Summary:
This analysis examines the two middle schools serving grades 7-8 in the Calexico Unified School District, both of which operate in a high-needs area where the vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Among these two schools, Enrique Camarena Junior High stands out as the stronger performer, achieving higher academic proficiency in English, math, and science and having a significantly lower rate of chronic student absenteeism (19.1%) compared to William Moreno Junior High (28.6%). While both schools perform below state averages, Enrique Camarena's statewide ranking is in the 29th percentile, notably higher than William Moreno's ranking in the 11th percentile, indicating a meaningful performance gap within the same district.
The district as a whole faces academic challenges, ranking in the 11th percentile statewide. A key finding is that despite very similar per-student funding and student-teacher ratios, the two schools have different outcomes, suggesting that school-level practices may influence success. Parents should note that chronic absenteeism is a major concern, particularly at William Moreno, and is closely linked to lower test scores. Science proficiency is an area of particular difficulty for both schools, with William Moreno's proficiency rate being less than a quarter of the state average.
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