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Frank M. Wright Middle · Imperial

Frank M. Wright Middle: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Frank M. Wright posts 42% meeting the standard against 39% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

885 North Imperial Avenue, 92251 (opens in new tab)·Imperial Unified·Imperial·Grades 6-8·1,116 students·55% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(760) 355-3240·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4143
% Exceeded16%17%
% Met+42%39%
Growth-6.7+1.5
Absence13.7%18.5%
Suspension7.2%3.7%
Scope Score
41
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,113 statewide

Frank M. Wright Middle scores 41 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 50th 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 “42% proficient” and call it done. Frank M. Wright deserves a closer read. The school sits in Imperial, where more than half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The headline number: 35.1% of English learners reached the top ELPAC level, versus 18.0% statewide.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Slipped from the 61st to the 50th percentile since 2019.

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

This school hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic: 42% meet the standard today, versus 51% in 2019 — a gap worth asking about on a visit.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 656%51%46%36%51%
Grade 764%59%59%52%60%
Grade 860%60%54%60%47%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 643%38%28%29%36%
Grade 745%28%35%29%31%
Grade 836%26%28%35%27%

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.

18%
33%
49%
Grade 6 · 51% proficient
19%
40%
41%
Grade 7 · 59% proficient
11%
36%
53%
Grade 8 · 47% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 6.7pp across grades; the floor slips 4.0pp. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
15.9%
State 16.8%
0.9pp below state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-6.7pp
State +1.5pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
42.1%
State 39.3%
2.8pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
13.7%
State 18.5%
4.9pp below state avg
Suspension rate
7.2%
State 3.7%
3.6pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
35.1%
State 18.0%
17.2pp above state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask how the school challenges kids who clear the standard early. The gap between meeting and exceeding is where pacing shows.

  • Ask what changes between grade 6 and grade 8 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • 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 Frank M. Wright Middle in Imperial, 46.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 46.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Frank M. Wright Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (23.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (52.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 38.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 623 students tested.

All students at this school: 42% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 42%, district —, state 39%42%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 42%, district 44%, state 32%42% · −0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 35%, district 38%, state 32%35% · −7 vs school
MaleMale: this school 42%, district 46%, state 42%42% · +0 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 42%, district 43%, state 44%42% · −0 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 13%, district 21%, state 11%13% · −29 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 11%, district 15%, state 15%11% · −31 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 32%, district 35%, state 22%32% · −11 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 51%, district 55%, state 56%51% · +9 vs school

6 of 15 student groups here are too small to report — a privacy protection, not a gap.

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 5.5pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -5.5pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 13.7%, district 18.4%, state 18.5%13.7% · −4.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 7.2%, district —, state 3.7%7.2% · +3.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–612.6%
Grades 7–814.1%

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 23:1, district 23:123:1
Teaching staff51 teachers
Avg. experience12.3 years
Fully credentialed91%
First-year teachers4%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$72,916 – $149,089
Principal salary$170,079 – $183,493
Superintendent salary$261,541

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $17,759, CA average $14,815$17,759 · spent at this school
Federal share$344 per student

$344 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$16,995 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
Instruction67%
Instruction support7%
Student services11%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance9%
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$11,903 per pupil
2019$11,286 per pupil
2018$11,762 per pupil
2017$10,778 per pupil
2016$10,475 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic91.0%
District 90.7% · CA 56.1%
White6.9%
District 7.1% · CA 19.9%
Other1.2%
District 1.4% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.5%
District 0.5% · CA 10.2%
Black0.5%
District 0.4% · CA 4.8%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 54.7% (9pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$91K · CA $85K
Median home value$369K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+18% · CA 35%
ZIP population27,454
Median age34 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 33% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Frank M. Wright Middle a good middle school?

Frank M. Wright Middle has a Scope Score of 41 out of 100, placing it in the 50th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #1,113 statewide. 15.9% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is near 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 Frank M. Wright Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 42.1% of students at Frank M. Wright Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 15.9% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 26.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 15.9% 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. 2,174 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Frank M. Wright Middle rank in California?

Frank M. Wright Middle ranks #1,113 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 50th 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 Frank M. Wright Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Frank M. Wright Middle decreases by 6.7 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 Frank M. Wright Middle?

13.7% of students at Frank M. Wright 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 7.2%. 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 Frank M. Wright Middle compare to other schools in Imperial?

Frank M. Wright Middle scores 41/100 (50th 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 1,116 students. Use the schools in Imperial page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Frank M. Wright Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Frank M. Wright Middle in Imperial, 46.7% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 46.4% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Frank M. Wright Middle outperforms its district average for low-income students by 0.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (23.8% Math proficient); Hispanic students (52.4% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 38.6 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 623 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%
15.9%
↓ vs CA 16.8% · 49th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
-6.7pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 43th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
42.1%
↑ vs CA 39.3% · 52th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
13.7%
↑ vs CA 18.5% · 57th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
7.2%
↓ vs CA 3.7% · 35th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
35.1%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 69th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 635718%33%27%22%51%+4
Grade 738119%40%23%18%60%+12
Grade 834711%36%27%27%47%+1
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 635919%18%33%31%36%+1
Grade 738213%18%35%34%31%−3
Grade 834816%11%28%45%27%−5
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/113488%25%60%7%

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 Disadvantaged62346.7%+0+8
Hispanic/Latino98852.4%+1+14
English Learners19115.2%−7+5
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Frank M. Wright Middle ←4115.9%42.1%−6.77.2%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194361#78519.1%50.8%3.5%8.7%-1.5pp
20224058#90114.0%43.7%16.0%5.3%-1.3pp
20234764#78415.0%41.6%16.9%8.2%+4.3pp
20244159#91414.6%40.2%13.8%7.5%+15.0pp
20254150#111315.9%42.1%13.7%7.2%-6.7pp
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
Female3.6%13.6%+10.0pp
Male3.4%13.5%+10.1pp
Hispanic/Latino3.7%13.8%+10.1pp
Two or More Races0.0%
Students with Disabilities6.0%19.1%+13.1pp
English Learners4.0%14.0%+10.0pp
Homeless8.5%19.4%+10.9pp
Military-Connected4.8%21.1%+16.3pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged4.7%17.9%+13.2pp
All Students3.5%13.6%+10.1pp
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