ExploreMapCompareBlogSign in
San Fernando Middle · San Fernando

San Fernando Middle: The scores are below where anyone wants them. Here's what they don't tell you.

San Fernando posts low test scores — and suspensions run below the state rate (0.5% vs 3.7%). If this is your zoned school, the numbers below are where to start a conversation, not where to end one.

2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope2843
% Exceeded7%17%
% Met+22%39%
Growth-6.9+1.5
Absence22.2%18.5%
Suspension0.5%3.7%
Scope Score
28
🌱 Building Momentum · Needs Support
ranked #1,862 statewide · #206 of 226 in Los Angeles Unified

San Fernando Middle scores 28 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 17th 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. San Fernando deserves a closer read. The school sits in San Fernando, where nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch — and reading the numbers without that context misreads the school.

Test scores are one lens, and at this school they're a rough one right now. The sections below show the fuller picture — including the parts that are working.

The seven-year arc

Percentile among 2,238 middle schools statewide

Has stayed near the 17th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELABlue(Increased Significantly)MathGreen(Increased Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 22% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 628%26%28%33%33%
Grade 733%16%28%25%28%
Grade 830%29%18%24%28%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 620%16%17%12%21%
Grade 721%4%21%13%11%
Grade 814%14%6%13%13%

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.

14%
19%
67%
Grade 6 · 33% proficient
22%
72%
Grade 7 · 28% proficient
21%
72%
Grade 8 · 28% proficient

The 6 things our score weighs

Exceeded standard
7.1%
State 16.8%
9.8pp below state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-6.9pp
State +1.5pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
22.3%
State 39.3%
17.0pp below state avg
Chronic absenteeism
22.2%
State 18.5%
3.6pp above state avg
Suspension rate
0.5%
State 3.7%
3.1pp below state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
7.3%
State 18.0%
10.7pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

Ask what changed in the last two years, and what the school is asking families for. Growth shows up in these numbers a year or two after it shows up in classrooms.

  • 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 San Fernando Middle in San Fernando, 28.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. San Fernando Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 12.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (15.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (28.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 28.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 372 students tested.

All students at this school: 22% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 22%, district —, state 39%22%
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 22%, district 36%, state 32%22% · −0 vs school
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 22%, district 36%, state 32%22% · +0 vs school
MaleMale: this school 19%, district 41%, state 42%19% · −3 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 25%, district 42%, state 44%25% · +3 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 1%, district 9%, state 11%1% · −21 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 8%, district 14%, state 15%8% · −14 vs school

6 of 13 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 7.1pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -0.3pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 22.2%, district 24.5%, state 18.5%22.2% · +3.6pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 0.5%, district —, state 3.7%0.5% · −3.1pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–616.8%
Grades 7–824.6%

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 staff29 teachers
Avg. experience15.3 years
Fully credentialed74%
First-year teachers7%
Intern / emergency permit6.0%
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: $35,359, CA average $14,815$35,359 · spent at this school
Federal share$4,156 per student

$4,156 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

Hispanic96.6%
District 73.2% · CA 56.1%
White1.8%
District 9.9% · CA 19.9%
Other1.4%
District 6.3% · CA 9.0%
Asian0.2%
District 3.4% · CA 10.2%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 95.7% (32pp above CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$85K · CA $85K
Median home value$662K · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+14% · CA 35%
ZIP population33,424
Median age37 years

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

Worth Knowing

At 442 students, this school is much smaller than the typical California middle school (≈860).

On the state's science test (CAST), 11% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is San Fernando Middle a good middle school?

San Fernando Middle has a Scope Score of 28 out of 100, placing it in the 17th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #1,862 statewide. 7.1% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 9.8 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 San Fernando Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 22.3% of students at San Fernando Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 7.1% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 15.2% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 7.1% 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. 790 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does San Fernando Middle rank in California?

San Fernando Middle ranks #1,862 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 17th 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 San Fernando Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at San Fernando Middle decreases by 6.9 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 San Fernando Middle?

22.2% of students at San Fernando Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), compared to the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 0.5%, 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 San Fernando Middle compare to other schools in San Fernando?

San Fernando Middle scores 28/100 (17th 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 442 students. Use the schools in San Fernando page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does San Fernando Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At San Fernando Middle in San Fernando, 28.9% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 40.9% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. San Fernando Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 12.0 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (15.1% Math proficient); Hispanic students (28.8% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 28.1 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 372 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%
7.1%
↓ vs CA 16.8% · 39th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
-6.9pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 36th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
22.3%
↓ vs CA 39.3% · 37th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
22.2%
↓ vs CA 18.5% · 45th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
0.5%
↑ vs CA 3.7% · 63th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
7.3%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 31th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 610914%19%25%42%33%−14
Grade 71296%22%31%41%28%−20
Grade 81497%21%27%46%28%−19
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 61139%12%25%54%21%−14
Grade 71363%8%27%62%11%−23
Grade 81544%9%21%66%13%−19
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/111544%7%53%36%

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 Disadvantaged37228.9%−12−9
Hispanic/Latino37328.8%−12−10
English Learners771.3%−6−9
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
San Fernando Middle ←287.1%22.3%−6.90.5%
Olive Vista Middle2.2 mi4315.0%34.2%+3.50.4%
PUC Inspire Charter Academy1.9 mi378.7%24.1%+7.40.2%
Pacoima Middle2.4 mi3612.4%31.8%−3.00.7%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20192822#15646.4%24.2%20.4%0.4%-2.3pp
20222621#17094.5%17.5%40.9%0.2%+0.8pp
2023203#21124.1%19.5%38.1%0.2%-10.3pp
20242213#19264.7%19.9%23.9%4.4%-3.8pp
20252817#18627.1%22.3%22.2%0.5%-6.9pp
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
Female17.4%21.7%+4.3pp
Male23.2%22.9%-0.3pp
Hispanic/Latino19.6%22.2%+2.6pp
Students with Disabilities24.1%29.2%+5.1pp
English Learners15.3%20.9%+5.6pp
Foster Youth36.8%
Homeless30.0%34.2%+4.2pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged21.2%22.1%+0.9pp
All Students20.5%22.3%+1.8pp
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