Public school with a magnet program · San Diego Unified

Kearny Digital Media & Design — Rating & test scores

1954 Komet Way, San Diego · 349 students · Grades 9–12

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Shared campus · © OpenStreetMap

Kearny Digital Media & Design, Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology, Kearny College Connections and Kearny Eng Innov & Design share this address in the state’s school directory. OpenStreetMap maps the grounds as one campus. Which buildings each school uses here isn’t mapped.

Drawn from OpenStreetMap. Volunteers map it, so a new building may be missing. Buildings with no mapped height are drawn one storey high.

A picture of the campus, not an attendance boundary or a rating.

Schools maintain a closed campus policy. For students’ safety, visitors may enter a campus only with the school’s official permission; this drawing implies no permission to enter.

Scope Score 80

SolidScope Score · 71st percentile. Higher than 71 in 100 of the 1,498 California public high schools we score.

75 is the typical California school. 100 is the best result in the state. How the score is built

In 2024–25, 98% of the class graduated in four years (78 of 80); across California, 89%.

Source for this line
Source
CDE four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR), 2024–25
Students
students who started 9th grade together: 80
Comparison
California: graduates divided by students who started 9th grade together, across 2,281 public schools’ rows (our combination, not CDE’s published state rate; 432,702 of 487,177).

Overview

Is Kearny Digital Media & Design a good high school?

Solid. Kearny Digital Media & Design is higher than most California high schools on English test results and attendance. Kearny Digital Media & Design is lower than most on math test results.

From spring 2026, the state calls its top two levels “Proficient or Advanced” (formerly “Met or Exceeded”).

Test results, spring 2025

English, Proficient or Advanced8275%
Math, Proficient or Advanced4323%
English, Advanced6330%
Math, Advanced376%

Showing up, 2024–25

Attendance6218 in 100
Kearny Digital Media & Design’s place among California high schools, out of 100San Diego Unified’s other high schoolsBar colour, from the lowest quarter of schools to the highest

One more thing to know

In grade 11, spring 2026, 77% scored Proficient or Advanced in English (reading and writing) and 45% in math, against 57% and 32% across California.

Each bar is Kearny Digital Media & Design’s place among 1,498 California public high schools we score. Our calculation from California Department of Education records, updated October 15, 2026.

How to read these bars, and their sources

A place counts the schools out of 100 with a lower figure. The dashed line is the middle. Test results are from spring 2025, grade 11, the latest year with a high school Scope Score. That year the state called these levels Met or exceeded and Exceeded. Attendance counts students who missed 10% or more of school days; fewer is better, so a higher place means fewer such students.

Source for the sentence
California’s state tests (CAASPP), California Department of Education, spring 2026. All students tested in grade 11: 73 in English, 75 in math. California: CDE’s grade 11 rows for the whole state combined, weighted by students tested (our calculation; 414,559 in English and 413,523 in math tested).

In its own words

What does Kearny Digital Media & Design say about itself?

These lines come from the school’s own website. They are the school’s description. They are not parent reviews or test results.

“The School of Digital Media and Design exists to develop exemplary communication skills in students through authentic, media-based experiences in an environment of high academic and social expectations.”
kearnydmd.sandiegounified.org (opens in a new tab), read November 12, 2026

Every line here is from kearnydmd.sandiegounified.org, read November 12, 2026.

Nearby

How does it compare with schools nearby?

5 of the 8 high schools nearby have a higher Scope Score than Kearny Digital Media & Design. Each school is compared with every California high school.

Scope Score

9 high schools within 2.6 miles, highest score first. Under each name is how the school takes students.

  1. High Tech High MesaCharter · its own lotteryScope Score 8891st
  2. Mt. Everest AcademySchool of choice · by applicationScope Score 8790th
  3. School for Entrepreneurship and TechnologyCharter · its own lotteryScope Score 8585th
  4. Kearny College ConnectionsNeighborhood school · by addressScope Score 8381st
  5. Kearny Eng Innov & DesignNeighborhood school · by addressScope Score 8278th
  6. Kearny Digital Media & DesignScope Score 8071st
  7. Kearny School of Biomedical Science and TechnologyNeighborhood school · by addressScope Score 7968th
  8. ClairemontNeighborhood school · by addressScope Score 7655th
  9. MadisonNeighborhood school · by addressScope Score 7442nd
San Diego UnifiedCharterMagnet or school of choice

A charter school takes applications from any family and holds a lottery when it has more applicants than seats. A magnet or other school of choice takes applications through its district.

Scope Score from California Department of Education state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025, grade 11. Distance is a straight line from this campus and is not an attendance boundary. See these schools on the map

Scores and family income

Further right, more students are from low-income families. Higher up, more students met or exceeded the standard in English.

50%75%0%25%50%75%100%

4 of 9 schools are named on the chart. Point at a dot or tap it to read any school.

English results: California Department of Education state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025, grade 11. Low-income is the share of students who qualified for free or reduced-price meals, 2024–25. The chart compares results, not causes.

Schools like it

How does Kearny Digital Media & Design compare with schools like it?

Kearny Digital Media & Design’s Scope Score is 80. 287 California high schools, counting Kearny Digital Media & Design, have a similar share of students from low-income families. Their typical score is 73. Kearny Digital Media & Design’s result is higher than 252 of them.

