% · District 23% · ▲ 68 pts above district

▲ 63 pts above state median · ▲ 72 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 685%

School 85% · District 38% · ▲ 47 pts above district

▲ 41 pts above state median · ▲ 46 pts above county median

Grade 788%

School 88% · District 38% · ▲ 50 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 50 pts above county median

Grade 887%

School 87% · District 39% · ▲ 47 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 51 pts above county median

Science

Grade 864%

School 64% · District 22% · ▲ 43 pts above district

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 866%

School 66% · District 37% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income84%Higher-income95%11 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income86%Higher-income96%10 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income86%Higher-income96%10 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income82%Higher-income84%3 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income79%Higher-income89%10 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income91%Higher-income91%0 pp gap