ðə tˈɑːməs bˈiː. fˈɔːɹdæm ˈɪnstɪtˌuːt dᵻskɹˈaɪbz ɹˈɪvɚdˌeɪl æz ˈeɪ "pˈʌblɪk pɹˈaɪvət skˈuːl", mˈiːnɪŋ ɪɾ ɪz ɐ pˈʌblɪk skˈuːl ðæt sˈɜːvz "vˈɜːtʃuːəli nˈoʊ pˈʊɹ stˈuːdənts", wɪð tˈuː.fˈoːɹɾi sˈɪks pɚsˈɛnt ʌv stˈuːdənts lˈoʊ ˈɪŋkʌm, ænd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks pɚsˈɛnt ʌv stˈuːdənts bˌiːɪŋ wˈaɪt.
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute describes Riverdale as a "public private school", meaning it is a public school that serves "virtually no poor students", with 2.46% of students low income, and 96% of students being white.