Summary:
The Fortuna Elementary School District in California includes two middle schools, Toddy Thomas Middle (grades 5-8) and Fortuna Middle (grades 7-8), which together serve over 460 students in a community where a high percentage qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
When comparing the two, Fortuna Middle shows stronger academic results in English Language Arts, with proficiency rates closer to the state average, and it has shown recent improvement in its statewide ranking. Toddy Thomas Middle excels in a different area, boasting an exceptionally low rate of chronic student absenteeism, which is significantly better than the district and state averages. Both schools face a common challenge in mathematics, where proficiency lags behind state standards, and both see a notable drop in student performance between 7th and 8th grade.
An interesting finding for parents is that strong attendance does not automatically lead to higher test scores, as seen at Toddy Thomas. Additionally, while per-student spending is nearly identical, Fortuna Middle operates with a much lower student-to-teacher ratio, which may contribute to its academic edge. For a broader view of performance and resources across the Fortuna Elementary district, parents are encouraged to review the detailed data available online.
Thank you for your feedback!