High Desert

Summary:

High Desert is a public middle school located in Acton, CA, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 306 students. Over the past several years, this school has seen a steady decline in its statewide ranking, dropping from a high of 793 out of 2,715 California middle schools in 2018-2019 to a ranking of 1,958 out of 2,777 in the most recent 2023-2024 school year. Its overall SchoolDigger star rating has also decreased from 4 stars to 1 star during this time period.

High Desert's performance is concerning across several key metrics. The school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.8% in 2017-2018 to 45.4% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is notably higher than the state average. Academically, High Desert's students consistently score below the state and district averages on Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST Science tests, with only 29.47% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy and just 13.68% proficient in Mathematics in 2023-2024. The school's performance on key subgroups, including Hispanic, White, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Low Socioeconomic Status students, is also in the bottom 20-25% of California middle schools.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Keppel Academy, High Desert generally performs worse across a range of metrics, including test scores, chronic absenteeism, and free/reduced lunch rates. The high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and the increasing student-teacher ratio at High Desert may be contributing factors to the school's declining performance. However, the data suggests that there is room for improvement, and by implementing targeted interventions, addressing chronic absenteeism, and providing additional support for underperforming subgroups, the school may be able to reverse the negative trends and better serve its students.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 3620 Antelope Woods Rd.
       Acton, CA  93510-1757


(661) 269-0310

District: Acton-Agua Dulce Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1958th of 2,777 California Middle Schools


Students who attend High Desert usually attend:

High:    Vasquez High

Feeder schools for High Desert:

Elementary:    Meadowlark Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  27.1 Help
Number of students:  306

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
51.6%
White:
41.5%
Two or more races:
3.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  64.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details High Desert ranks worse than 70.5% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.78. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (51.6%), White (41.5%), two or more races (3.3%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 64.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at High Desert is 27.1. (See more...)
Help
Compare High Desert employs 11.2 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

High Desert:

SchoolDigger ranks High Desert 1958th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See High Desert in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:




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Rank History for High Desert

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Rank History for all students at High Desert

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 70.38 421st 1769 76.2%
2005 69.04 460th 1777 74.1%
2006 64.63 551st 1804 69.5%
2007 61.10 658th 1999 67.1%
2008 58.14 736th 2005 63.3%
2009 41.53 1169th 2063 43.3%
2010 52.19 973rd 2179 55.3%
2011 50.08 1094th 2236 51.1%
2012 46.10 1190th 2259 47.3%
2013 39.34 1449th 2379 39.1%
2015 48.53 1139th 2477 54.0%
2016 50.38 1102nd 2497 55.9%
2017 57.24 937th 2508 62.6%
2018 56.11 944th 2480 61.9%
2019 64.97 793rd 2715 70.8%
2022 29.30 1812th 2740 33.9%
2023 26.16 1985th 2802 29.2%
2024 26.78 1958th 2777 29.5%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at High Desert

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.37 185th 1364 86.4%
2019 86.49 84th 1442 94.2%
2023 32.23 1117th 1529 26.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at High Desert

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 23.23 1342nd 1538 12.7%
2024 25.68 1246th 1550 19.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at High Desert

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.74 941st 2230 57.8%
2019 66.66 572nd 2369 75.9%
2022 24.62 1914th 2458 22.1%
2023 25.42 1958th 2549 23.2%
2024 31.21 1720th 2575 33.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at High Desert

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.44 731st 2262 67.7%
2019 65.23 723rd 2380 69.6%
2022 40.32 1333rd 2509 46.9%
2023 28.27 1734th 2547 31.9%
2024 32.76 1582nd 2546 37.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at High Desert

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.95 604th 1369 55.9%
2019 92.97 69th 1491 95.4%
2022 37.62 836th 1531 45.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at High Desert

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.03 1074th 2273 52.7%
2019 61.19 777th 2407 67.7%
2022 22.35 1966th 2527 22.2%
2023 25.00 1869th 2558 26.9%
2024 21.95 2007th 2547 21.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at High Desert

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.38 870th 2072 58.0%
2019 55.50 799th 2213 63.9%
2022 29.72 1635th 2359 30.7%
2023 21.49 1978th 2391 17.3%
2024 18.60 2065th 2383 13.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at High Desert

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.90 712th 1496 52.4%
2019 56.74 677th 1602 57.7%
2022 21.86 1240th 1555 20.3%
2023 20.35 1242nd 1552 20.0%
2024 22.88 1201st 1535 21.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

