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Average

#3981 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 42% in state

Orion Alternative

Elementary School · Redwood City Elementary · Redwood City, CA

A Redwood City Elementary elementary school where students score 6 points below what's typical for similar communities.

555 Avenue Del Ora, Redwood City, CA 94063

  • Math 52% vs CA 39% (2024)
  • Reading 53% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 23.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.3Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data10
Annual Change-1.38 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.0Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency51.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency53.2% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+5.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+10.4 pts
Overall Proficiency52% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)59% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-6.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile57th
Resources & Environment7.7Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio23.1:1
District spending per student$20,911
Chronic Absenteeism20.6%

Students at Orion Alternative score 52% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 59%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency52%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
39%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency53%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 15 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 52% recently.

Show all 10 years
2009
Math
72%
ELA
62%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
72%
ELA
72%
2015
Math
47%
ELA
62%
2016
Math
57%
ELA
67%
2017
Math
47%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
47%
ELA
57%
2019
Math
47%
ELA
57%
2022
Math
48%
ELA
55%
2024
Math
52%
ELA
53%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 55% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 59% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 26 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

28%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Orion Alternative sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the San Francisco Bay Area map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 48Car-Dependent
  • Bike 49Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,120/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Redwood City), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$115,528

Median home value

$1,077,100

Median rent

$2,802/mo

College educated

35.1%

Homeownership

31.5%

Poverty rate

11.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 94063; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Redeemer Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–80.4 mi150Compare →
Redeemer Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition4.7privateK–80.4 mi207Compare →
Our Lady of Mt Carmel SchoolPrivate · tuition6.1privatePK–80.5 mi245Compare →
Rocketship Redwood CityCharter · enrollment unverified2.3K–50.5 mi314Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Redwood City Elementary

Schools in district
12
Rank in district
#6 of 12
District spending per student
$20,911NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Orion Alternative is listed in Redwood City Elementary; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Orion Alternative

Orion Alternative is a public elementary school in Redwood City, CA, part of Redwood City Elementary, serving approximately 461 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 23.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.8 out of 10 and ranks #3,981 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 55% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Orion Alternative

What grades does Orion Alternative serve?

Orion Alternative serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Orion Alternative?

Orion Alternative has an enrollment of approximately 461 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Orion Alternative?

The student-teacher ratio at Orion Alternative is 23.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Orion Alternative rank in CA?

Orion Alternative ranks #3,981 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Orion Alternative's MySchoolScout rating?

Orion Alternative has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.8 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Orion Alternative?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Orion Alternative has 55% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Orion Alternative a charter school?

No, Orion Alternative is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Orion Alternative a Title I school?

No, Orion Alternative is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Orion Alternative?

28.0% of students at Orion Alternative qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
461
Student-Teacher Ratio
23.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
20
Type
alternative
Setting
Small City
County
San Mateo County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.6%
Area population (ZIP 94063)
34,695
Area average commute
22.1 min
Area median age
33.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 94063; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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