The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Math. The lowest is 35% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Verdi Elementary
Verdi Elementary sits in the small community of Verdi, Nevada, a census-designated place on the western edge of the Reno metro area just shy of the California state line along Interstate 80. The town grew up around the railroad and timber trade in the 1860s and still carries a quiet, small-community character. Commercial life clusters at the freeway interchanges rather than a traditional main street, with two casinos and a Cabela's serving travelers crossing into Nevada. The Truckee River runs through the area, and Crystal Peak Park offers open space along its banks. Residents are car-dependent, with most daily needs requiring a drive and many adults commuting east to Reno for work. The community has an established, owner-occupied residential base with high homeownership, and no major new housing developments or growth projects surfaced in publicly available sources. The area experienced an earthquake swarm in recent years, which is an environmental factor worth knowing about for anyone considering putting down roots here.
The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the Washoe County School District. Enrollment is small for its grade band, and the student body is predominantly white, with a smaller Hispanic presence and very few students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds. A notably low share of students qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which places this school far from the economic mix found in many Nevada public schools. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so the picture of special populations is incomplete here. A parent may want to ask the school directly about special education and English-learner services to understand what support looks like in practice.
Academic results from the most recent state assessments are a genuine strength in math and English language arts. Proficiency in math is well above what most Nevada schools post, and English language arts results are similarly strong, with the large majority of tested students meeting or exceeding standards. Participation rates are solid. Science results, by contrast, are notably weaker, with a smaller share of students reaching proficiency. Science is tested only in fifth grade at this level, so fewer students sit for that exam, but the gap between science and the other two subjects is wide enough that a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what drives it and how science instruction is handled.
Because Verdi Elementary ends at fifth grade, it has no graduation rate, no high school course offerings, and no AP or career-pathway data. Those measures simply do not apply to a school serving this age range. We looked for the district's recent curriculum or strategic priorities through publicly reported sources and found little usable detail, so we left that out rather than guess.
The housing market around Verdi is expensive. Typical home values run well above both the Nevada and national benchmarks, and the monthly cost of owning easily outpaces renting here. Rents are more moderate than purchase prices, but the price-to-income ratio is steep. For families weighing a move, the cost of living is a real consideration alongside the academic picture. The community offers a quiet, spread-out setting with river access and freeway convenience to Reno, but little in the way of walkable amenities or a traditional town center. Families drawn to a small school with strong core academic results and a homogeneous peer environment may find Verdi Elementary a good fit, while those seeking greater socioeconomic diversity, robust special-population reporting, or a more urban setting may want to weigh those trade-offs.
See more original research from School Decision →