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Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle · Carson

Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle: No single number tells this school's story. Here's the honest picture.

Glenn Hammond Curtiss posts 31% meeting the standard and 7.2% exceeding it, against 39% and 16.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

1254 East Helmick Street, 90746 (opens in new tab)·Los Angeles Unified·Carson·Grades 6-8·341 students·90% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(310) 661-4500·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3743
% Exceeded7%17%
% Met+31%39%
Growth+0.5+1.5
Absence20.8%18.5%
Suspension0.6%3.7%
Scope Score
37
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,322 statewide · #140 of 226 in Los Angeles Unified

Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle scores 37 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 41st 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.

CDE CAASPP 2025

Most rating sites would stop at “31% proficient” and call it done. Glenn Hammond Curtiss deserves a closer read. The school sits in Carson, where four in five students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Climbed from the 23rd to the 41st percentile since 2019 — past roughly 200 middle schools.

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

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 31% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 633%26%35%24%29%
Grade 748%31%33%34%34%
Grade 834%38%26%38%41%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 628%15%21%17%32%
Grade 721%25%23%26%27%
Grade 819%14%18%22%20%

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.

23%
71%
Grade 6 · 29% proficient
8%
27%
65%
Grade 7 · 35% proficient
8%
33%
59%
Grade 8 · 41% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding rises 2.6pp across grades; the floor rises 12.3pp. The state average falls 0.5pp over the same span. Kids here gain ground the longer they stay — the pattern you want to see. A school visit and conversation with teachers will tell you more than this number.

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
7.2%
State 16.8%
9.6pp below state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
+0.5pp
State +1.5pp
Scores improve across grades
Met or exceeded
30.6%
State 39.3%
8.7pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
20.8%
State 18.5%
2.3pp above state avg
Suspension rate
0.6%
State 3.7%
3.0pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
35.7%
State 18.0%
17.7pp 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 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 Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle in Carson, 34.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 6.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (26.6% Math proficient); Black students (30.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 30.0 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 291 students tested.

All students at this school: 31% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 31%, district —, state 39%31%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 31%, district 36%, state 32%31% · −0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 32%, district 41%, state 42%32% · +1 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 27%, district 30%, state 26%27% · −4 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 29%, district 42%, state 44%29% · −2 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 35%, district 36%, state 32%35% · +5 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 13%, district 14%, state 15%13% · −18 vs school

7 of 14 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 rises by 9.2pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -0.3pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 20.8%, district 24.5%, state 18.5%20.8% · +2.3pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.6%, district —, state 3.7%0.6% · −3.0pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–621.3%
Grades 7–820.6%

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 16:1, district 20:116:1
Teaching staff22 teachers
Avg. experience17.0 years
Fully credentialed74%
Intern / emergency permit7.6%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$60,420 – $122,706
Principal salary$154,576 – $170,030
Superintendent salary$440,000

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $35,732, CA average $14,815$35,732 · spent at this school
Federal share$2,843 per student

$2,843 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$29,292 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
Instruction52%
Instruction support16%
Student services12%
Administration7%
Buildings & maintenance10%
Other2%

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$18,180 per pupil
2019$16,355 per pupil
2018$15,793 per pupil
2017$13,247 per pupil
2016$13,549 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Black56.9%
District 7.2% · CA 4.8%
Hispanic36.7%
District 73.2% · CA 56.1%
Other5.0%
District 6.3% · CA 9.0%
White1.5%
District 9.9% · CA 19.9%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 89.7% (26pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$113K · CA $85K
Median home value$770K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+34% · CA 35%
ZIP population27,091
Median age43 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 341 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California middle school (≈860).

On the state's science test (CAST), 18% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle a good middle school?

Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle has a Scope Score of 37 out of 100, placing it in the 41st percentile of California middle schools and ranked #1,322 statewide. 7.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 9.6 percentage points below 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 Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 30.6% of students at Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 7.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 23.3% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 7.2% 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. 648 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle rank in California?

Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle ranks #1,322 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 41st 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 Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle increases by 0.5 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 Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle?

20.8% of students at Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 0.6%, indicating a low-discipline-incident environment. 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 Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle compare to other schools in Carson?

Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle scores 37/100 (41st 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 341 students. Use the schools in Carson page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle in Carson, 34.5% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 6.4 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (26.6% Math proficient); Black students (30.9% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 30.0 percentage points for disabilities students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 291 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

All schools in Carson →

Private alternatives nearby

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

A low score doesn't tell the whole story. Read: Your School Scored Low — Here's What That Actually Means

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%
7.2%
↓ vs CA 16.8% · 39th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
+0.5pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 50th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
30.6%
↓ vs CA 39.3% · 43th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
20.8%
↓ vs CA 18.5% · 47th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.6%
↑ vs CA 3.7% · 62th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
35.7%
↑ vs CA 18.0% · 69th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 61246%23%25%46%29%−18
Grade 7798%27%34%32%34%−13
Grade 81218%33%24%35%41%−5
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 61238%24%20%48%32%−3
Grade 7796%20%34%39%27%−7
Grade 81227%13%25%55%20%−12
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111224%14%70%12%

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 Disadvantaged29134.5%−6−4
Black/African American18230.9%−5−2
Hispanic/Latino12438.7%−2−0
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Glenn Hammond Curtiss Middle ←—377.2%30.6%+0.50.6%
Willowbrook Middle3.4 mi6845.2%77.8%−0.82.9%
Andrew Carnegie Middle1.6 mi4715.4%39.6%+1.00.2%
Environmental Charter Middle - Gardena3 mi4512.4%36.3%−10.52.0%
California average—4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20192923#15508.7%30.6%20.9%0.0%-3.7pp
20223442#12646.3%25.0%39.2%0.3%+5.3pp
20233227#15856.1%25.8%26.7%0.7%-6.0pp
20243748#11567.6%27.0%22.8%0.9%+8.9pp
20253741#13227.2%30.6%20.8%0.6%+0.5pp
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
Female24.8%18.6%-6.2pp
Male17.6%22.6%+5.0pp
Black/African American23.6%20.2%-3.4pp
Hispanic/Latino18.0%19.7%+1.7pp
Students with Disabilities22.6%25.9%+3.3pp
English Learners25.0%35.3%+10.3pp
Foster Youth26.3%23.5%-2.8pp
Homeless33.3%16.7%-16.6pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged22.2%22.2%+0.0pp
All Students21.0%20.9%-0.1pp
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

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