Middle Schools in Fullerton Elementary

The three middle schools in Fullerton Elementary serve grades 7–8 and enroll 2,213 students across D. Russell Parks Junior High, Ladera Vista Junior High School of the Arts, and Nicolas Junior High. Their 2025–2026 average proficiency rates were 53% in ELA, 39% in math, and 33% in science, compared with state rates of 49%, 38%, and 36%. The clearest overall takeaway is that results vary widely between schools, and science is the area’s weakest subject relative to the state.

Parks stands out at the top: 69% met the standard in ELA, 57% in math, and 47% in science, leading the next school by 15, 18, and 16 percentage points, respectively. It was the only school above the state in all three subjects. At the other end, Nicolas had the lowest rates—38% in ELA, 22% in math, and 20% in science—and was below the state in each. Ladera Vista fell between them in every subject; its ELA and math results were slightly above the state, while science was below. The gap between Parks and Nicolas was 31 points in ELA, 35 in math, and 27 in science.

Results changed unevenly from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026: Parks declined in all three subjects, while Ladera gained 2 points in ELA, 3 in math, and 7 in science; its science result nevertheless remained below the state. Area averages lost ground relative to the state in all three subjects. SchoolDigger’s statewide percentile ranking fell from 92 to 86 for Parks and from 46 to 31 for Nicolas over three years; Ladera’s went from 71 to 64, with a latest-year rebound, and its 2025–2026 rating was 3 stars, compared with 4 for Parks and 2 for Nicolas. For 2024–2025, free/reduced lunch eligible figures were 48% at Parks, 63% at Ladera, and 83% at Nicolas. Student-teacher ratios were 23.6:1, 22:1, and 18.2:1, respectively; these figures describe differences, not their causes.