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Albany Middle · Albany

Albany Middle: High scores, healthy climate, strong attendance. We looked for a catch — we didn't find one.

Albany posts 43.1% exceeding the standard — versus 16.8% statewide — with climate numbers better than most. That doesn't make it perfect. It makes it worth a visit to find what numbers can't measure.

1259 Brighton Avenue, 94706 (opens in new tab)·Albany City Unified·Albany·Grades 6-8·911 students·31% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(510) 558-3600·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope7043
% Exceeded43%17%
% Met+73%39%
Growth-2.4+1.5
Absence9.9%18.5%
Suspension2.4%3.7%
Scope Score
70
🌱 Building Momentum · Strong
ranked #142 statewide

Albany Middle scores 70 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 94th percentile of 2,238 California middle schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).

Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →

🌱 Building Momentum — This label means the data doesn't clearly sort the school one way or the other — ask what the school is proud of, and what it's working on.

Most rating sites would stop at “73% proficient” and call it done. Albany deserves a closer read. The school sits in Albany, where one in four students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Albany's low-income kids hit 65.0% proficiency in ELA — a number the same group reaches at 38.2% statewide. If you're trying to read past zip-code-driven test scores, that's the signal worth weighing.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Has held the 94th-percentile line every tested year since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 73% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 683%75%71%74%80%
Grade 778%81%79%74%79%
Grade 876%74%78%78%74%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 674%66%64%66%67%
Grade 767%70%65%67%66%
Grade 872%63%66%69%68%

The story this school is actually telling

The school, grade by grade

ELA · CAASPP 2024–25

Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.

42%
38%
20%
Grade 6 · 80% proficient
42%
37%
21%
Grade 7 · 79% proficient
36%
39%
25%
Grade 8 · 75% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 6.4pp across grades; the floor slips 5.3pp. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

65.0%
Low-income · ELA · met standard

Albany's most underrated number

65.0% of low-income students met the ELA standard — versus 38.2% for the same group statewide. That's the strongest kind of signal a school can post: it holds across income lines.

Albany low-income: 65.0%State low-income: 38.2%

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
43.1%
State 16.8%
26.3pp above state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-2.4pp
State +1.5pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
72.5%
State 39.3%
33.2pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
9.9%
State 18.5%
8.7pp below state avg
Suspension rate
2.4%
State 3.7%
1.2pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
29.2%
State 18.0%
11.3pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what the school is working on next. Strong numbers tell you where a school is, not where it's going.

  • Ask what changes between grade 6 and grade 8 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • Ask whether extra support — tutoring, counseling, small groups — reaches kids across income lines, not just the students already ahead.
  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Albany Middle in Albany, 65.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 63.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Albany Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (49.3% Math proficient); Asian students (81.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 53.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 274 students tested.

All students at this school: 73% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 73%, district —, state 39%73%
MaleMale: this school 69%, district 71%, state 42%69% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 76%, district 74%, state 44%76% · +3 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 78%, district 76%, state 72%78% · +5 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 57%, district 57%, state 32%57% · −16 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 82%, district 81%, state 56%82% · +9 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 79%, district 76%, state 56%79% · +6 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 52%, district 56%, state 32%52% · −21 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 28%, district 36%, state 15%28% · −44 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 28%, district 29%, state 11%28% · −44 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 34%, district 40%, state 26%34% · −39 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 100%, district 100%, state 65%100% · +27 vs school
American Indian/Alaska NativeAmerican Indian/Alaska Native: too few students to report‹11
HomelessHomeless: too few students to report‹11
Military-ConnectedMilitary-Connected: too few students to report‹11
this school district, same group California, same group
Subgroup growth by grade

Change in proficiency from the lowest tested grade — which groups gain ground the longer they stay. Groups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.

Low-income student ELA proficiency falls by 2.9pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -2.9pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 9.9%, district 9.7%, state 18.5%9.9% · −8.7pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 2.4%, district —, state 3.7%2.4% · −1.2pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–69.5%
Grades 7–89.8%

Where the path goes

The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.

K-12 Feeder Path

Feeder patterns derived from NCES attendance boundary data. Boundaries are approximate and may have changed — verify with your school district for current assignments.

The people teaching here

Context — never part of the Scope Score
Student : teacherStudent to teacher ratio: this school 20:1, district 22:120:1
Teaching staff52 teachers
Avg. experience11.1 years
First-year teachers13%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$61,136 – $120,016
Principal salary$176,600 – $196,183
Superintendent salary$255,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $17,622, CA average $14,815$17,622 · spent at this school
Federal share$341 per student

$341 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$18,118 per student

The district's current expense of education per student, from CDE's annual SACS filing — the freshest district spending figure the state publishes.

