The school that is known today as the American International School - Riyadh (AIS-R) has a well established history in Riyadh. It was first formed by parents in 1963 and served students from kindergarten through third grade with only 7 students enrolled. This school merged with another school in 1965 to form the Riyadh International Community School (RICS). In 1977, after several moves to accommodate increasing enrollment, the school opened on its present site. In 1982, the school name was changed to the Saudi Arabian International School - Riyadh (SAIS-R). The school has grown since its inception with a peak enrollment of 2,775 students occurring in the 1984/1985 school year. With the growth in enrollment came the expansion of curriculum, services, programs and grade levels. The school name was once again changed to its present name of AIS-R in 1999.