Valley Center Middle

Summary:

Valley Center Middle is a public middle school located in Valley Center, CA, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 756 students. The school is part of the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District, which is ranked 1288 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Valley Center Middle faces significant challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates, consistently underperforming academic performance, and disparities in subgroup performance. The school's chronic absenteeism rate has risen from 13.7% in 2017-2018 to 34.8% in 2021-2022, notably higher than the state average and nearby schools like San Marcos Middle (22.6%) and Quantum Academy (20.4%). Academically, Valley Center Middle consistently underperforms compared to state and district averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics, with only 23.58% of students proficient or better in ELA and 10.5% in Math, compared to 47.04% and 35.54% statewide, respectively.

The school also struggles to support certain student subgroups, with its Hispanic students ranking in the bottom 10% of California middle schools and its English Language Learner and Low Socioeconomic Status students ranking in the bottom 15%. Additionally, Valley Center Middle has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 40.74% to 61.31% over the past few years, higher than the state average and some nearby schools. Addressing these challenges will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach that focuses on improving instructional practices, increasing student engagement, and providing targeted support for underperforming subgroups.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 28102 North Lake Wohlford Rd.
       Valley Center, CA  92082-6740


(760) 751-4295

District: Valley Center-Pauma Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2396th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,706 Help


Students who attend Valley Center Middle usually attend:

High:    Valley Center High

Feeder schools for Valley Center Middle:

Elementary:    Lilac
    Valley Center Elementary
    Valley Center Primary

Student/teacher ratio:  21.9 Help
Number of students:  778

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
62.9%
White:
20.2%
American Indian:
7.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  67.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Valley Center Middle ranks worse than 86.3% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.92. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a 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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (62.9%), White (20.2%), American Indian (7.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 67.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Valley Center Middle is 21.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Valley Center Middle employs 35.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Valley Center Middle is $10,706.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Valley Center Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Valley Center Middle 2396th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Valley Center Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
White students:


Valley Center-Pauma Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Valley Center-Pauma Unified 1288th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Valley Center Middle

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Rank History for all students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 72.50 383rd 1769 78.3%
2005 71.96 409th 1777 77.0%
2006 76.74 344th 1804 80.9%
2007 67.08 541st 1999 72.9%
2008 65.67 575th 2005 71.3%
2009 60.27 739th 2063 64.2%
2010 68.10 595th 2179 72.7%
2011 67.56 620th 2236 72.3%
2012 68.07 625th 2259 72.3%
2013 67.14 680th 2379 71.4%
2015 39.12 1361st 2477 45.1%
2016 27.40 1742nd 2497 30.2%
2017 27.02 1760th 2508 29.8%
2018 29.42 1679th 2480 32.3%
2019 25.81 1967th 2715 27.6%
2021 20.31 742nd 894 17.0%
2022 21.67 2145th 2740 21.7%
2023 20.35 2253rd 2802 19.6%
2024 16.92 2396th 2777 13.7%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.62 420th 462 9.1%
2022 14.34 571st 665 14.1%
2024 6.31 667th 699 4.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.60 763rd 1364 44.1%
2019 30.62 1081st 1442 25.0%
2021 40.44 183rd 363 49.6%
2022 30.32 1233rd 1540 19.9%
2023 28.34 1341st 1529 12.3%
2024 24.25 1447th 1477 2.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.14 1042nd 1538 32.2%
2024 21.92 1390th 1550 10.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.31 1795th 2230 19.5%
2019 16.59 2124th 2369 10.3%
2021 22.63 617th 721 14.4%
2022 16.79 2228th 2458 9.4%
2023 15.65 2337th 2549 8.3%
2024 15.59 2330th 2575 9.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.85 1535th 2262 32.1%
2019 25.54 1774th 2380 25.5%
2021 22.29 590th 738 20.1%
2022 22.92 1933rd 2509 23.0%
2023 19.28 2120th 2547 16.8%
2024 13.65 2336th 2546 8.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.17 1006th 1369 26.5%
2019 25.89 1169th 1491 21.6%
2021 28.41 280th 354 20.9%
2022 30.09 1055th 1531 31.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.34 1620th 2273 28.7%
2019 25.24 1787th 2407 25.8%
2021 20.21 642nd 763 15.9%
2022 21.21 1998th 2527 20.9%
2023 21.70 2015th 2558 21.2%
2024 20.79 2049th 2547 19.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.76 1568th 2072 24.3%
2019 22.31 1811th 2213 18.2%
2022 18.11 2087th 2359 11.5%
2023 14.82 2201st 2391 7.9%
2024 14.73 2178th 2383 8.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.01 16th 18 11.1%
2019 32.10 14th 19 26.3%
2022 19.25 14th 15 6.7%
2023 29.94 12th 16 25.0%
2024 25.55 9th 10 10.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Valley Center Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.48 973rd 1496 35.0%
2019 36.93 1009th 1602 37.0%
2022 30.79 1087th 1555 30.1%
2023 34.20 1014th 1552 34.7%
2024 20.23 1245th 1535 18.9%
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.