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction63%
Instruction support11%
Student services7%
Administration8%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other1%

District-level, from the district's own SACS general-ledger filing — school-by-school breakdowns aren't published by the state.

district detail, 2016–2020 — the newest published
2020$14,094 per pupil
2019$13,448 per pupil
2018$13,548 per pupil
2017$13,596 per pupil
2016$12,881 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Asian31.5%
District 30.5% · CA 10.2%
Other23.6%
District 23.7% · CA 9.0%
White22.3%
District 24.3% · CA 19.9%
Hispanic18.1%
District 17.7% · CA 56.1%
Black4.5%
District 3.8% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 30.7% (33pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$143K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.20M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+78% · CA 35%
ZIP population19,969
Median age39 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 60% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Albany Middle a good middle school?

Albany Middle has a Scope Score of 70 out of 100, placing it in the 94th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #142 statewide. 43.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 26.3 percentage points above the California average of 16.8%. The Scope Score weights 6 dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (38%), grade 6-to-8 growth (27%), met or exceeded (proficient) (20%), chronic absenteeism (5%), suspension rate (5%), and ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.

What are Albany Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 72.5% of students at Albany Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 43.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 29.4% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 43.1% pushed past it. Most rating sites report only the combined "proficient" number. SchoolScope surfaces the exceeded-vs-met split because it reveals whether a school's curriculum challenges students beyond minimum proficiency or paces toward it. 1,773 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Albany Middle rank in California?

Albany Middle ranks #142 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 94th percentile. This ranking is based on a weighted composite of 2025 CAASPP test performance (exceeded and met rates), grade-level growth (Grade 6 to grade 8 growth), chronic absenteeism, and suspension rate. Unlike single-number ratings, the Scope Score shows what drives the ranking so parents can decide what matters most to their family. See full methodology.

Is Albany Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Albany Middle decreases by 2.4 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the middle Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Albany Middle?

9.9% of students at Albany Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 2.4%. SchoolScope includes these culture metrics in the Scope Score because they reflect day-to-day school experience in ways test scores alone cannot.

How does Albany Middle compare to other schools in Albany?

Albany Middle scores 70/100 (94th percentile) among California middle schools. To compare with nearby schools, SchoolScope shows the same metrics side by side: exceeded rate, proficiency, growth trajectory, and school culture indicators. The school serves 911 students. Use the schools in Albany page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Albany Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Albany Middle in Albany, 65.0% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 63.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Albany Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 1.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (49.3% Math proficient); Asian students (81.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 53.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 274 students tested. SchoolScope shows disaggregated test scores by demographic subgroup so you can see how a school performs for your child's specific group — not just the school-wide average. Subgroup data is context, not part of the Scope Score: we don't penalize schools for who they serve. See our equity approach.

Your other options

Private alternatives nearby

Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.


For the data nerds

Every number on this page

Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.

01Score factorsWeighted composite · 2024–25
Exceeded standard · 38%
43.1%
↑ vs CA 16.8% · 79th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
-2.4pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 59th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
72.5%
↑ vs CA 39.3% · 76th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
9.9%
↑ vs CA 18.5% · 62th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
2.4%
↑ vs CA 3.7% · 55th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
29.2%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 61th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 632442%38%15%6%80%+33
Grade 729142%37%12%9%79%+32
Grade 827336%39%16%10%74%+28
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 632348%20%23%10%67%+32
Grade 729344%22%22%12%66%+32
Grade 826947%21%19%13%68%+36
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1127332%28%37%3%

CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.

Subgroup · ELATestedMET+vs districtvs CA
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged27465.0%+2+27
Asian28481.7%+2+7
White19885.9%+2+24
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Albany Middle ←7043.1%72.5%−2.42.4%
Willard Middle3.3 mi7950.1%76.5%+6.53.3%
Longfellow Arts and Technology Middle1.7 mi6734.4%60.9%−6.71.3%
Martin Luther King Middle1.5 mi6240.1%69.1%−0.12.7%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20196390#20242.3%74.8%4.8%5.2%-4.3pp
20226692#16838.7%71.6%11.1%1.3%-2.2pp
20237294#13636.7%70.7%13.4%2.9%+4.6pp
20246892#17837.0%71.3%11.6%2.1%+3.4pp
20257094#14243.1%72.5%9.9%2.4%-2.4pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female5.1%10.8%+5.7pp
Male4.6%8.5%+3.9pp
Asian2.1%2.0%-0.1pp
Black/African American11.1%18.6%+7.5pp
Filipino0.0%8.8%+8.8pp
Hispanic/Latino5.8%18.1%+12.3pp
Two or More Races3.8%6.9%+3.1pp
Students with Disabilities9.3%22.9%+13.6pp
English Learners2.9%9.7%+6.8pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged8.2%13.6%+5.4pp
All Students4.8%9.7%+4.9pp
White5.9%
EXC = exceeded standard · MET+ = met or exceeded ("proficient") · Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=2,238 middle schools · Vintages: climate subgroups 2019+2025 · district finance per its label · ACS 2022 · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue

SchoolScope scores and verdicts are our interpretation of public California Department of Education data — independent analysis, not an official rating. How we analyze · Request a correction