The five schools with the highest results of the 287

  1. Students from low-income families: 75%

    Scope Score 98Strong · 99th percentile

  2. Students from low-income families: 73%

    Scope Score 90Strong · 94th percentile

  3. Students from low-income families: 79%

    Scope Score 90Strong · 94th percentile

  4. Students from low-income families: 71%

    Scope Score 90Strong · 94th percentile

  5. Students from low-income families: 76%

    La Quinta High

    Westminster

    Scope Score 89Strong · 93rd percentile

287 California public high schools where 68% to 80% of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. The chart compares results, not causes. Our calculation from California Department of Education records, spring 2025.

How the group is chosen

The group is every California public high school we score where 68% to 80% of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. That is within 6 points of Kearny Digital Media & Design’s share. The count includes Kearny Digital Media & Design. Typical means the median: half are higher and half are lower. Schools differ in more than family income, and no score is changed for it. Our calculation from California Department of Education records: state tests (CAASPP), spring 2025, and school meal eligibility, 2024–25.

Over time

Have results changed?

English results were similar to 2025; math results were higher. English went from 75% to 77% and math from 23% to 45%.

Share at the state’s top two test levels, 2017 to 2026

Grade 11. Point at a year, tap it or use the arrow keys to read its figures.

English

No comparable testsNo tests25%50%75%2017201820192022202320242025202667%84%77%Kearny Digital Media & DesignThis school63%San Diego UnifiedDistrict57%CaliforniaCalifornia

Math

No comparable testsNo tests25%50%75%2017201820192022202320242025202639%36%45%Kearny Digital Media & DesignThis school36%San Diego UnifiedDistrict32%CaliforniaCalifornia

The lines break where a year has no comparable state test results. Each spring tests a different group of students. San Diego Unified’s line combines its 31 high schools we score (our calculation). Faint lines are its other schools. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

Each year’s results

The top two levels were called Met or Exceeded before 2026 and are called Proficient or Advanced now. San Diego Unified’s figure weights each school by the students it tested.

English, grade 11: share at the top two levels
SpringKearny Digital Media & DesignSan Diego UnifiedCaliforniaTested here
201784%67%60%83
201870%64%56%87
201979%63%57%87
202271%59%55%69
202360%61%55%81
202475%61%56%79
202575%64%57%76
202677%63%57%73
Math, grade 11: share at the top two levels
SpringKearny Digital Media & DesignSan Diego UnifiedCaliforniaTested here
201736%39%32%83
201840%38%31%87
201947%37%32%88
202220%31%27%69
202320%32%27%83
202420%32%28%79
202523%37%30%78
202645%36%32%75

Tests

How did students here do on state tests?

Well above California in both subjects.

English

77%

scored Proficient or Advanced.

193245
San Diego Unified60%California57%

Math

45%

scored Proficient or Advanced.

39162619
San Diego Unified34%California32%
MinimalDeveloping levelProficientAdvanced

In grade 11, spring 2026, 77% scored Proficient or Advanced in English and 45% in math, against 57% and 32% across California.

The state published these results on October 15, 2026. What changed across California. Spring 2026, grade 11 combined. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 32 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 25 points across California. The grade 11 cards above give each subject’s share.

All four test levels, with the number of students tested
Share of students tested at each level, spring 2026. The state’s test levels Advanced, Proficient, the Developing level (formerly Nearly met) and Minimal.
StudentsAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalTested
English, grade 11 · This school45%32%19%4%73
English, grade 11 · California27%30%21%22%414,559
English, grade 11 · San Diego Unified29%31%20%20%7,161
Math, grade 11 · This school19%26%16%39%75
Math, grade 11 · California16%16%20%48%413,523
Math, grade 11 · San Diego Unified16%18%21%45%7,162

Spring 2026, grade 11 combined: 73 tested in English, 75 tested in math. California combines the state’s results for the same grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

Who goes here

Who goes here?

Hispanic or Latino students are the largest group here, at 60% of students. 62 of 347 students missed 10% or more of school days.

Missing school, 2025–26

18in 100

students were chronically absent. That means they missed 10% or more of school days (62 of 347 students).

At the average San Diego Unified high school: 16 in 100. At the average California high school: 22 in 100.

Suspensions: 3.1% of students were suspended at least once (11 of 358). Average California high school 2.9%.

Students, 2024–25

349

students in grades 9–12.

Hispanic or Latino 60%Black or African American 10%Two or more races 9%Asian 9%White 8%Filipino 3%

Family income

74%

of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25, 257 of 349. California: 63%.

Teachers, 2024–25

19

teachers, with 14 years of experience on average.

0% were in their first year.

94% of teaching positions had the right credential, 2021–22.

English learners

31%

of English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top, spring 2025 to spring 2026 (8 of 26 students).

San Diego Unified: 44%. California: 47%.

It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent. Sources: California Department of Education and the California School Dashboard. Each tile names its year.

Full student mix, 2025–26
StudentsHere
Hispanic or Latino60%
Black or African American10%
Two or more races9%
Asian9%
White8%
Filipino3%
American Indian or Alaska Native—
Pacific Islander—
Not reported—
Where these figures come from

Attendance and suspensions: California Department of Education, 2025–26. Student mix: the students the state’s attendance file counts, 2025–26; a dash means our records hold no count. English learner progress: California School Dashboard, 2026 . Student count: California Department of Education enrollment, 2024–25. Teachers: California Department of Education staffing files, 2024–25.

Teaching credentials: California’s School Accountability Report Card, 2024–25, measured in 2021–22: 15.6 of 16.7 full-time teaching positions. It counts positions, not individual teachers.

Student groups

How do kids like mine do here?

Low-income students here scored well above the same group across California.