High Desert Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for High Desert

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1994 372 16 1 62 2 n/a n/a 0 453
1995 351 10 6 40 1 n/a n/a 0 408
1996 351 10 6 40 1 n/a n/a 0 408
1997 342 3 7 56 0 n/a n/a 0 408
1998 321 2 8 52 0 n/a n/a 0 383
1999 314 2 6 40 1 n/a n/a 0 363
2000 296 8 3 43 4 n/a n/a 3 357
2001 314 8 7 50 4 n/a n/a 5 388
2002 315 4 9 57 2 n/a n/a 21 408
2003 315 4 9 57 2 n/a n/a 21 408
2004 301 4 3 67 5 n/a n/a 31 411
2005 362 4 8 72 7 n/a n/a 105 558
2006 225 129 44 48 6 n/a n/a 77 529
2007 331 2 11 103 5 n/a n/a 45 497
2008 311 4 9 110 2 n/a n/a 0 436
2009 279 2 8 108 2 2 61 0 462
2010 266 3 8 120 2 1 23 0 423
2011 272 1 10 125 4 0 18 0 430
2012 231 2 7 137 3 0 19 0 399
2013 188 3 5 101 3 0 32 0 332
2014 198 5 5 103 3 0 11 0 325
2015 178 4 3 94 3 0 4 0 286
2016 151 1 3 98 2 1 3 0 259
2017 154 3 2 109 1 1 2 0 272
2018 146 2 3 120 0 2 5 0 278
2019 181 2 6 160 1 1 11 0 362
2020 154 3 5 172 0 1 15 0 350
2021 125 4 3 131 0 0 11 0 274
2022 116 3 1 149 1 0 7 0 277
2023 127 8 3 158 0 0 10 0 306

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at High Desert

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 453 16.9 26.8 11.5
1995 408 15.7 26.0 13
1996 408 15.7 26.0 13
1997 408 17.0 24.0 19.1
1998 383 17.0 22.5 25.1
1999 363 15.0 24.2 13.8
2000 357 15.6 22.9 21.2
2001 388 16.2 24.0 18.3
2002 408 16.0 25.5 16.5
2003 408 16.0 25.5 16.5
2004 411 15.8 26.0 0
2005 558 22.0 25.4 18.8
2006 529 21.2 25.0 17
2007 497 21.0 23.7 17.9
2008 436 22.7 19.2 25.2
2009 462 18.0 21.5 24.7
2010 423 19.0 22.2 33.6
2011 430 n/a n/a 33
2012 399 16.5 24.1 n/a
2013 332 12.5 26.5 25.3
2014 325 14.5 22.4 32.3
2015 286 12.0 23.8 41.6
2016 259 12.0 21.5 40.9
2017 272 14.0 19.4 38.6
2018 278 15.0 18.5 54.7
2019 362 16.6 21.8 53
2020 350 n/a n/a 54.6
2021 274 13.8 19.8 57.7
2022 277 10.8 25.6 66.4
2023 306 11.2 27.1 64.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio High Desert

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 453 16.9 26.8 11.5
1995 408 15.7 26.0 13
1996 408 15.7 26.0 13
1997 408 17.0 24.0 19.1
1998 383 17.0 22.5 25.1
1999 363 15.0 24.2 13.8
2000 357 15.6 22.9 21.2
2001 388 16.2 24.0 18.3
2002 408 16.0 25.5 16.5
2003 408 16.0 25.5 16.5
2004 411 15.8 26.0 0
2005 558 22.0 25.4 18.8
2006 529 21.2 25.0 17
2007 497 21.0 23.7 17.9
2008 436 22.7 19.2 25.2
2009 462 18.0 21.5 24.7
2010 423 19.0 22.2 33.6
2011 430 n/a n/a 33
2012 399 16.5 24.1 n/a
2013 332 12.5 26.5 25.3
2014 325 14.5 22.4 32.3
2015 286 12.0 23.8 41.6
2016 259 12.0 21.5 40.9
2017 272 14.0 19.4 38.6
2018 278 15.0 18.5 54.7
2019 362 16.6 21.8 53
2020 350 n/a n/a 54.6
2021 274 13.8 19.8 57.7
2022 277 10.8 25.6 66.4
2023 306 11.2 27.1 64.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on High Desert

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 793rd of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1985th of 2802 Middle schools
 41.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (High Desert)58.717.4
 41.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)58.717.4
 41.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (High Desert)37.85.8
 32%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)37.85.8
 32%
   5th Grade Mathematics (California)3833.4
 4.6%
5th Grade Science (High Desert)33.320.3
 13%
   5th Grade Science (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)33.320.3
 13%
   5th Grade Science (California)31.731.9
 0.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (High Desert)58.231.8
 26.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)58.231.8
 26.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (High Desert)42.724.2
 18.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)42.724.2
 18.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (High Desert)68.240
 28.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)68.240
 28.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (High Desert)45.916
 29.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)45.916
 29.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (High Desert)5721
 36%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)5721
 36%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (High Desert)38.312.4
 25.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)38.312.4
 25.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (High Desert)28.413.6
 14.8%
   8th Grade Science (Acton-Agua Dulce Unified)28.413.6
 14.8%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students362306
 15.5%
African American28
 300%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian63
 50%
Hispanic160158
 1.3%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White181127
 29.8%
Two or More Races1110
 9.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients53%64.1%
 11%


Schools Near High Desert









Frequently Asked Questions about High Desert

Students who attend High Desert usually go on to attend Vasquez High

High Desert ranks 1958th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Students at High Desert are 52% Hispanic, 42% White, 3% Two or more races, 3% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 306 students attended High Desert.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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