Is Independence Charter Academy a good school?

Independence Charter Academy ranks in the bottom 8.8% of California alternative schools.

How many students attend Independence Charter Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 150 students attended Independence Charter Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Independence Charter Academy?

Students at Independence Charter Academy are 47% Hispanic, 39% White, 5% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% American Indian.

Independence Charter Academy

Summary:

Independence Charter Academy is an alternative public charter school located in Helendale, California, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 131 students. The school is part of the Helendale Elementary School District, which is ranked 933 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Independence Charter Academy has seen a significant improvement in its four-year graduation rates, increasing from 9.7% in 2018-2019 to 88% in 2021-2022, a notable achievement as the school's graduation rates were previously very low. However, the school continues to face challenges with academic performance, as its proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are generally lower than the state and local Helendale Elementary School. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 68.7% to 76.71% over the past three school years, suggesting the school serves a population with significant economic challenges.

When compared to nearby alternative schools, such as Mojave River Academy - Silver Mountain and Mojave River Academy - Route 66, Independence Charter Academy's recent graduation rates are higher, and its dropout rates and chronic absenteeism rates are lower. However, its academic performance is generally on par with or slightly better than these nearby alternative schools in the region.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

15350 Riverview Rd.
Helendale, CA 92342

(760) 952-1760

District: Helendale Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
2534^th of 2,777 California Alternative Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 23.5

Number of students: 150

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

46.7%

White:

39.3%

African American:

4.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 72%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Independence Charter Academy to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Independence Charter Academy is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2022 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.78. (See more...)

Compare Details Independence Charter Academy ranks worse than 91.2% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.33. (See more...)

Compare Details Independence Charter Academy ranks worse than 59% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.86. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Independence Charter Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (46.7%), White (39.3%), African American (4.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 72% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Independence Charter Academy is 23.5. (See more...)

Compare Independence Charter Academy employs 6.3 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2022 Rankings:

Independence Charter Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Charter Academy 2534^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Independence Charter Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Charter Academy 1371^st of 2323 California public high schools. (See Independence Charter Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Helendale Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Helendale Elementary 933^rd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Independence Charter Academy?

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Rank History for Independence Charter Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2017	8.73	5556^th	5692	2.4%
2022	16.78	5190^th	5883	11.8%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Independence Charter Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2017	7.92	2429^th	2508	3.1%
2018	5.64	2441^st	2480	1.6%
2021	17.60	778^th	894	13.0%
2022	15.10	2439^th	2740	11.0%
2023	19.13	2318^th	2802	17.3%
2024	13.33	2534^th	2777	8.8%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2021	19.15	649^th	721	10.0%
2022	15.45	2264^th	2458	7.9%
2023	17.72	2271^st	2549	10.9%
2024	13.91	2381^st	2575	7.5%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	21.81	1980^th	2527	21.6%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	13.94	2211^th	2359	6.3%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Independence Charter Academy

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Rank History for all high school students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2017	45.52	1113^th	2021	44.9%
2018	15.89	1584^th	2017	21.5%
2019	22.95	1555^th	2133	27.1%
2021	19.65	1033^rd	1290	19.9%
2022	18.83	1685^th	2123	20.6%
2023	23.83	1595^th	2348	32.1%
2024	31.86	1371^st	2323	41.0%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	13.24	1546^th	1862	17.0%
2021	25.08	866^th	1126	23.1%
2022	24.76	1449^th	1943	25.4%
2023	23.82	1573^rd	2247	30.0%
2024	28.24	1469^th	2235	34.3%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Homeless students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	27.68	301^st	417	27.8%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	13.58	1461^st	1760	17.0%
2022	17.36	1552^nd	1858	16.5%
2023	15.88	1696^th	2118	19.9%
2024	36.03	1192^nd	2098	43.2%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	14.44	1479^th	1834	19.4%
2019	22.08	1407^th	1880	25.2%
2021	21.72	892^nd	1122	20.5%
2022	21.28	1473^rd	1916	23.1%
2023	23.81	1503^rd	2207	31.9%
2024	23.93	1491^st	2172	31.4%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	15.47	1376^th	1742	21.0%
2019	9.79	1739^th	1814	4.1%
2022	25.08	1404^th	1861	24.6%
2023	15.86	1690^th	2142	21.1%
2024	28.72	1404^th	2125	33.9%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Independence Charter Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	7.25	1064^th	1173	9.3%
2023	9.03	1258^th	1434	12.3%
2024	25.29	984^th	1406	30.0%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Independence Charter Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2015	27	4	0	19	0	0	0	50
2016	47	8	0	29	1	0	3	88
2017	56	14	0	112	0	0	4	186
2018	69	16	0	88	0	0	4	177
2019	41	9	1	39	0	1	1	92
2020	45	7	0	50	1	1	1	105
2021	112	22	0	105	5	3	2	249
2022	83	17	0	103	5	2	8	218
2023	46	4	1	72	1	0	7	131
2024	59	7	4	70	3	1	6	150

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Independence Charter Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	50	2.0	25.0	54
2016	88	4.0	22.0	78.4
2017	186	7.7	24.0	69.4
2018	177	8.8	20.1	66.1
2019	92	3.6	25.2	53.3
2020	105	n/a	n/a	53.3
2021	249	9.7	25.5	76.7
2022	218	6.4	34.0	70.2
2023	131	7.1	18.2	68.7
2024	150	6.3	23.5	72

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Independence Charter Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	50	2.0	25.0	54
2016	88	4.0	22.0	78.4
2017	186	7.7	24.0	69.4
2018	177	8.8	20.1	66.1
2019	92	3.6	25.2	53.3
2020	105	n/a	n/a	53.3
2021	249	9.7	25.5	76.7
2022	218	6.4	34.0	70.2
2023	131	7.1	18.2	68.7
2024	150	6.3	23.5	72