This schoolThe same group, California
  • Low-incomeEnglish · 54 tested74%California 49%
  • Low-incomeMath · 56 tested43%California 23%
  • Hispanic or LatinoEnglish · 44 tested73%California 49%
  • Hispanic or LatinoMath · 46 tested35%California 21%

74% of low-income students scored Proficient or Advanced in English and 43% in math (grade 11, spring 2026), against 49% and 23% for the same group across California. Hispanic or Latino students here scored well above the same group across California in English.

Share who scored Proficient or Advanced, grade 11, spring 2026. Each group is compared with the same group in the same grades. Source: California Department of Education, state tests (CAASPP).

Every group’s results, with the district

Low-income is the state’s “socioeconomically disadvantaged” group.

Proficient or Advancedgrade 11 · spring 2026
Group and subjectHerevs San Diego Unifiedvs California
Low-income · 54 tested in English, 56 in math
English74%+2450%+2549%
Math43%+2023%+2023%
Hispanic or Latino · 44 tested in English, 46 in math
English73%+2647%+2449%
Math35%+1520%+1421%

Each gap is to the same group, grades and subject: in San Diego Unified, and across California. ■ Green: a group that is behind across California does much better here, by 10 points or more and more than twice the margin of error.

Students with disabilities: fewer than 30 tested here. No published rate here for Asian, Black or African American, Filipino, White, American Indian or Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, homeless and military-family students, students of two or more races, English learners and foster youth. That can reflect privacy rules or small numbers; it isn’t evidence of a gap. This table covers groups by income, race or ethnicity, language and disability; girls and boys aren’t split out.

After high school

How many students here graduate, and where do they go next?

98% of students graduated in four years in 2024–25. That compares with 89% across California. 85% were ready for college or career (state measure) in 2024–25. 68% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months.

ready for college or career (state measure), 2024–25

85%

Across California: 52%.

of graduates finished the UC/CSU course list, 2024–25

73%

At the average California high school: 56%.

Graduation, college and university records

Preparation · each measure describes a different student group

Graduated in four years

98%

Across California: 89%

2024–25 · 78 of 80 students who started 9th grade together

Ready for college or career (state measure)

85%

Across California: 52%

2024–25 · 68 of 80 students in the state’s measure

Finished the UC/CSU course list

73%

Average California high school: 56%

2024–25 · 57 of 78 graduates finished the UC/CSU course list

Destinations · class of 2023

Where students who finished high school went

68% enrolled in college within 12 months · 71 students who finished high school

  • University of California UC detail ↓2 · 3%
  • California State University10 · 14%
  • California community college32 · 45%
  • In-state private2 · 3%
  • Out-of-state, 4-year2 · 3%
  • Out-of-state, 2-year0 · 0%
  • Not enrolled23 · 32%

Source: CDE college-going records, class of 2023. Shares are our arithmetic: each count divided by all high-school completers (graduates and other students who finished), rounded together so they total 100. “Not enrolled” does not describe employment, military service or other routes.

Where the class of 2023 went
68%enrolled in college within a year

71 completers, class of 2023

  • University of California2 (3%)
  • California State University10 (14%)
  • California community college32 (45%)
  • In-state private2 (3%)
  • Out-of-state, 4-year2 (3%)
  • Out-of-state, 2-year0 (0%)
  • Not enrolled23 (32%)

Source: CDE’s college-going rate for the class of 2023 (enrolled in college within 12 months). Shares are our arithmetic: count ÷ completers, rounded together so they total 100. A dash means we have no figure for that row; it isn’t zero.

Where these figures come fromEach measure’s source, student group and definition
Graduated in four years
2024–25 · 78 of 80 students who started 9th grade together. California Department of Education, adjusted cohort graduation records. Comparison is SchoolScope’s combination of graduates and cohort counts across the reference schools, not CDE’s published state rate.
Ready for college or career (state measure)
2024–25 · 68 of 80 students in the state’s measure. California Department of Education, College/Career Indicator (CCI), overall “Prepared” rate, among the students in the indicator’s group. Prepared is CDE’s overall classification, not AP participation or a college admission rate.
Finished the UC/CSU course list
2024–25 · 57 of 78 graduates finished the UC/CSU course list. California Department of Education, A–G completion records (graduates who met the UC/CSU course requirements). Course completion is separate from college enrollment.
Where students who finished high school went
CDE college-going records, class of 2023. College enrollment is counted for 12 months after finishing high school and matched to college records, so this runs about two years behind. A dash is unavailable, not zero.
A closer look: UC admission recordsApplied, admitted and enrolled, from each university system’s own records

UC’s own records

University of California

Fall 2025 first-year entry · counts, not a school rating

Applied
16
Admitted
13
Enrolled
5

By campus · fall 2025

  • UC San DiegoApplied 14 · Admitted 7 · Enrolled 4
  • UCLAApplied 11 · Admitted under 3 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC RiversideApplied 9 · Admitted 8 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC BerkeleyApplied 7 · Admitted under 3 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC IrvineApplied 7 · Admitted under 3 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC MercedApplied 6 · Admitted 6 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC Santa BarbaraApplied 6 · Admitted 3 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC Santa CruzApplied 6 · Admitted 5 · Enrolled under 3
  • UC DavisApplied 5 · Admitted 3 · Enrolled under 3

These records don’t show the school’s effect on admission. A student can apply to several campuses, so campus counts don’t add up to the total. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees; “+” marks a partial count; a dash is unavailable. Source: UC admissions by source school.

