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Below Average

#7877 of 9,539 schools in CA

Sierra Middle

Middle School · Riverside Unified · Riverside, CA

A Riverside Unified middle school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

4950 Central Ave., Riverside, CA 92504

  • Math 23% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 37% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 22.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.7Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.15 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.8Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency22.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency36.7% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-11.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-10.6 pts
Overall Proficiency30% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)42% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-12.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile30th
Resources & Environment5.7Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.6:1
District spending per student$17,005
Chronic Absenteeism28.9%

Students at Sierra Middle score 30% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 42%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency23%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency37%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 25 points since 2020, reaching 30% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
33%
ELA
43%
2010
Math
46%
ELA
51%
2011
Math
50%
ELA
59%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
52%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
23%
ELA
29%
2015
Math
23%
ELA
34%
2016
Math
20%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
21%
ELA
31%
2018
Math
21%
ELA
41%
2019
Math
21%
ELA
41%
2020*
Math
5%
ELA
5%
2021*
Math
5%
ELA
5%
2022
Math
19%
ELA
34%
2024
Math
23%
ELA
37%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 27% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 34 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

57.8%

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 Sierra Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 30Car-Dependent
  • Transit 34Some Transit
  • Bike 49Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,451/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Riverside), 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

$88,168

Median home value

$501,800

Median rent

$1,758/mo

College educated

21.1%

Homeownership

63.4%

Poverty rate

10.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92504; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Woodcrest Christian Day SchoolPrivate · tuition4.3privateK–121.2 mi1,115Compare →
California School for the Deaf-riversideEnrollment path unverified5.0K–121.8 mi323Compare →
Central MiddleEnrollment path unverified4.67–82.0 mi606Compare →
Matthew Gage MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.27–82.0 mi857Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

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

Riverside Unified

Schools in district
49
Rank in district
#42 of 48
District spending per student
$17,005NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Sierra Middle is listed in Riverside Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Sierra Middle

Sierra Middle is a public middle school in Riverside, CA, part of Riverside Unified, serving approximately 835 students in grades 7th-8th with a 22.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10 and ranks #7,877 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Sierra Middle

What grades does Sierra Middle serve?

Sierra Middle serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Sierra Middle?

Sierra Middle has an enrollment of approximately 835 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Sierra Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Sierra Middle is 22.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Sierra Middle rank in CA?

Sierra Middle ranks #7,877 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Sierra Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Sierra Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 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 Sierra Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Sierra Middle has 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Sierra Middle a charter school?

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

Is Sierra Middle a Title I school?

No, Sierra Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Sierra Middle?

57.8% of students at Sierra Middle 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
7th – 8th
Enrollment
835
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
37
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Riverside County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
28.9%
Area population (ZIP 92504)
57,085
Area average commute
31.4 min
Area median age
36.6
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 92504; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

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

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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