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence Charter Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1555^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 1595^th of 2348 High schools	5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Independence Charter Academy)	8.3	0	8.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Helendale Elementary)	36	23.7	12.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	51.4	47.4	3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Independence Charter Academy)	0	8.3	8.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Helendale Elementary)	32	18.1	13.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (California)	37.9	33.2	4.7%
10th Grade Science (Independence Charter Academy)	12.5	25	12.5%
10th Grade Science (Helendale Elementary)	14.6	25	10.4%
10th Grade Science (California)	23.2	24.1	0.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Independence Charter Academy)	16.7	43.8	27.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Helendale Elementary)	57.9	40	17.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Independence Charter Academy)	8.3	6.3	2.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Helendale Elementary)	19.7	13.5	6.2%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	92	131	42.4%
African American	9	4	55.6%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	39	72	84.6%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	41	46	12.2%
Two or More Races	1	7	600%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.3%	68.7%	15.4%

Schools Near Independence Charter Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				CAST Science (2024)					Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)								% Completely Immunized (2022)	% DTP (2022)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	% Completely Immunized KG	% DTP KG	Total
Independence Charter Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	15350 Riverview Rd.	Helendale	92342	San Bernardino County	Helendale Elementary	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 952-1760	150	6	23.5	72.0%	59 (39.3%)	7 (4.7%)	70 (46.7%)	4 (2.7%)	3 (2.0%)	1 (0.7%)	6 (4.0%)								(n/a)		8.3			13.8						25.0	52.4	37.3						0.0	16.7	14.0
Riverside Preparatory	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	19121 Third St.	Oro Grande	92368	San Bernardino County	Riverside Preparatory District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 243-5884	2,401	114	21.0	80.1%	359 (15.0%)	413 (17.2%)	1,480 (61.6%)	35 (1.5%)	26 (1.1%)	20 (0.8%)	67 (2.8%)								(n/a)	25.0	10.3	15.8		15.8	15.6	30.7	30.9	25.9	33.7	23.6	54.6	31.1	18.0	21.2	13.9	9.8	12.2	8.0	11.4	12.6	97.0	97.0
Taylion High Desert Academy/Adelanto	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	11336 Bartlett Ave.	Adelanto	92301	San Bernardino County	Taylion High Desert Academy/Adelanto District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 843-6622	712	26	26.9	86.0%	65 (9.1%)	125 (17.6%)	470 (66.0%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.6%)	9 (1.3%)	35 (4.9%)								(n/a)	0.0	8.6			7.5	9.7	8.3	6.7	6.8	17.2	16.4	27.1	15.0	8.3	0.0	0.0	5.0	6.8	5.8	3.4	5.0
Academy for Academic Excellence	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	17500 Mana Rd.	Apple Valley	92307	San Bernardino County	Academy for Academic Excellence District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 946-5414	1,496	68	21.8	39.7%	607 (40.6%)	41 (2.7%)	673 (45.0%)	70 (4.7%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	101 (6.8%)								(n/a)	40.9	45.9	51.5		45.7	33.3	38.9	52.7	56.0	62.7	69.4	78.6	56.1	40.7	37.0	41.3	51.7	37.6	37.2	41.8	41.1	98.4	98.4
Mojave River Academy - Route 66	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	14554 Seventh St.	Victorville	92395	San Bernardino County	Mojave River Academy - Route 66 District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 245-3222	448	21	21.2	93.3%	61 (13.6%)	31 (6.9%)	309 (69.0%)	2 (0.4%)	4 (0.9%)	6 (1.3%)	32 (7.1%)								(n/a)	0.0	4.2	1.8	29.4	4.7	9.1		21.4	16.7	11.1	12.2	22.1	17.4	0.0		0.0	0.0	5.6	4.1	0.0	1.6
Mojave River Academy - Oro Grande	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	12384 Palmdale Rd.	Victorville	92392	San Bernardino County	Mojave River Academy - Oro Grande District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 245-3222	754	32	23.3	86.3%	139 (18.4%)	44 (5.8%)	523 (69.4%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	3 (0.4%)	32 (4.2%)								(n/a)	21.1	7.5	10.1	3.2	9.2	25.0	15.4	26.3	21.2	24.4	16.8	29.2	24.1	8.3	0.0	5.3	12.1	9.1	3.2	2.5	4.5
Mojave River Academy - Silver Mountain	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	2151 West Main St.	Barstow	92311	San Bernardino County	Mojave River Academy - Silver Mountain District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 245-3222	565	24	23.5	84.4%	154 (27.3%)	58 (10.3%)	308 (54.5%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.9%)								(n/a)	15.8	9.5	9.7	7.1	10.0	25.0	7.7	21.1	9.5	12.2	14.3	33.3	21.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	4.8	2.4	4.8	0.8	2.2
High Desert Premier Academy	Public, Alternative	K-12	21950 Nisqually Rd.	Apple Valley	92308	San Bernardino County	Apple Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 240-4252	284	13	22.3	81.0%	73 (25.7%)	23 (8.1%)	173 (60.9%)	5 (1.8%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.8%)								(n/a)			4.9		4.1							10.5	11.5							0.0	0.9			$93,475

Independence Charter Academy

Independence Charter Academy:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Helendale Elementary:

What do you think?

Rank History for Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for all middle school students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for middle school Male students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for all high school students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for high school Homeless students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for high school Female students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for high school Male students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Independence Charter Academy

Rank History for high school White students at Independence Charter Academy

Enrollment information for Independence Charter Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Independence Charter Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Independence Charter Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence Charter Academy

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Independence Charter Academy

Frequently Asked Questions about Independence Charter Academy

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