Each fall since 2016

  • Fall 2025Applied 16 · Admitted 13 · Enrolled 5
  • Fall 2024Applied 13 · Admitted 7 · Enrolled 3
  • Fall 2023Applied 15 · Admitted 7 · Enrolled under 3
  • Fall 2022Applied 9 · Admitted 6 · Enrolled 4
  • Fall 2021Applied 21 · Admitted 12 · Enrolled 8
  • Fall 2020Applied 16 · Admitted 9 · Enrolled 6
  • Fall 2019Applied 10 · Admitted 10 · Enrolled 7
  • Fall 2018Applied 12 · Admitted 8 · Enrolled under 3
  • Fall 2017Applied 12 · Admitted 4 · Enrolled 3
  • Fall 2016Applied 11 · Admitted 5 · Enrolled under 3
Advanced courses on record

What other courses and pathways are on record?

College courses in high school (dual enrollment)
123 students took one

2023–24

Students taking a college course for credit while in high school, often through a community college. Federal Civil Rights Data Collection, school-reported.

Family and staff answers

What would families and staff tell you?

Families and staff can answer a short set of questions about Kearny Digital Media & Design. These are not star ratings or reviews.

  1. Staff answers show once 5 people have answered.Until then this page shows no staff answers.
  2. Family answers show once 20 families have answered.Until then this page shows how many have answered.
  3. The questions are about the school, never a person.No question asks about a named teacher or staff member.
  4. Answers are never part of the Scope Score.They sit beside the state’s records and do not change a school’s score.
  5. Staff confirm a work email.Staff answers come only from people who confirmed an email address at San Diego Unified.

Families

No family answers yet

0 of 20 needed before answers show

  • Does the school tell you how your child is doing, in a way you understand, before report cards arrive?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely
  • When you contact the school with a question, do you hear back within two school days?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely · Haven’t contacted them
  • Can you get school information in the language you read best?Yes · Mostly · No
  • And 4 more questions.

Answer the family questionsResponder en españolHow family answers work

Staff

No staff answers yet

5 answers needed before they show

  • Would you send your own child to this school?Yes · Maybe · No
  • Do you plan to work at this school next year?Yes · Not sure · No
  • Do you have the materials and supplies you need to teach?Usually · Sometimes · Rarely
  • And 5 more questions.

Answer the staff questionsHow staff answers work

Money

Where does the money go?

$19,265 for each student in 2024–25. California’s high schools spent $20,309 for each student. San Diego Unified’s plan for 2026–27 covers $505 million.

$19,265

for each student at this school, 2024–25
Spent at the school
$12,262
The school’s share of district office costs
$7,003
Of the total, from federal funds
$2,008
  • Kearny Digital Media & Design$19,265
  • San Diego Unified high schools$19,590
  • California high schools$20,309

The district and California figures combine their high schools, weighted by enrollment (our calculation, 1,655 California schools). Spending does not show how well money is used. Source: California Department of Education, per-school spending report, 2024–25. Funding records ↓

San Diego Unified’s yearly plan

$505million

in the district’s plan for 2026–27

$186million

planned for services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth

This is the district’s plan. It is not this school’s own budget. The plan has 5 goals. The district’s page lists each one. The plan covers $505 million of $2.0 billion in total budgeted spending. Source: San Diego Unified Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), 2026–27. Read the district’s plan →

The neighborhood

What is the area around Kearny Digital Media & Design like?

These figures are for everyone who lives in ZIP code 92111. They are not figures for the families at Kearny Digital Media & Design.

Typical household income in a year

$99,644

Typical means half are higher and half are lower. The ZIP code is the school’s address, not its attendance area. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024, ZIP code area 92111.

Typical home value
$817,700
People who live in this ZIP code
45,249
Typical age
38.5 years
Adults 25 and older with a four-year college degree
46%

What you can do

Who can act on Kearny Digital Media & Design’s results?

San Diego Unified’s board decides Kearny Digital Media & Design’s plan.

How to take part

  1. Watch the board’s agenda: the hearing is posted at least 72 hours ahead.
  2. Send written comments on the actions and spending the plan proposes.
  3. Raise questions through the district’s parent advisory committee; the superintendent must answer its comments in writing.
  4. Read the midyear report, due by February 28.

State support

The state hasn’t placed Kearny Digital Media & Design in a support program. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26. Source 

Extra state help for the district

The state is giving San Diego Unified extra help in 2026. It qualified on the 2025 California School Dashboard. The county office must help the district for at least three years, including a review of its yearly plan.

Extra help for San Diego Unified: CDE’s assistance status file for the 2025 California School Dashboard. Source 

Questions to ask

What should I ask, and when?

Bring these 8 questions to Kearny Digital Media & Design. Confirm anything about applying with the school itself.

On a tour

  1. What extra help do Hispanic students get, and how do you know it’s working?35% of Hispanic students scored Proficient or Advanced in math, grade 11, spring 2026 (46 students tested); the same group across California: 21%
  2. Which courses and career pathways does the school run, and who can enroll?
  3. How do counselors help students plan for college, training or work?
  4. What support is available when a student falls behind on graduation requirements?
  5. How does this approach show up in an ordinary lesson?From its own words, on how it teaches.
  6. Which grades take part in these programs, and how often?From its own words, on programs.

At the office

  1. What time does the day start and end, and is any day shorter?
  2. Is there care before or after school, and what does it cost?

Getting in

Which schools feed into Kearny Digital Media & Design, and how do I get in?

