The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in Math. The lowest is 54% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Riverside Elementary School
Riverside Elementary is a regular public school in the Sioux City Community School District, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Because the school ends at fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and the academic measures available are drawn from the state assessments given in grades three through five.
On those state tests, Riverside’s results present a mixed picture. In math and English language arts, the school’s proficiency rates sit above the midpoint among elementary schools in its district and county, though still below the median for the county overall. Science proficiency is a clear soft spot, with a notably lower share of students meeting the bar on the state science assessment, which is administered in fifth grade. A parent considering the school would likely want to ask the principal or teacher team what support the school offers in science instruction and whether there are targeted interventions or curriculum changes underway. The participation rate on the science test was high, so the result is not an artifact of low turnout.
The student body is diverse. Roughly half of the students are white, about a third are Hispanic, and the remainder come from a mix of Black, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a student population with significant economic need. The school does not appear to report its count of students on individualized education plans or English learner status in the available data, so a family whose child receives those services should ask the school directly about staffing ratios and program availability for special education and English language development.
The school is located on the northern side of Sioux City. Housing values in the surrounding area are somewhat below the state average, though they have risen noticeably in the past year. The county unemployment rate is at a moderate level, and national mortgage rates are in a typical range, which together suggest a housing market that is not out of reach for many working families. Compared to the state median home value, this area offers a lower entry point for buying a home, though the recent appreciation means affordability is tightening.
Riverside is not a charter or magnet school; it is a neighborhood elementary school within a larger district. The district itself turned up little in the way of major strategic changes or transitions in recent research, so a family may want to check with the district office for any upcoming boundary adjustments, program shifts, or budget developments that could affect the school indirectly. For now, what is visible is a school that performs reasonably well in the core elementary subjects of reading and math, with a science result that warrants a closer look, serving a mixed-income, diverse community in an affordable corner of Sioux City.
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