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Will C. Wood Middle · Alameda

Will C. Wood Middle: This school runs ahead of the state average. The bar itself is the harder conversation.

Will C. Wood posts 49% meeting the standard against 39% statewide — ahead of most, with real headroom above the bar.

1801 Sandcreek Way, 94501 (opens in new tab)·Alameda Unified·Alameda·Grades 6-8·613 students·52% low-income·2024–25 CAASPP·(510) 748-4015·Website
2019–2025 trend · CDE CAASPP
This schoolCA avg
Scope4743
% Exceeded23%17%
% Met+49%39%
Growth-8.7+1.5
Absence15.7%18.5%
Suspension5.3%3.7%
Scope Score
47
🌱 Building Momentum · Developing
ranked #787 statewide · #3 of 6 in Alameda Unified

Will C. Wood Middle scores 47 of 100 on SchoolScope's Scope Score — the 65th 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 “49% proficient” and call it done. Will C. Wood deserves a closer read. The school sits in Alameda, where more than half of 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

Has stayed near the 65th percentile since 2019.

CA Dashboard
ELAGreen(Increased Significantly)MathOrange(Declined Significantly)

Proficiency here is back to its pre-pandemic level — 49% meet the standard, about where the school stood in 2019.

ELA — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 654%51%52%51%60%
Grade 761%64%51%55%55%
Grade 857%67%53%53%52%
Math — % met or exceeded, by grade
Grade20192022202320242025
Grade 641%35%38%46%48%
Grade 739%42%43%47%42%
Grade 844%43%41%43%38%

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%
32%
40%
Grade 6 · 60% proficient
19%
36%
45%
Grade 7 · 55% proficient
20%
32%
48%
Grade 8 · 52% proficient

The honest read: the share exceeding falls 8.0pp across grades; the floor slips 8.1pp. 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
23.2%
State 16.8%
6.4pp above state avg
Growth (G6→G8)
-8.7pp
State +1.5pp
Scores decline across grades
Met or exceeded
49.1%
State 39.3%
9.8pp above state avg
Chronic absenteeism
15.7%
State 18.5%
2.9pp below state avg
Suspension rate
5.3%
State 3.7%
1.6pp above state avg
EL proficiency (ELPAC)
14.6%
State 18.0%
3.3pp below state avg
Worth a school visit

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

  • Ask what changes between grade 6 and grade 8 here, and who teaches the older kids.
  • Ask whether the tour can step into a working classroom — watch how the teacher handles a student who's stuck.
  • Ask to tour while school's in session, and notice how hallways and transitions feel — culture shows up between classes, not just in them.
  • Ask how the school communicates with families when a child starts to struggle.
  • Ask what a typical day looks like for a new student in the first few weeks.

How every group of students does here

At Will C. Wood Middle in Alameda, 42.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 50.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Will C. Wood Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 7.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.9% Math proficient); Asian students (62.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 54.0 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 320 students tested.

All students at this school: 49% met or exceeded
All StudentsAll Students: this school 49%, district —, state 39%49%
Socioeconomically DisadvantagedSocioeconomically Disadvantaged: this school 37%, district 45%, state 32%37% · −12 vs school
FemaleFemale: this school 52%, district 65%, state 44%52% · +2 vs school
MaleMale: this school 47%, district 63%, state 42%47% · −3 vs school
AsianAsian: this school 59%, district 72%, state 72%59% · +10 vs school
Hispanic/LatinoHispanic/Latino: this school 26%, district 44%, state 32%26% · −23 vs school
WhiteWhite: this school 68%, district 72%, state 56%68% · +19 vs school
Two or More RacesTwo or More Races: this school 50%, district 69%, state 56%50% · +0 vs school
Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities: this school 11%, district 25%, state 15%11% · −38 vs school
English LearnersEnglish Learners: this school 4%, district 10%, state 11%4% · −45 vs school
FilipinoFilipino: this school 67%, district 65%, state 65%67% · +18 vs school
Black/African AmericanBlack/African American: this school 19%, district 30%, state 26%19% · −30 vs school

5 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 6.4pp from grade 6 to grade 8 at this school. District average: -3.6pp.

Showing up, and staying in class

Chronic absenteeismChronic absenteeism: this school 15.7%, district 16.3%, state 18.5%15.7% · −2.9pp vs state
Suspension rateSuspension rate: this school 5.3%, district —, state 3.7%5.3% · +1.6pp vs state
Chronic absenteeism by grade band
Grades 4–615.4%
Grades 7–815.8%

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 24:121:1
Teaching staff32 teachers
Avg. experience10.9 years
Fully credentialed75%
First-year teachers16%
Intern / emergency permit2.7%
Salary Schedule
Teacher salary schedule$68,272 – $124,990
Principal salary$164,918 – $172,043
Superintendent salary$324,791

Pay is set by the district, not the school.

What gets spent here

Per-pupil spendingPer-pupil spending: $21,910, CA average $14,815$21,910 · spent at this school
Federal share$452 per student

$452 per student arrives as federal Title funding — a measure of concentrated need, not school quality.

District current expense · FY 2024–25$18,559 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
Instruction60%
Instruction support11%
Student services10%
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$14,060 per pupil
2019$12,953 per pupil
2018$13,436 per pupil
2017$10,387 per pupil
2016$10,129 per pupil

Source: NCES F-33 · Full district breakdown →

The neighborhood it serves

Other25.8%
District 23.8% · CA 9.0%
Asian24.1%
District 24.9% · CA 10.2%
Hispanic21.7%
District 17.7% · CA 56.1%
White21.7%
District 26.7% · CA 19.9%
Black6.7%
District 7.0% · CA 4.8%
GenderFemale 49.4%Male 49.9%Non-binary 0.7%
Low IncomeFree/reduced lunch eligible 51.9% (12pp below CA avg)
Neighborhood — American Community Survey
Median income$128K · CA $85K
Median home value$1.25M · CA $659K
Bachelor's degree+59% · CA 35%
ZIP population63,808
Median age40 years

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

Worth Knowing

On the state's science test (CAST), 29% met or exceeded the standard — science is tested in grades 5 and 8 but never enters the Scope Score.