Ask San Diego Unified which school serves your address. From parts of Montgomery Middle, Taft Middle and Lewis Middle.

Boundaries split some neighborhoods. Each school’s standing compares it with California schools at its own level.

Middle · part of its area
Montgomery Middle Scope Score 72Developing · 32nd percentile · 2026

Fed by 5 elementary schools

Middle · part of its area
Taft Middle Scope Score 74Developing · 41st percentile · 2026

Fed by 7 elementary schools

Middle · part of its area
Lewis Middle Scope Score 81Strong · 79th percentile · 2026

Fed by 2 elementary schools

High · this school
Kearny Digital Media & Design

5 more elementary schools reach into this zone at its edges.

From the district’s 2026 attendance boundaries, plus nearby estimates. Shares are our estimate of where the zone’s children live. We use 2020 Census child counts, or land area where few children were counted. A share counts children living in the zone, not a school’s enrolled students. A boundary doesn’t guarantee a place. Transfers, permits, magnets and other programs can change the path. Check your child’s address and current assignment with the district. Explore schools on the map

Not a next step: the schools sharing this address. Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology (68th percentile, Solid, among high schools, 2025), Kearny College Connections (81st percentile, Strong, among high schools, 2025) and Kearny Eng Innov & Design (78th percentile, Strong, among high schools, 2025) have the same street address in the state’s school directory.

All feeding elementary schools (17)Grouped by the middle school each one feeds, with each school’s standing

Into Montgomery Middle

Into Taft Middle

Into Lewis Middle

  • Juarez ElementarySome of its area goes to Taft MiddleScope Score 73Developing · 34th percentile · 2026
  • Foster ElementarySome of its area goes to Taft MiddleScope Score 73Developing · 39th percentile · 2026

Reaching this zone only at its edges

All recorded links and nearby alternatives

Elementary links

  • Carson Elementary

    Assigned

    Scope Score 70 · Needs Support · 18th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Chesterton Elementary

    Assigned

    Scope Score 80 · Solid · 71st percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Fletcher Elementary

    Assigned

    Scope Score 72 · Developing · 29th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Linda Vista Elementary

    Assigned

    Scope Score 70 · Needs Support · 20th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Ross Elementary

    Assigned

    Scope Score 76 · Solid · 57th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Nipaquay Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 77 · Solid · 58th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Angier Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 80 · Solid · 71st percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Cubberley Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 75 · Developing · 48th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Jones Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 79 · Solid · 68th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Juarez Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 73 · Developing · 34th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Wegeforth Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 77 · Solid · 60th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Foster Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 73 · Developing · 39th percentile · elementary · 2026

    42% of the zone’s children

  • Franklin Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 77 · Solid · 57th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Hardy Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 86 · Strong · 87th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Hearst Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 89 · Strong · 93rd percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Marvin Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 84 · Strong · 84th percentile · elementary · 2026

  • Pendleton Elementary

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 71 · Developing · 27th percentile · elementary · 2026

    25% of the zone’s children

  • Longfellow UTK-8

    Nearby same-district option · distance estimate, not a confirmed feeder

    Scope Score 82 · Strong · 78th percentile · elementary · 2026

Middle-school links

  • Montgomery Middle

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 72 · Developing · 32nd percentile · middle · 2026

  • Taft Middle

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 74 · Developing · 41st percentile · middle · 2026

  • Lewis Middle

    Option for this area, by application · district-published, source year 2026; no single school is assigned

    Scope Score 81 · Strong · 79th percentile · middle · 2026

    12% of the zone’s children

Links do not guarantee placement. Charter, magnet, transfer and other admission routes can differ. Each school’s percentile compares it with California schools at its own level (continuation and alternative schools only with their own kind); the stages are not one ranking.

Where it is

Where is Kearny Digital Media & Design?

Address
1954 Komet Way, San Diego 92111Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
Administrator
Ana Diaz-BoozAs the state’s school directory lists it, last updated February 9, 2023.

A school’s place on the map is its address in the state directory. It does not show which homes the school serves. See nearby schools on the map

Short answers to 8 common questions

How do I get in?

Ask San Diego Unified which school serves your address. See the details ↓

Is Kearny Digital Media & Design a good high school?

Kearny Digital Media & Design has a Scope Score of 80. It scored higher than 71 in 100 of California’s 1,498 scored public high schools (Solid, 71st percentile, spring 2025). See the details ↓

How often do students miss school or get suspended?

In 2025–26, 18 in 100 students missed 10% or more of school days, against 16 in 100 at the average San Diego Unified high school. 3.1% of students (11 of 358) were suspended at least once in 2025–26, against 2.9% at the average California high school. See the details ↓

How does math compare with English?

In grade 11, spring 2026, math trails English by 32 percentage points in the share who scored Proficient or Advanced, against 25 points across California. See the details ↓

How do kids like mine do here?

In spring 2026, 74% of low-income students in grade 11 at Kearny Digital Media & Design in San Diego scored Proficient or Advanced in English, against 49% for the same group across California. See the details ↓

What could my child study here?

123 students took a college course for credit in 2023–24, by the federal Civil Rights Data Collection. See the details ↓

Where do students go after finishing high school here?

68% of the class of 2023 enrolled in college within 12 months, by CDE’s college-going records. See the details ↓

What should I ask on a visit?

The questions drawn from this page are under Questions to ask, ready to copy. See the details ↓

The full record

Source records

This page is built from 16 sets of records from public data sources. Every figure keeps its source, grades, year and count.

