The top reported proficiency rate is 80% in English language arts. The lowest is 72% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Wheatland Charter Academy
Wheatland Charter Academy serves kindergarten through fifth grade at Beale Air Force Base in Yuba County. The school is a regular public charter operating within the Wheatland school district.
The student body is small, with enrollment distributed across six grades. The population is economically diverse; a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is racially and ethnically mixed, with no single group forming a majority. Data on English learner enrollment and special education enrollment was not available.
On California's 2024-25 state assessments, the school showed strength in English language arts. In third grade, performance on the CAASPP was above the midpoint, and fourth-grade performance matched that level. In math, third-grade proficiency was in the solid range and fourth-grade performance improved. When averaged across all tested grades and both subjects, the school's overall proficiency index placed it in the top quartile relative to districts in Yuba County. Testing data for fifth grade was suppressed, likely due to small cohort size.
A parent may want to ask the school directly about the reasons for fifth-grade data suppression and whether the smaller enrollment at that grade level affects classroom composition or programming. The school's most recent trend data comes from the current year, so longitudinal performance patterns over time are not yet available.
Wheatland Charter Academy is physically located on an active-duty military installation. Beale Air Force Base is home to the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, the 940th Air Refueling Wing, and the 7th Space Warning Squadron, along with defense-contractor employment in intelligence and reconnaissance support. The base was selected in May 2025 for the Air Force's new Collaborative Combat Aircraft Aircraft Readiness Unit for unmanned aircraft development, a move publicly reported to bring new technology and investment to the region.
The broader district context includes an approved 2022 bond measure for high school facilities in the growing southern part of the district, including construction of a new Plumas Lake High School expected to open as enrollment projections near capacity at the existing high school by 2030. The Wheatland Union High School District (which serves grades nine through twelve, not this school) has also adopted the California Community Schools Partnership Program model, pairing academics with career technical education, dual enrollment, and after-school supports, a shift that has publicly reported gains in graduation rates and reductions in chronic absenteeism. Several subsequent facility bond measures have been defeated at the ballot, signaling ongoing funding constraints despite growth.
For families stationed at or connected to the base, this school offers a direct, on-base charter option for early elementary years. For others considering the area, the small size and military setting are defining characteristics. The academic performance in the tested grades is solid, though the suppressed data for fifth grade limits the full picture of elementary progression through the school.
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