Orion Alternative

419 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

Orion Alternative School, located in Redwood City, California, is a unique K-8 public school that operates on a philosophy of "parent participation." Unlike traditional district schools, Orion functions as a collaborative community where parents are expected to take an active role in their child’s education. This hands-on approach allows families to be directly involved in classroom activities, extracurricular programs, and school governance, fostering a tight-knit environment that emphasizes partnership between educators and parents to support the holistic development of each student.

The school is known for its progressive, student-centered approach to learning, which prioritizes critical thinking, social-emotional growth, and hands-on discovery over standardized testing. By integrating multi-age classrooms and project-based learning, Orion encourages students to take ownership of their education in a supportive, inclusive atmosphere. Its mission is to cultivate not only academic success but also the curiosity, empathy, and community-mindedness necessary for students to thrive in a diverse and changing world.

419

Total Students

19.0

Full-Time Teachers

22.0

Student/Teacher Ratio

33.9%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Orion Alternative
Demographic	Student Count
White	84
Hispanic	155
Black	6
Asian	86
Two or More	83
Pacific Islander	5

Hispanic
155 (37.0 %)
Asian
86 (20.5 %)
White
84 (20.0 %)
Two or More
83 (19.8 %)
Black
6 (1.4 %)
Pacific Islander
5 (1.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Alternative School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	Redwood City Elementary
Phone:	(650)482-2412
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	419
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	19.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	22.0
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Provision 2
Qualified Free Lunch:	112
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	30

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 119

Grade 1 73

Grade 2 58

Grade 3 70

Grade 4 51

Grade 5 48