Data updated

October 15, 2026

Record sets on this page
16
Sources
California Department of EducationU.S. Census BureauUniversity of CaliforniaU.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil RightsNational Student Clearinghouse
State test years
2017–2026

Results

Students

After high school

Money and staff

Place, downloads and method

Score factorssource values, index and weights · 2024–25 · ranked #430 of 1,498 California high schools we score · #17 of 31 in San Diego Unified
Score factors, 2024–25
FactorSchoolIndexWeight
Graduation rate98%6225%
Exceeded standardaverage of English and math18%5222%
Ready for college or career (state measure)85%7520%
Met or exceededaverage of English and math49%5918%
Chronically absent15 in 100605%
Suspension rate0.8% (3 of 378)615%
English learners: top level6%365%

Index is where the school's value sits among the California high schools we score, from 0 to 100, where 50 is their average; it is not a percentile. School values are from 2024–25. Chronic absence and suspension are CDE's all-students school rates; the score uses an adjusted version of each that pulls small schools toward the average, so their index can sit nearer 50 than the rate suggests.

Scope Score by year2018–19 to 2024–25 · each year’s inputs, and the score for each year we could verify

The 2024–25 Scope Score, in the current-formula row below, uses the state’s college-or-career readiness measure, 2024–25. No verified earlier Scope Scores are available here.

Scope Score

School yearScope ScorePercentileRankComparison group
2024–258071#430California high schools · 1,498 schools · current formula

2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23 and 2023–24 have records on file but no Scope Score we could verify against that year’s source files, so no score is shown for them.

School yearChronic absenceSuspension
2018–196 in 1003.5% (14 of 405)
2021–22not on filenot on file
2022–23not on filenot on file
2023–2418 in 1001.6% (6 of 377)
2024–2515 in 1000.8% (3 of 378)

Chronic absence and suspension are CDE’s all-students school rates for each year.

No 2019–20 or 2020–21 records in this SchoolScope series
Results by gradeEnglish and math · grade 11 · spring 2026 · % of tested students

What each level means: California's level descriptions.

English · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
EnglishTestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalProficient or AdvancedCaliforniaDifference
Grade 117345%32%19%4%77%57%+20

California is CDE’s statewide English row for each grade, counting every student tested there; the comparisons in the chapters combine these rows for their grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

Math · 2025–26 results by grade

Share of students tested, spring 2026
MathTestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimalProficient or AdvancedCaliforniaDifference
Grade 117519%26%16%39%45%32%+13

California is CDE’s statewide math row for each grade, counting every student tested there; the comparisons in the chapters combine these rows for their grades, weighted by students tested (our calculation).

A grade the school doesn't teach has no row. “Suppressed” marks a result CDE blanks because fewer than 11 students tested (CDE’s reporting rule); “none tested” marks a grade CDE lists with no students tested; “not on file” marks a result missing from the records we hold. None of them means zero.

Every tested year2017–2026 · rates, tested counts, and each grade

English and math by test year · all tested grades

Year · subjectStudents with scoresTop levelTop two levels
2026 · English7345%77%
2026 · Math7519%45%
2025 · English7630%75%
2025 · Math786%23%
2024 · English7934%75%
2024 · Math795%20%
2023 · English8122%60%
2023 · Math830%20%
2022 · English6919%71%
2022 · Math694%20%
2019 · English8734%79%
2019 · Math8811%47%
2018 · English8737%70%
2018 · Math8710%40%
2017 · English8341%84%
2017 · Math8313%36%

Each year names its school year end (2026 = 2025–26). “Students with scores” counts each subject on its own, so don’t add the English and math counts together. A dash is unavailable, not zero.

Earlier years · grade and subject

Year · grade · subjectStudents with scoresMet or exceeded
2025 · Grade 11 · English7675%
2025 · Grade 11 · Math7823%
2024 · Grade 11 · English7975%
2024 · Grade 11 · Math7920%
2023 · Grade 11 · English8160%
2023 · Grade 11 · Math8320%
2022 · Grade 11 · English6971%
2022 · Grade 11 · Math6920%
2019 · Grade 11 · English8779%
2019 · Grade 11 · Math8847%
2018 · Grade 11 · English8770%
2018 · Grade 11 · Math8740%
2017 · Grade 11 · English8384%
2017 · Grade 11 · Math8336%

Current 2025–26 grade results appear above. “Students with scores” counts the students tested in that grade, subject and year. A missing result is not zero, and each year’s row is a different group of children.

Science (CAST)schoolwide · spring 2026
Science (CAST)TestedAdvancedProficientDeveloping levelMinimal
Schoolwide7312%45%41%1%

CAST is tested in grades 5 and 8, then once in grade 10, 11, or 12. This row is the school's all-student aggregate. Not part of the Scope Score.

Student groups: test resultsEnglish · spring 2026 · against the same group in the district and California
Group · EnglishTestedProficient or Advancedvs districtvs California
Low-income5474%+24+25
Hispanic or Latino4473%+26+24
Attendance and suspensionsState records · this school and each student group · 2018–19 and 2025–26

CDE’s all-students school rates for 2024–25 and 2025–26; the change is the difference between the two rates as printed.

