Middle Schools in Jefferson Elementary

This analysis covers three middle schools (grades 6-8) within the Jefferson Elementary school district in Daly City and Colma, California, revealing significant differences in performance and resources among them.

Fernando Rivera Intermediate stands out as the top performer, with the highest test scores in English, math, and science, and the district's lowest rate of chronic student absenteeism at 6.9%. In contrast, Benjamin Franklin Intermediate has the lowest academic scores and the highest absenteeism rate, despite having the most funding per student and the smallest class sizes. Thomas R. Pollicita Middle shows promising improvement, especially in 8th-grade English, and has a state ranking that has risen notably in the past year.

Key takeaways for parents include the strong link between attendance and achievement, as seen in the performance gap between Fernando Rivera and Benjamin Franklin. Interestingly, higher spending and smaller classes did not correlate with better results in this district. All three schools struggle with science scores compared to the state average. The data suggests that school-level practices and student engagement are critical factors, with Thomas Pollicita's recent gains offering a model of positive change.