The top reported proficiency rate is 56% in Science. The lowest is 47% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Centennial Elementary
Centennial Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade in Orem, part of the Alpine School District. The school sits on the east side of the city, a suburban setting that has grown from Orem’s farming origins into a place defined by commercial corridors, Utah Valley University, and a largely auto-oriented layout. At roughly the size you would expect for an elementary school serving this many grade levels, Centennial draws from a surrounding area where home values have risen well above what you find statewide or nationally, and rents have climbed even faster. For a family looking at Orem, the housing market is an active consideration.
State testing results offer a mixed but generally solid picture. On the RISE assessments, math and science proficiency rates were the stronger subjects, with science notably higher than the other two. English language arts came in a bit lower, at just under half of students meeting the proficiency bar. It is worth noting that the most recent reading results are from a different school year than the math and science figures, so a direct comparison should account for that timing gap. Aparent may want to ask the school about year-to-year trends in reading. Across all tested subjects combined, Centennial’s proficiency index lands above the midpoint when set against the other districts in Utah County. That places it among the stronger performers in a large and diverse county, though not at the very top of the range.
The student body is diverse in some respects and less so in others. More than half the students are white, with a substantial Hispanic population making up about a quarter of the enrollment. Smaller shares of students identify as multiracial, Pacific Islander, Asian, Black, or Native American. Roughly a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a figure that aligns with the broader economic mix of Orem. The school did not report data on students with disabilities or English learners, so a family with children in those categories would want to follow up directly with the school about support services.
Centennial is a traditional public school, not a charter or magnet. It operates within Alpine District, which is currently the largest school district in Utah and in the midst of a historic reorganization. In November 2024, voters approved a plan to split Alpine into three separate districts beginning in the 2027–28 school year. Centennial Elementary will belong to the new South district, which will include Orem, Vineyard, Lindon, and Pleasant Grove. New school board members will be elected in 2025, and boundary maps have already been approved by the county commission. Any family moving into the area or planning for the next few years should be aware that the governance, tax structure, and possibly school boundaries will change before the 2028 school year. The district’s current administration remains in place until that transition.
The neighborhood around Centennial is suburban in character. Side streets connect to major arterials like State Street, and the interstate is close by. Orem’s parks system is an asset, with several large parks and a trail network, and the SCERA Center for the Arts provides cultural programming. Utah Valley University’s campus is a short drive away and functions as both an employer and an amenity. The city’s population has edged slightly downward in recent years after a long period of growth, but the university continues to expand.
For a family weighing options, Centennial Elementary offers a stable academic environment with proficiency rates that place it comfortably in the middle-to-upper tier among its county peers. The strongest results are in math and science. The school’s size is large for an elementary, which may appeal to families who want more social diversity and program variety, though options were not listed in available data. The most significant factor to track over the next two years is the district split, which will change the administrative structure overseeing the school. For now, Centennial operates under the same district leadership as schools across Alpine County, and its own identity as a neighborhood school serving pre-K through sixth grade remains intact.
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