Frequently asked questions

Is Will C. Wood Middle a good middle school?

Will C. Wood Middle has a Scope Score of 47 out of 100, placing it in the 65th percentile of California middle schools and ranked #787 statewide. 23.2% of students exceeded the state standard on the 2025 CAASPP assessment, which is 6.4 percentage points above 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 Will C. Wood Middle's CAASPP test scores?

On the 2025 CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessment, 49.1% of students at Will C. Wood Middle met or exceeded the state standard in ELA and Math combined, and 23.2% exceeded it. The gap between those numbers matters: 25.9% of students are at the proficiency floor, while 23.2% 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. 1,188 student-subject combinations were assessed.

How does Will C. Wood Middle rank in California?

Will C. Wood Middle ranks #787 among California middle schools by Scope Score, placing it in the 65th 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 Will C. Wood Middle getting better or worse?

Based on 2025 CAASPP data, proficiency at Will C. Wood Middle decreases by 8.7 percentage points from Grade 6 to grade 8 growth. This downward pattern doesn't necessarily mean the school is failing — it can reflect cohort differences, demographic shifts, or curriculum changes. A campus visit and conversation with teachers can reveal what the numbers can't. Growth trajectory is weighted at 15% in the middle Scope Score because it measures what the school does, not just who walks in the door.

What is the attendance and school culture like at Will C. Wood Middle?

15.7% of students at Will C. Wood Middle are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days), which is better than the California average of 18.5%. The suspension rate is 5.3%. 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 Will C. Wood Middle compare to other schools in Alameda?

Will C. Wood Middle scores 47/100 (65th 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 613 students. Use the schools in Alameda page or the map view to compare all middle schools nearby.

How does Will C. Wood Middle serve low-income and underrepresented students?

At Will C. Wood Middle in Alameda, 42.8% of low-income students met or exceeded the ELA standard in 2025, compared to 50.0% district-wide and 38.2% statewide. Will C. Wood Middle trails its district average for low-income students by 7.2 percentage points in ELA. Other subgroups: Low-Income students (30.9% Math proficient); Asian students (62.5% ELA proficient). The largest proficiency gap is 54.0 percentage points for english learner students. Data source: California Department of Education, CAASPP 2024-25. 320 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%
23.2%
↑ vs CA 16.8% · 57th pctile
Growth (G6→G8) · 27%
-8.7pp
↓ vs CA +1.5pp · 48th pctile
Met or exceeded · 20%
49.1%
↑ vs CA 39.3% · 58th pctile
Chronic absenteeism · 5%
15.7%
↑ vs CA 18.5% · 54th pctile
Suspension rate · 5%
5.3%
↓ vs CA 3.7% · 44th pctile
EL proficiency (ELPAC) · 5%
14.6%
↓ vs CA 18.0% · 41th pctile
02By grade & subgroupCAASPP 2024–25 · % of tested students
ELATestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 620428%32%19%21%60%+13
Grade 718819%36%18%27%55%+8
Grade 820120%32%24%24%52%+6
MathTestedEXCMETNEARNOTMET++/CA
Grade 620629%18%24%28%48%+13
Grade 719019%23%26%32%42%+8
Grade 819924%15%19%43%38%+6
Science (CAST)TestedEXCMETNEARNOT
Grade 5/8/1120712%17%50%20%

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 Disadvantaged32042.8%−7+5
Asian14462.5%−12−12
Hispanic/Latino13532.6%−17−6
03Peer comparison · nearest middle schoolssorted by Scope Score
SchoolDistScopeEXCMET+GrowthSusp
Will C. Wood Middle ←4723.2%49.1%−8.75.3%
Downtown Charter Academy1.6 mi7445.2%75.8%−7.60.5%
Lincoln Middle1.7 mi7243.6%75.2%+1.34.6%
AIMS College Prep Middle2.6 mi5119.7%43.6%+17.02.9%
California average4316.8%39.3%+1.53.7%
04More measurescontext · not all part of the Scope Score
YearScopePctileRankExcMet+AbsentSuspGrowth
20194870#59320.9%49.3%12.4%2.8%+3.0pp
20225482#38621.2%50.3%26.0%4.6%+12.4pp
20235274#57620.5%46.1%25.1%6.7%+2.3pp
20245075#55022.0%49.0%19.9%3.6%-0.6pp
20254765#78723.2%49.1%15.7%5.3%-8.7pp
NO STATEWIDE TESTING 2020–21 (COVID) · SCORE AND PERCENTILE ARE RELATIVE TO EACH YEAR'S FIELD
05Climate by student groupchronic absenteeism · 2019 vs 2025 — the two years CDE publishes at subgroup level
Group20192025Δ
Female12.5%15.5%+3.0pp
Male12.2%15.7%+3.5pp
Asian1.8%5.8%+4.0pp
Black/African American23.1%34.1%+11.0pp
White6.1%10.0%+3.9pp
Hispanic/Latino22.6%28.1%+5.5pp
Two or More Races12.3%14.6%+2.3pp
Students with Disabilities21.2%24.2%+3.0pp
English Learners8.3%14.6%+6.3pp
Socioeconomically Disadvantaged18.3%21.7%+3.4pp
All Students12.4%15.6%+3.2pp
Filipino21.1%
Homeless64.7%
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