Introduction
Riverside County stretches from the suburban neighborhoods of the Inland Empire all the way out to the desert communities of the Coachella Valley, and the range of strong elementary schools across the region reflects just how much this area has grown. Over the past decade, cities like Eastvale, Temecula, and Murrieta have become magnets for families specifically because of their schools — and the data backs that reputation up.
The schools on this list all rank in the 84th percentile or higher compared to elementary schools across California, meaning they're genuinely outperforming the vast majority of the state. Whether you're relocating to the area, rezoning within a district, or just trying to figure out where your family fits best, these ten schools are worth knowing about.
1. Clara Barton Elementary — Corona-Norco Unified, Eastvale
Clara Barton Elementary sits at the top of our Riverside County rankings with an overall score in the 89th percentile, and it earns that spot across the board — 91st in English, 88th in Math, and 87th in Science. Eastvale has become one of the most sought-after communities in the Inland Empire for young families, and Clara Barton is a big part of why. Families who prioritize consistent, well-rounded academic performance without a single obvious weak spot will feel right at home here.
2. Temescal Valley Elementary — Corona-Norco Unified, Corona
Temescal Valley Elementary leads the entire list in English with a 92nd percentile score, and its 88th percentile overall makes it one of the most competitive elementary schools in the county. Located in the growing western Corona area near the Temescal Valley communities, this school draws families who tend to be deeply involved in their children's literacy development. The strong Math score (88th percentile) tells you this isn't a one-subject school — it's genuinely strong across the core academics.
3. Abby Reinke Elementary — Temecula Valley Unified, Temecula
Temecula Valley Unified consistently produces some of the top schools in Riverside County, and Abby Reinke Elementary is a great example of why. Scoring in the 87th percentile overall — with 88th in English, 86th in Math, and 87th in Science — Reinke shows the kind of balanced profile that reassures parents who don't want to gamble on one subject being a weak point. Families in South Temecula who want a neighborhood school with a strong academic foundation and community feel tend to gravitate here.
4. Cole Canyon Elementary — Murrieta Valley Unified, Murrieta
Cole Canyon Elementary represents Murrieta Valley Unified well, posting an 87th percentile overall ranking with a particularly impressive 89th percentile in Science — the second-highest Science score on this entire list. English (87th) and Math (86th) are rock solid too. Murrieta families who value STEM exposure alongside strong core academics will find a lot to like here, and the school has a reputation for attracting engaged, community-oriented parents.
5. George Washington Charter — Desert Sands Unified, Palm Desert
George Washington Charter is the standout school of the Coachella Valley on this list, and its 92nd percentile Science score is the highest of any school here — a genuinely impressive achievement. Its 87th percentile overall ranking, with 86th in English and 85th in Math, shows that the strong Science performance isn't coming at the expense of other subjects. As a charter school within Desert Sands Unified, it appeals to families in the Palm Desert area who are looking for a more intentional academic environment and are willing to seek it out rather than defaulting to their nearest neighborhood school.
6. Susan B. Anthony Elementary — Corona-Norco Unified, Corona
Susan B. Anthony Elementary earns an 86th percentile overall ranking and leads with a strong 91st percentile in English — matching Clara Barton at the top of the list for reading and writing performance. Math (83rd) and Science (82nd) are solid, though families who place a particularly high premium on literacy and language arts will find this school especially compelling. It's another example of Corona-Norco Unified's consistent strength across its Corona and Eastvale campuses.
7. Red Hawk Elementary — Temecula Valley Unified, Temecula
Red Hawk Elementary rounds out a strong showing for Temecula Valley Unified with an 86th percentile overall score and an especially impressive 89th percentile in Science. English (86th) and Math (84th) are both well above average statewide. Red Hawk tends to appeal to Temecula families who are looking for a school where kids are challenged across multiple disciplines, and the school's science performance in particular stands out as something parents in the community talk about with real pride.
8. Eastvale Elementary — Corona-Norco Unified, Eastvale
Eastvale Elementary scores in the 85th percentile overall, with 86th in English and 85th in Math showing real strength in the core academic subjects. The Science score (79th percentile) is the one area where it trails some of its neighbors, but it's still well above the state average. For families already living in Eastvale who want a strong neighborhood school without the charter school search process, Eastvale Elementary delivers consistent results and sits in one of the most family-friendly communities in the Inland Empire.
9. Philistine Rondo School of Discovery — Corona-Norco Unified, Eastvale
The Philistine Rondo School of Discovery brings a distinctive identity to this list — the name alone signals that this isn't a traditional neighborhood elementary. Scoring in the 84th percentile overall, with 85th in English and 84th in Math, it holds its own academically while offering what is clearly a more exploratory, discovery-oriented approach to learning. Families who want strong academics but are also drawn to schools with a unique educational philosophy and culture will want to look closely at what Rondo is doing.
10. Alamos Elementary — Temecula Valley Unified, Murrieta
Alamos Elementary ties for the 9th spot with an 84th percentile overall ranking, with 86th in English, 83rd in Math, and 80th in Science. Despite its Murrieta address, it's part of Temecula Valley Unified — a district that shows up four times on this top-ten list, which says a lot about the district's overall quality. Alamos is a strong option for families in the northern Temecula/southern Murrieta corridor who want the consistency of TVUSD without necessarily living closer to the district's other top schools.
How We Rank Schools
Every school on The School Advocate is ranked using student performance data from California's standardized assessments. Our overall percentile score is calculated using a weighted formula: English counts for 40%, Math counts for 40%, and Science counts for 20%. We weight English and Math equally as the twin pillars of foundational academic success, while Science gets meaningful weight because it increasingly matters for long-term academic trajectories — but we don't let it overpower the core subjects. Percentile scores tell you how a school compares to every other elementary school in California, so an 89th percentile school is genuinely outperforming 89% of the state.
Compare Schools Yourself
Rankings are a great starting point, but every family's priorities are different. Maybe Science scores matter more to you than they do to someone else, or maybe you're trying to decide between two schools that are close in the overall rankings but pull ahead in different subjects. Head over to theschooladvocate.com/compare to build your own side-by-side comparisons and dig into the subject-level data that matters most to your family.
Top Elementary Schools
| Rank | School | District | City | English | Math | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clara Barton Elementary | Corona-Norco Unified | Eastvale | 91 | 88 | 89 |
| 2 | Temescal Valley Elementary | Corona-Norco Unified | Corona | 92 | 88 | 88 |
| 3 | Abby Reinke Elementary | Temecula Valley Unified | Temecula | 88 | 86 | 87 |
| 4 | Cole Canyon Elementary | Murrieta Valley Unified | Murrieta | 87 | 86 | 87 |
| 5 | George Washington Charter | Desert Sands Unified | Palm Desert | 86 | 85 | 87 |
| 6 | Susan B. Anthony Elementary | Corona-Norco Unified | Corona | 91 | 83 | 86 |
| 7 | Red Hawk Elementary | Temecula Valley Unified | Temecula | 86 | 84 | 86 |
| 8 | Eastvale Elementary | Corona-Norco Unified | Eastvale | 86 | 85 | 85 |
| 9 | Philistine Rondo School of Discovery | Corona-Norco Unified | Eastvale | 85 | 84 | 84 |
| 10 | Alamos Elementary | Temecula Valley Unified | Murrieta | 86 | 83 | 84 |