School Profile · Palmdale
Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade: The scores are below where anyone wants them. Here's what they don't tell you.
Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade posts low test scores — and scores are climbing 1.8pp from grade 6 to grade 8. If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.
3243 East Avenue R-8, 93550·Palmdale Elementary·Palmdale·Grades 6-8·Magnet·2024–25 CAASPP·(661) 273-0847·Website
Magnet program — specialized public school with themed curriculum. Enrollment via district lottery, not neighborhood-based.
Scope Score
20
🌱 Building Momentum · Needs Support
ranked #1,554 statewide · #9 of 11 in Palmdale Elementary
Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade scores 20 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 9th percentile of 1,714 California middle schools (CDE CAASPP 2025).
Measures test performance, attendance, and climate — not arts, community, or your kid. How we score →
Most rating sites would stop at “19% proficient” and call it done. Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade deserves a closer read. It sits at the 9th percentile of 1,714 California middle schools — but the ranking is the least interesting thing on this page.
Test scores are one lens, and at this school they're a rough one right now. The sections below show the fuller picture — including the parts that are working.
The story this school is actually telling
The school, grade by grade
ELA · CAASPP 2024–25Different students, same year — each bar is one grade's proficiency mix.
15%
78%
Grade 6 · 22% proficient
8%
26%
66%
Grade 7 · 34% proficient
21%
75%
Grade 8 · 25% proficient
The 6 things our score weighs
Exceeded standard
5.4%
State 17.3%
11.9pp below state avg
Met or exceeded
18.8%
State 39.5%
20.7pp below state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
+1.8pp
State +0.8pp
Scores improve across grades
Chronic absenteeism
34.4%
State 19.1%
15.3pp above state avg
Suspension rate
14.9%
State 4.2%
10.7pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
19.3%
State 17.7%
1.6pp above state avg
Worth a school visit
Ask what changed in the last two years, and what the school is asking families for. Growth shows up in these numbers a year or two after it shows up in classrooms.
Where the path goes
The path below follows attendance boundaries — scores shown for each next step.
K-12 Feeder Path
Elementary
▼
Middle
Cactus Medical, Health and Tec…Magnet
20/100
This school
Estimated path based on proximity within the same district. Contact your school district for official feeder information.
Your other options
Nearby Middle Schools
2 within ~3 mi · avg 22
Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac
Palmdale Elementary · 1.5 mi
Needs Support
22/100
Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Ma
Palmdale Elementary · 1.5 mi
Needs Support
22/100
Nearby Elementary Schools
3 within ~3 mi · avg 39
Barrel Springs Elementary
Palmdale Elementary · 1.5 mi
Developing
47/100
Innovations Academy of Palmdale
Palmdale Elementary · 0.7 mi
Developing
41/100
Tumbleweed Elementary
Palmdale Elementary · 2.2 mi
Developing
31/100
Private alternatives nearby
Private schools within ~10 miles. These schools do not participate in state testing and cannot be scored or ranked.
Empowered Church International/ Learning Academy
E Ave J · Nonsectarian · Grades Pre-K-6 · 25 students
10:1Private9 mi
Lancaster Baptist School
E Lancaster Blvd · Amish · Grades Pre-K-12 · 381 students
20:1Private9 mi
Grace Lutheran Christian School
W Newgrove St · Greek Orthodox · Grades Pre-K-8 · 124 students
13:1Private9.8 mi
Antelope Valley Adventist School
Fern Ave · Pentecostal · Grades Pre-K-8 · 61 students
15:1Private10.2 mi
Calvary Chapel Christian School
W Ave J · Brethren · Grades Pre-K-11 · 27 students
2:1Private10.1 mi
The community around it
Community Profile
Context — not part of the Scope ScoreStudent demographics
Hispanic79.4%
White3.7%
Asian0.4%
Black12.9%
Other3.7%
GenderFemale 52.2%Male 47.8%
Resources & Access
Per-Pupil Spending
$21,877
District avg: $15,361 · CA avg: $14,815 · School-level · CDE ESSA
EL Proficiency (ELPAC)
19.3% Level 4
Share of English Learners reaching full proficiency
Teacher Salary Range
$58,752 – $131,333
District schedule · CA median ~$98K
At Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade in Palmdale, 25.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 27.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade trails its district average for low-income students by 1.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (9.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (29.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 23.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 706 students tested.
Equity Gaps
Absenteeism · Homeless+23.2pp
57.6% vs 34.4% overall · n=33
Suspension · Black+12.4pp
27.3% vs 14.9% overall · n=154
ELA · English Learner−23.6pp
4.0% vs 27.6% overall · n=126
3 more gaps by subject
ELA Exceeded · Disabilities−6.7pp
0.0% vs 6.7% overall · n=133
Math · English Learner−10.2pp
0.0% vs 10.2% overall · n=127
Math Exceeded · Disabilities−4.1pp
0.0% vs 4.1% overall · n=133
Subgroups with fewer than 15 students are excluded for privacy. Gaps of less than 3 percentage points are not shown.
