Riverside Unified
Riverside Unified has 37 ranked schools across elementary and high levels with an average Scope Score of 41.2/100 — 2.5 points below the California state average of 43.8. The highest-scoring school is Martin Luther King Jr. High at 62/100, where 22.9% of students exceed the state standard. The district spends $13,951 per student (below the state average of $14,815). 2 schools show positive growth trajectories. Chronic absenteeism averages 21.0%, above the state average. Data source: CDE CAASPP 2025 and NCES fiscal data, analyzed by SchoolScope.
| Level | Avg Score | Schools | Exceeded | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary | Developing 39.4/100 | 30 | 17.1% | 18.1% |
| High | Developing 49.1/100 | 7 | 12.4% | 33.8% |
K–12 pipeline
The typical school path in Riverside Unified, top-scoring shown first.
District Analysis
Strongest level: Riverside Unified's high schools lead the district with an average Scope Score of 49.1.
Growth story: District-wide elementary growth averages -4.1pp (state avg: -3.0pp), a negative trend that warrants attention.
Consistency: Score range of 38.3 points — showing significant variation between schools.
Absenteeism: District chronic absenteeism averages 21.0%, 2.9pp below the state average of 18.1%.
Suspensions: District suspension rate averages 3.2%, near the state average of 1.7%.
Top school: Martin Luther King Jr. High leads the district at 62 with 22.9% exceeding standard.
How we score · Scope Score methodology
School archetypes in Riverside Unified
Hidden gems: 7 schools in Riverside Unified are classified as On the Rise (5) or Growth Engine (2) — showing positive growth trajectories that raw proficiency scores alone don't capture. These are schools where students leave with more than they arrived with.
Archetypes are data-driven labels based on Scope Score dimensions. Learn more
Student demographics
District averages · California Department of Education enrollment data
District Funding
Riverside Unified spends $13,951 per student in current expenditures — $863 below the state average of $14,815.
Data source: NCES Common Core of Data, Fiscal Survey (F-33) · 2019–2020
Teacher compensation
CDE Form J-90 salary schedule · 2024–25
Elementary Schools (30)
Riverside Unified has 30 ranked elementary schools averaging a Scope Score of 39.4 — 4.4 points below the state average of 43.8.
Growth averages -4.1pp district-wide — a negative trend worth examining.
The highest-scoring elementary school is Benjamin Franklin Elementary with a Scope Score of 60 and 34.8% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benjamin Franklin Elementary Riverside Unified Strong All-Around | 34.8% | Solid 60/100 |
| 2 | Riverside Virtual Riverside Unified Growth Engine | 21.0% | Solid 55/100 |
| 3 | Tomas Rivera Elementary Riverside Unified Growth Engine | 30.3% | Solid 53/100 |
| 4 | John F. Kennedy Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 32.8% | Solid 52/100 |
| 5 | Magnolia Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 21.8% | Solid 51/100 |
| 6 | Mark Twain Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 26.6% | Developing 50/100 |
| 7 | Lake Mathews Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 31.7% | Developing 49/100 |
| 8 | Castle View Elementary Riverside Unified Culture First | 20.0% | Developing 47/100 |
| 9 | Pachappa Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 24.2% | Developing 46/100 |
| 10 | William Howard Taft Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 21.4% | Developing 42/100 |
| 11 | Patricia Beatty Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 18.2% | Developing 42/100 |
| 12 | Victoria Elementary Riverside Unified On the Rise | 13.6% | Developing 41/100 |
| 13 | Mountain View Elementary Riverside Unified Culture First | 15.9% | Developing 41/100 |
| 14 | Hawthorne Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 17.5% | Developing 39/100 |
| 15 | Monroe Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 17.6% | Developing 39/100 |
| 16 | Woodcrest Elementary Riverside Unified On the Rise | 15.1% | Developing 38/100 |
| 17 | Bryant Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 11.3% | Developing 37/100 |
| 18 | Adams Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 13.8% | Developing 37/100 |
| 19 | Jefferson Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 11.2% | Developing 34/100 |
| 20 | Fremont Elementary Riverside Unified On the Rise | 10.1% | Developing 32/100 |
| 21 | Alcott Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 12.2% | Developing 32/100 |
| 22 | Jackson Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 10.6% | Developing 32/100 |
| 23 | Madison Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 12.8% | Developing 32/100 |
| 24 | Highgrove Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 11.8% | Developing 31/100 |
| 25 | Harrison Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 15.5% | Developing 31/100 |
| 26 | Emerson Elementary Riverside Unified On the Rise | 8.0% | Developing 31/100 |
| 27 | Washington Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 11.2% | Developing 31/100 |
| 28 | Longfellow Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 8.0% | Needs Support 25/100 |
| 29 | Harada Elementary Riverside Unified On the Rise | 5.7% | Needs Support 24/100 |
| 30 | Liberty Elementary Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 8.2% | Needs Support 24/100 |
High Schools (7)
Riverside Unified has 7 ranked high schools averaging a Scope Score of 49.1 — 1.6 points near the state average of 47.5.
The highest-scoring high school is Martin Luther King Jr. High with a Scope Score of 62 and 22.9% exceeding standard.
| # | School | Exceeded | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martin Luther King Jr. High Riverside Unified Strong All-Around | 22.9% | Solid 62/100 |
| 2 | Polytechnic High Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 22.0% | Solid 60/100 |
| 3 | Arlington High Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 15.0% | Solid 55/100 |
| 4 | Ramona High Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 10.0% | Solid 53/100 |
| 5 | John W. North High Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 13.2% | Developing 50/100 |
| 6 | Raincross High (Continuation) Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 1.7% | Developing 35/100 |
| 7 | Abraham Lincoln Continuation Riverside Unified Building Momentum | 2.2% | Needs Support 29/100 |
Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2024-25 · Methodology
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
What Scope Scores can't tell you about Riverside Unified
- Class sizes and student-teacher interaction quality
- Quality of arts, music, athletics, and enrichment programs
- Teacher experience, turnover, and professional development
- Campus safety, bullying climate, and social-emotional support
- Parent and community engagement levels
- Quality of special education and gifted programs
- How resources are distributed across schools within the district
Scope Scores measure academic performance and school climate using public data. They are one lens among many. Full methodology