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Knox Middle · San Diego

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

Knox posts 22% meeting the standard and 6.0% exceeding it, against 39% and 16.8% statewide. The gaps and the bright spots below are the real read.

1098 South 49th Street, 92113 (opens in new tab)·San Diego Unified·San Diego·Grades 6-8·488 students·96% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(619) 344-5500·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope3443
% Exceeded6%17%
% Met+22%39%
Growth-3.4+1.5
Absence26.1%18.5%
Suspension0.7%3.7%
Scope Score
34
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #1,490 statewide · #39 of 58 in San Diego Unified

Knox Middle scores 34 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 33rd 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 “22% proficient” and call it done. Knox deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Diego, where nearly all 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 14th to the 33rd percentile since 2019 — past roughly 200 middle schools.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased)

The pandemic drop is behind this school: 22% of students meet the standard today, above the 14% who did in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 617%25%15%25%34%
Grade 723%24%29%25%28%
Grade 822%32%30%29%32%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 66%8%11%12%16%
Grade 711%13%14%9%10%
Grade 87%5%10%12%11%

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.

28%
66%
Grade 6 · 34% proficient
22%
71%
Grade 7 · 29% proficient
25%
68%
Grade 8 · 32% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding holds steady across grades; the floor slips 2.0pp. 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
6.0%
State 16.8%
10.9pp below state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-3.4pp
State +1.5pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
21.8%
State 39.3%
17.4pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
26.1%
State 18.5%
7.5pp above state avg
Suspension rate
0.7%
State 3.7%
3.0pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
17.9%
State 18.0%
0.1pp below 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 how the school follows up when a student starts missing days — chronic absence often starts outside the classroom, not inside it.
  • 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 Knox Middle in San Diego, 31.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Knox Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 11.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (12.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (27.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 30.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 419 students tested.

All students at this school: 21% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 21%, district —, state 39%21%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 21%, district 36%, state 32%21% · +0 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 19%, district 35%, state 32%19% · −2 vs school
MaleMale: this school 21%, district 50%, state 42%21% · −1 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 22%, district 51%, state 44%22% · +1 vs school
HomelessHomeless: this school 17%, district 23%, state 22%17% · −4 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 1%, district 10%, state 11%1% · −21 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 12%, district 21%, state 15%12% · −10 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 21%, district 27%, state 26%21% · −0 vs school

8 of 17 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 3.3pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: +0.8pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 26.1%, district 20.8%, state 18.5%26.1% · +7.5pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.7%, district —, state 3.7%0.7% · −3.0pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–624.7%
Grades 7–827.1%

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 21:1, district 23:121:1
Teaching staff27 teachers
Avg. experience8.6 years
Fully credentialed97%
First-year teachers7%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$55,375 – $124,275
Principal salary$0 – $187,294
Superintendent salary$300,404

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $23,380, CA average $14,815$23,380 · spent at this school
Federal share$3,025 per student

$3,025 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

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

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

Where the district's dollars go · FY 2024–25 · CDE SACS
Instruction63%
Instruction support12%
Student services12%
Administration5%
Buildings & maintenance7%
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$15,976 per pupil
2019$14,540 per pupil
2018$14,457 per pupil
2017$11,416 per pupil
2016$11,708 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Hispanic72.8%
District 47.0% · CA 56.1%
Black16.4%
District 7.5% · CA 4.8%
Other5.9%
District 13.8% · CA 9.0%
Asian3.9%
District 8.7% · CA 10.2%
White1.0%
District 22.9% · CA 19.9%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 95.7% (32pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$62K · CA $85K
Median home value$614K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+12% · CA 35%
ZIP population48,215
Median age33 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 12% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Knox Middle a good middle school?

Knox Middle has a Scope Score of 34 out of 100, placing it in the 33rd percentile of California middle schools and ranked #1,490 statewide. 6.0% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 10.9 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 Knox Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 21.8% of students at Knox Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 6.0% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 15.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 6.0% 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. 896 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Knox Middle rank in California?

Knox Middle ranks #1,490 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 33rd 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 Knox Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Knox Middle decreases by 3.4 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the middle Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.

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

26.1% of students at Knox Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 0.7%, 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 Knox Middle compare to other schools in San Diego?

Knox Middle scores 34/100 (33rd 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 488 students. Use the schools in San Diego page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

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

At Knox Middle in San Diego, 31.3% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 42.6% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Knox Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 11.3 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (12.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (27.7% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 30.3 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 419 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%
6.0%
↓ vs CA 16.8% · 38th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
-3.4pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 54th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
21.8%
↓ vs CA 39.3% · 36th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
26.1%
↓ vs CA 18.5% · 39th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.7%
↑ vs CA 3.7% · 62th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
17.9%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 45th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 61276%28%29%37%34%−13
Grade 71517%22%26%45%28%−19
Grade 81577%25%32%36%32%−14
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 61416%9%28%56%16%−19
Grade 71555%6%23%66%10%−24
Grade 81655%6%18%71%11%−21
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111652%10%65%23%

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 Disadvantaged41931.3%−11−7
Hispanic/Latino31827.7%−13−11
English Learners941.1%−7−9
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Knox Middle ←346.0%21.8%−3.40.7%
KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy1 mi238.7%27.5%+11.10.8%
Millennial Tech Middle1.5 mi194.6%21.1%−11.14.0%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20192514#17183.3%14.5%22.1%9.4%+2.9pp
20222416#18213.1%17.8%50.2%5.6%+1.7pp
20233226#16143.8%18.2%36.4%4.3%+7.7pp
20242825#16634.7%18.9%32.0%2.6%+2.2pp
20253433#14906.0%21.8%26.1%0.7%-3.4pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female22.7%28.2%+5.5pp
Male21.9%24.4%+2.5pp
Black/African American14.0%26.5%+12.5pp
Filipino27.3%
White7.1%
Hispanic/Latino23.8%28.4%+4.6pp
Pacific Islander20.0%
Two or More Races38.9%7.1%-31.8pp
Students with Disabilities29.2%38.5%+9.3pp
English Learners25.2%20.4%-4.8pp
Homeless27.2%25.8%-1.4pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged22.4%26.3%+3.9pp
All Students22.2%26.3%+4.1pp
Asian4.3%
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