Hillside Elementary, San Bernardino CA

Original Research by School Decision on Hillside Elementary

Hillside Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in San Bernardino, a diverse city of mixed residential and commercial neighborhoods that ranges from renter-heavy urban areas near downtown to mid-century residential districts and foothill areas. The school's enrollment is small relative to its grade span, with families distributed fairly evenly across early and upper elementary grades. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, white, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students.

On the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, Hillside's performance shows a clear pattern. English language arts proficiency holds steady across grades three through five, then strengthens in grade six. In math, performance declines progressively from third grade through fifth, then stabilizes slightly at grade six. Third-grade math proficiency is notably higher than fourth-grade, suggesting a step down in mastery as students encounter more complex material. Fifth-grade math proficiency dips further, with less than half of students meeting the standard. Science proficiency in grade five, the only tested year, falls just above the midpoint. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency sits in the top quartile among school sites across San Bernardino County's districts, a meaningful distinction that reflects relative strength despite the grade-by-grade variation in math.

The reading pathway from third through sixth grade is a source of consistency. Students maintain solid proficiency in grades three and four, hold roughly the same level in grade five, and then show measurable gains in grade six, where a clear majority meet the standard. The math trajectory warrants attention. Parents may want to ask the school directly about the curriculum, instructional approach, or support systems in place for grades four and five, where proficiency drops notably. Whether this reflects the natural difficulty of content progression, staffing or instructional shifts, or particular cohort needs is something the school can help clarify.

San Bernardino City Unified has adopted Vision 2030, a strategic plan setting multi-year direction across academics, college and career readiness, equity, and student wellness. At the secondary level, the district has built its high school model around Linked Learning career pathways that integrate college-prep academics with career-technical education and dual enrollment, with multiple Gold-certified pathways among the most in California. This district-level commitment to pathways and career readiness defines the environment into which Hillside's sixth graders will advance.

The neighborhood surrounding the school offers stable housing options. Home values in the area reflect modest recent movement, and rental housing is available, with monthly rent costs roughly comparable to the estimated monthly mortgage for home purchase. The housing market shows neither sharp appreciation nor decline, suggesting stability. San Bernardino itself is a major population and transportation hub with civic anchors including the Feldheym Library and a restored train station that serves as a cultural center, plus downtown retail and commercial growth underway.

State testing data by student demographic group was not available, so a parent cannot see how proficiency breaks down by race or ethnicity or English learner status at this school. The school's free-and-reduced-lunch enrollment is very high, placing it clearly within a high-poverty setting, but the specific support infrastructure, special education enrollment, English learner services, and school culture are matters for direct conversation with the school.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 376%

School 76% · District 31% · ▲ 44 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 23% · ▲ 32 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 543%

School 43% · District 19% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 647%

School 47% · District 24% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 372%

School 72% · District 31% · ▲ 41 pts above district

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

Grade 473%

School 73% · District 32% · ▲ 42 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 574%

School 74% · District 34% · ▲ 39 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 680%

School 80% · District 38% · ▲ 42 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 18% · ▲ 32 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 29 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 3Lower-income72%Higher-income73%0 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income75%Higher-income82%7 pp gap