Subgroup Proficiency
Low-Income706 tested
ELA 25.9%·Math 9.2%· -1.9pp vs district
Hispanic620 tested
ELA 29.0%·Math 11.0%· -2.8pp vs district
Disabilities133 tested
ELA 4.5%·Math 2.3%· -2.8pp vs district
Weighted average across tested grades. Subgroups with fewer than 15 students excluded. Data: CDE CAASPP 2024-25.
Subgroup Growth by Grade
Change in proficiency from lowest tested grade. Shows which groups are gaining ground.
Low-income student ELA proficiency rises by 1.8pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: +5.0pp.
Subgroups with fewer than 10 tested students per grade are not shown.
Funding Breakdown
Neighborhood Context
Median Income
$62K
$23K below CA median
Median Home Value
$421K
$238K below CA median
Bachelor's+
10%
25pp below CA avg
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024) · ZIP-level
Whole Child
Teacher experience, college/career readiness, and more. Context only — never part of the Scope Score.
Teacher Experience
11.2 years avg experience
44 teachers · 11% first-year · 14% second-year
Teacher Credentials
89% fully credentialed
2.5% on intern/emergency permit
Source: CDE SARC, 2024-25
Community Profile provides context about who attends this school and the resources available. These factors are never part of the Scope Score. Learn why →
For the data nerdsEvery number on this page
Score factors, grade-level breakdowns, subgroup proficiency, and peer comparisons.
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 · 43%
5.4%
↓ vs CA 17.3% · 37th pctile
Met or exceeded · 22%
18.8%
↓ vs CA 39.5% · 34th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 15%
+1.8pp
↑ vs CA +0.8pp · 41th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 10%
34.4%
↓ vs CA 19.1% · 28th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
14.9%
↓ vs CA 4.2% · 9th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
19.3%
↑ vs CA 17.7% · 55th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
| ELA | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 260 | 7% | 15% | 28% | 49% | 23% | −24 |
| Grade 7 | 288 | 8% | 26% | 25% | 40% | 35% | −13 |
| Grade 8 | 251 | 4% | 21% | 30% | 45% | 25% | −21 |
| Math | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT | MET+ | +/CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 259 | 3% | 5% | 21% | 71% | 8% | −27 |
| Grade 7 | 287 | 6% | 8% | 21% | 65% | 14% | −20 |
| Grade 8 | 250 | 3% | 6% | 15% | 76% | 9% | −23 |
| Science (CAST) | Tested | EXC | MET | NEAR | NOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5/8/11 | 252 | 1% | 7% | 53% | 39% |
CAST is tested in grades 5, 8, and once in high school — not annually. Not part of the Scope Score.
| Subgroup · ELA | Tested | MET+ | vs district | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socioeconomically Disadvantaged | 706 | 25.9% | −2 | −12 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 620 | 29.0% | −3 | −10 |
| Students with Disabilities | 133 | 4.5% | −3 | −12 |
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
| School | Dist | Scope | EXC | MET+ | Growth | Susp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade ← | — | 20 | 5.4% | 18.8% | +1.8 | 14.9% |
| Space Aeronautics Gateway to Exploration Magnet Ac | 1.5 mi | 22 | 4.5% | 19.3% | +2.6 | 9.4% |
| Desert Willow Fine Arts, Science and Technology Ma | 1.5 mi | 22 | 5.0% | 19.9% | +5.6 | 10.7% |
| California average | — | 40 | 17.3% | 39.5% | +0.8 | 4.2% |
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
Scope Score history
2019 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · no testing 2020–21 (COVID) · rank #1473 → #1401 → #1286 → #1614 → #1554
What we can't show
- — Low-income students here trail the state average for their group by 12 points in ELA — worth asking how the school is closing that gap.
Source: CA Dept. of Education · CAASPP 2024–25 · n=1,714 middle schools · Data updated 2026-07-03methodology · data updates · CSV · report issue
A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means
Frequently asked questions
Is Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade a good middle school?
Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade has a Scope Score of 20 out of 100, placing it in the 9th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #1,554 statewide. 5.4% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 11.9 percentage points below the California average of 17.3%. The Scope Score weights six dimensions for middle schools: exceeded standard (43%), met or exceeded (22%), grade 3-to-5 growth (15%), chronic absenteeism (10%), ELPAC English Learner proficiency (5%), and suspension rate (5%). Data source: California Department of Education CAASPP 2025, analyzed by SchoolScope.
What are Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade's CAASPP test scores?
On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 18.8% of students at Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 5.4% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 13.5% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 5.4% 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. 1,595 student-subject combinations were assessed.
How does Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade rank in California?
Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade ranks #1,554 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 9th 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 Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade getting better or worse?
Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade increases by 1.8 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This upward trajectory suggests the school is adding measurable value — students leave with higher proficiency rates than they entered with. 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 Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade?
34.4% of students at Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 19.1%. The suspension rate is 14.9%. 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 Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade compare to other schools in Palmdale?
Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade scores 20/100 (9th 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. Use the schools in Palmdale page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.
How does Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade serve low-income and underrepresented students?
At Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade in Palmdale, 25.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 27.8% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Cactus Medical, Health and Technology Magnet Acade trails its district average for low-income students by 1.9 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (9.2% Math proficient); Hispanic students (29.0% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 23.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 706 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.