Year-over-year school rates
Chronic absenteeism2024–25 · 15 in 100 → 2025–26 · 18 in 100 · +3 in 100
Suspension rate2024–25 · 0.8% (3 of 378) → 2025–26 · 3.1% (11 of 358) · +2.3 percentage points
Group2018–192025–26Change
Female4 in 10021 in 100+17 in 100
Male7 in 10015 in 100+8 in 100
Asian0 of 373 of 30—
Black or African American5 of 409 of 35—
Filipino0 of 141 of 12—
Hispanic or Latino6 in 10019 in 100+13 in 100
Two or more races2 of 263 of 31—
White2 of 446 of 28—
Students with disabilities6 of 6017 of 79—
English learners3 of 4212 of 35—
Homeless1 of 1613 of 42—
Low-income6 in 10020 in 100+14 in 100
All students6 in 10018 in 100+12 in 100

Two reported school years only; no intervening-year result is implied. Where fewer than 100 students were counted, the cell shows the count and no change is printed. Source: CDE school-level chronic absenteeism by student group.

Graduation and readinessstate records · each rate for its own year and class of students
MeasureSource record
This school · CCI overall PreparedCDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · all students in the current four-year graduation cohort, plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. Overall CCI Prepared rate 85% · numerator 68 students classified Prepared · denominator 80 CCI students.
California · CCI overall PreparedCDE statewide CCI cohort · CCI source year 2025 · all students · overall Prepared rate 52% · numerator 257,567 students classified Prepared · denominator 497,814 CCI students.
AP pathway among CCI Prepared studentsCDE College/Career Indicator · CCI source year 2025 · all students · AP pathway rate 0% · AP-pathway numerator 0 · denominator 68 (CCI Prepared students). This measure uses Prepared students as its denominator, not the whole CCI cohort; it is not an AP exam-taking rate or a count of AP courses offered. That cohort includes all students in the current four-year graduation cohort plus only Prepared fifth-year graduates from the prior cohort. In 2025 the pathway accepts two qualifying AP exams, two qualifying AP courses, or a combination of one of each in different subjects.

CDE's overall Prepared rate is the college-readiness factor in the Scope Score (20% of the high school score). The school rate is 68 of 80 CCI students, not the AP-only pathway or A–G completion rate. The California figure is CDE's statewide CCI student cohort, not an average of SchoolScope's comparable high schools or the SchoolScope school-rank pool.

Graduation rate
98%
AP route, among those ready for college or career
0%
2025 CDE CCI cohort · AP courses, exams, or both; share of students ready for college or career (CDE’s “Prepared”), not course offerings
Finished the UC/CSU course list (A–G)
73%
A–G are the 15 courses (across 7 subjects) required for UC/CSU eligibility
College-going rate
68%

These source periods and populations differ: graduation uses an adjusted cohort, while A–G completion and college-going use separately reported groups. The rates are shown individually, without a shared performance tier.

UC admissions, universitywidefall 2016–2025 · applied, admitted, enrolled, mean GPA · summed across CEEB codes
YearAppliedAdmittedEnrolledMean GPA (applied)Mean GPA (admitted)Mean GPA (enrolled)
2025161353.884.004.21
202413733.773.92—
2023157under 33.834.04—
20229643.793.98—
2021211283.813.974.09
202016963.544.004.15
2019101073.863.863.91
2018128under 33.824.04—
201712433.51——
2016115under 33.383.45—

Source: UC admissions by source school. Dated fall first-year UC applicants, admitted students, and enrollees. GPA is each group's mean weighted, capped high-school GPA for 10th/11th-grade college-preparatory courses. SchoolScope leaves GPA unavailable when several CEEB codes contribute rather than combining their means. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees, shown here as “under 5” or “under 3”; — means unavailable, and a reported zero remains zero. A + marks a partial SchoolScope sum of observed counts, not a complete total; missing contributions may be zero. No admit rate is computed here. Complete, matching counts can support a historical descriptive rate, but do not establish a school's effect or predict individual chances. Series shown from 2016.

UC admissions by campuslatest falls on file · each campus counted separately
CampusYearAppliedAdmittedEnrolled
Berkeley20257under 3under 3
Berkeley20246under 3under 3
Berkeley20236under 3under 3
Berkeley20215under 3under 3
Davis202553under 3
Irvine20257under 3under 3
Irvine202483under 3
Irvine202311under 3under 3
Irvine20225under 3under 3
Irvine20217under 3under 3
Los Angeles202511under 3under 3
Los Angeles20249under 3under 3
Los Angeles20238under 3under 3
Los Angeles20225under 3under 3
Los Angeles202114under 3under 3
Merced202566under 3
Riverside202598under 3
Riverside202354under 3
Riverside202184under 3
San Diego20251474
San Diego2024123under 3
San Diego2023153under 3
San Diego202283under 3
San Diego20211985
Santa Barbara202563under 3
Santa Barbara20216under 3under 3
Santa Cruz202565under 3
Universitywide202516135
Universitywide20241373
Universitywide2023157under 3
Universitywide2022964
Universitywide202121128

Source: UC admissions by source school. Dated fall first-year UC applicants, admitted students, and enrollees. Campus totals are not interchangeable with Universitywide; students can apply to several campuses. Universitywide is separately reported; never derive it by adding campus rows. Universitywide applicant and admit counts are unduplicated. UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or under 3 admits or enrollees, shown here as “under 5” or “under 3”; — means unavailable, and a reported zero remains zero. A + marks a partial SchoolScope sum of observed counts, not a complete total; missing contributions may be zero. No admit rate is computed here; these records do not establish a school's effect or predict individual chances.