Valley Center Middle 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 Valley Center Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2001 732 1 12 250 90 n/a n/a 0 1085
2002 701 1 21 289 78 n/a n/a 0 1090
2003 701 1 21 289 78 n/a n/a 0 1090
2004 473 3 11 207 44 n/a n/a 1 739
2005 454 1 9 224 57 n/a n/a 0 745
2006 406 2 7 201 64 n/a n/a 1 681
2007 363 3 8 228 63 n/a n/a 1 666
2008 353 5 10 263 54 n/a n/a 0 685
2009 439 13 23 369 74 5 0 0 923
2010 403 9 16 338 76 5 1 0 848
2011 404 7 20 324 90 4 5 0 854
2012 383 6 22 345 81 2 11 0 850
2013 350 6 27 351 93 3 15 0 845
2014 323 8 25 345 80 4 16 0 801
2015 300 4 17 355 94 2 17 0 789
2016 308 3 10 428 89 2 27 0 867
2017 289 3 7 484 93 1 37 0 914
2018 275 7 7 545 72 1 35 0 942
2019 266 7 10 573 85 1 38 0 980
2020 235 9 11 550 68 0 38 0 911
2021 191 4 14 482 56 0 42 0 789
2022 168 3 16 493 66 0 45 0 791
2023 170 1 17 466 62 0 40 0 756
2024 157 2 14 489 61 1 54 0 778

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 Valley Center Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 1085 48.1 22.6 31.7
2002 1090 50.2 21.7 28.1
2003 1090 50.2 21.7 28.1
2004 739 36.7 20.1 28.5
2005 745 36.0 20.7 34.9
2006 681 32.8 20.8 26.6
2007 666 33.2 20.1 32.3
2008 685 37.0 18.5 38.1
2009 923 39.7 21.3 40.6
2010 848 38.0 22.3 42.7
2011 854 n/a n/a 35.1
2012 850 34.2 24.7 n/a
2013 845 34.8 24.2 49.3
2014 801 33.8 23.6 49.6
2015 789 32.0 24.6 46.6
2016 867 38.0 22.8 52.8
2017 914 37.1 24.6 52.1
2018 942 39.4 23.9 55.7
2019 980 37.5 26.1 52
2020 911 n/a n/a 56.4
2021 789 35.6 22.1 47.1
2022 791 36.2 21.8 61.3
2023 756 35.9 21.0 40.7
2024 778 35.4 21.9 67.6

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 Valley Center Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 1085 48.1 22.6 31.7
2002 1090 50.2 21.7 28.1
2003 1090 50.2 21.7 28.1
2004 739 36.7 20.1 28.5
2005 745 36.0 20.7 34.9
2006 681 32.8 20.8 26.6
2007 666 33.2 20.1 32.3
2008 685 37.0 18.5 38.1
2009 923 39.7 21.3 40.6
2010 848 38.0 22.3 42.7
2011 854 n/a n/a 35.1
2012 850 34.2 24.7 n/a
2013 845 34.8 24.2 49.3
2014 801 33.8 23.6 49.6
2015 789 32.0 24.6 46.6
2016 867 38.0 22.8 52.8
2017 914 37.1 24.6 52.1
2018 942 39.4 23.9 55.7
2019 980 37.5 26.1 52
2020 911 n/a n/a 56.4
2021 789 35.6 22.1 47.1
2022 791 36.2 21.8 61.3
2023 756 35.9 21.0 40.7
2024 778 35.4 21.9 67.6

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.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Valley Center Middle

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $10,706

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Valley Center Middle

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 1967th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2253rd of 2802 Middle schools
 8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center Middle)36.726.6
 10.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)36.725.7
 11.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center Middle)19.111.3
 7.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)18.411.7
 6.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center Middle)41.728.6
 13.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)40.828.5
 12.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center Middle)27.215.4
 11.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)26.115.2
 10.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center Middle)25.622.2
 3.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)25.522.7
 2.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center Middle)15.311.9
 3.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)14.211.5
 2.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Valley Center Middle)18.216.3
 2%
   8th Grade Science (Valley Center-Pauma Unified)17.616.7
 1%
   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 Students980756
 22.9%
African American71
 85.7%
American Indian8562
 27.1%
Asian1017
 70%
Hispanic573466
 18.7%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White266170
 36.1%
Two or More Races3840
 5.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients52%40.7%
 11.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Valley Center Middle

Valley Center Middle ranks in the bottom 13.7% of California middle schools.

In the 2023-24 school year, 778 students attended Valley Center Middle.

Students who attend Valley Center Middle usually go on to attend Valley Center High

Students at Valley Center Middle are 63% Hispanic, 20% White, 8% American Indian, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.


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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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