Advanced coursework, federal snapshot2023–24 · Civil Rights Data Collection · dated historical snapshot
MeasureThis school
AP offerednot reported
AP course countnot reported
AP enrollment (male/female)not reported
IB participationnot reported
Dual enrollmentoffered · 123 enrolled
Algebra I in grade 8not reported
Calculus sections0
Physics sections3
Chemistry sections3
Reported male/female enrollment (CRDC)340

These counts aren’t part of the Scope Score. “Not reported” means the federal record has no value for that item; it isn’t a zero. Enrollment counts add the male and female students the survey reports.

College destinationsclass of 2023 · state college-going records, 12 months after graduation
DestinationCompleters% (derived)
University of California23%
California State University1014%
California community college3245%
In-state private23%
Out-of-state, 4-year23%
Out-of-state, 2-year00%
Not enrolled2332%

71 students who finished high school, class of 2023 · state-reported college-going rate 68% · % column is computed by SchoolScope (count ÷ all who finished high school; CDE calls them completers), not a CDE-native rate · an unavailable or suppressed cell is marked as missing; a reported zero remains distinct · source: CDE 12-mo CGR, 2023 cohort (the newest published), National Student Clearinghouse match — a different, older vintage than the fall 2025 UC admissions rows above.

Fundingschool and district spending, from state and federal finance records · each row names its fiscal year and measure

Per-pupil spending

District · current expense$15,976 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · fall district membership: 97,968 pupils

California · selected district mean$14,491 per pupil

NCES F-33 · FY 2020–21 (2021) · SchoolScope’s unweighted mean across 818 selected California district finance records

School-level federal expenditures$1,478 per pupil

CDE ESSA · school-attributed per-pupil record · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 349

Central federal expenditures attributed here$530 per pupil

CDE ESSA · central expenditures attributed to this school · FY 2024–25 (2025) · source denominator: 349

District current expense · FY 2024–25$21,967 per ADA

CDE SACS Current Expense of Education · district fiscal year ending 2025 · average daily attendance denominator

These figures are not directly comparable: school ESSA attributed spending and NCES district current expense use different measures and populations. Their fiscal years are labeled above.

How the California mean was selected

SchoolScope starts with its selected California finance records, not every NCES California district. For FY 2020–21, it calculates an unweighted mean of NCES F-33 current expense per pupil. District records contribute once, regardless of enrollment. The calculation keeps records with positive per-pupil current expense, enrollment over 100, CCD agency type 1, and a recorded district name; it excludes names ending in County Office of Education, Department of Education, or Superintendent of Schools. This is a SchoolScope calculation, not a state-published spending average.

Selected General Fund operating costs · FY 2024–⁠25 · SchoolScope calculation
Instruction 63%Instruction support 12%Student services 12%Administration 5%Buildings & maintenance 7%Other 1%
The arithmetic behind these shares · FY 2024–25
GroupDollarsShare, to two decimalsPrinted
Instruction$1,223,482,46063.42%63%
Instruction support$225,845,21211.71%12%
Student services$233,097,57212.08%12%
Administration$95,033,7834.93%5%
Buildings & maintenance$141,086,5867.31%7%
Other$10,769,2860.56%1%
Total$1,929,314,899100.00%100%

These shares are our arithmetic: each group’s dollars divided by the $1,929,314,899 total of the groups shown, rounded to whole percents by largest remainder so they add up to 100. Dollar amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, so they can differ from the total by a dollar. SchoolScope groups district-level CDE SACS UserGL actuals from Fund 01, using operating objects 1000–5999 and excluding retiree benefits, food and community services, facilities acquisition, other outgo, and nonagency goals. These shares use that filtered total; they do not exactly break down CDE's official current expense per ADA above. The school-level ESSA figure uses a separate source.

NCES F-33 district fiscal-year history, 2017–⁠2021; latest district record shown: 2021
2021$15,976 per pupil
2020$14,540 per pupil
2019$14,457 per pupil
2018$11,416 per pupil
2017$11,708 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

Staffing recordsstate teacher credential-and-placement and district salary records · each for its own year

Additional workforce records

Properly assigned intern credential holders0.0%

CDE 2024–25 SARC, Teacher Preparation and Placement table; measured school year 2021–22. Share of reported school teaching-position full-time equivalents assigned to properly assigned intern credential holders. A reported 0.0% is shown; unavailable rates are omitted. This is a position share, not a count of current teachers or of emergency permits.

The surrounding ZIP codeCensus Bureau survey, 2020–2024 · ZIP 92111 · not the school’s students
American Community Survey 5-year estimates · 2020–2024 · ZIP 92111 area
MeasureEstimate
Median household income$99,644
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)46%
ZIP-area population45,249
Median age38.5 years

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Median household income covers the past 12 months and is reported in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars. Bachelor's degree or higher uses adults age 25 and over as its population. A dash is unavailable, not zero; a reported zero remains zero. ZIP-area figures do not establish the school's attendance area or describe its enrolled students. These figures are not part of the Scope Score. See all schools in ZIP code 92111 →

Downloads, embed and methodologyCSV · embed code · sources · corrections

Embed this scorecard

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Free to embed with the credit link. Data updates automatically.

Data sources: public data sources, including the California Department of Education · state tests (CAASPP) 2025–26 · Scope Score from 2024–25 results, compared across 1,498 high schools · attendance and suspensions by student group from 2018–19 and 2025–26 · district finance for the year each row names · Census survey (ACS) 2020–2024 · UC fall first-year source records — UC blanks counts under 5 applicants or 3 admits or enrollees; “+” marks a partial count; the all-campus total is reported separately · federal civil rights data (CRDC) 2023–24, a past snapshot · state college-going records, class of 2023, matched to National Student Clearinghouse enrollment · Data updated October 15, 2026

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