Richard Henry Dana Middle

Summary:

Richard Henry Dana Middle is a public middle school located in San Pedro, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,424 students. The school is part of the Los Angeles Unified school district, which is ranked 909 out of 1,560 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Richard Henry Dana Middle faces significant challenges compared to nearby schools. The school has a predominantly Hispanic student population (74.32%), which is much higher than the surrounding area. Academically, the school consistently ranks in the bottom half of California middle schools, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science ranging from 14.63% to 32.44% - well below state and district averages. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism, rising from 14.0% in 2017-2018 to 26.9% in 2022-2023, significantly higher than the 8.1% to 37.4% range of nearby schools. Additionally, 82.16% of students at Richard Henry Dana Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, much higher than the 9.55% to 94.24% range of surrounding schools.

When comparing Richard Henry Dana Middle to nearby schools like Rudecinda Sepulveda Dodson Middle and Miraleste Intermediate, both in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified district, the academic performance and attendance rates at Richard Henry Dana Middle are significantly lower. The school's declining statewide ranking over the past decade, from 1,492 out of 2,379 schools in 2012-2013 to 2,014 out of 2,480 schools in 2017-2018, suggests that the school may need to implement targeted interventions and strategies to address these challenges and improve educational outcomes for its students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1501 South Cabrillo Ave.
       San Pedro, CA  90731-4617


(310) 241-1100

District: Los Angeles Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1907th of 2,802 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,643 Help


Students who attend Richard Henry Dana Middle usually attend:

High:    San Pedro Senior High

Student/teacher ratio:  21.6 Help
Number of students:  1,424

Racial breakdown:

Not Specified:
100.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  82.2% Help


 See top rated California middle schools

 Compare Richard Henry Dana Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Richard Henry Dana Middle ranks worse than 68.1% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 43rd among 83 ranked middle schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 27.96. (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 82.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Richard Henry Dana Middle is 21.6. 73 middle schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Richard Henry Dana Middle employs 65.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Richard Henry Dana Middle is $8,643. 72 middle schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Richard Henry Dana Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Richard Henry Dana Middle 1907th of 2802 California public middle schools. (See Richard Henry Dana 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:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Los Angeles Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Los Angeles Unified 918th of 1563 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Richard Henry Dana Middle?

Rank History for Richard Henry Dana Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 30.80 1178th 1769 33.4%
2005 23.87 1361st 1777 23.4%
2006 30.75 1230th 1804 31.8%
2007 27.04 1473rd 1999 26.3%
2008 31.03 1395th 2005 30.4%
2009 29.18 1492nd 2063 27.7%
2010 29.15 1600th 2179 26.6%
2011 31.61 1603rd 2236 28.3%
2012 29.26 1662nd 2259 26.4%
2013 37.84 1492nd 2379 37.3%
2015 32.27 1560th 2477 37.0%
2016 27.08 1759th 2497 29.6%
2017 26.28 1797th 2508 28.3%
2018 19.78 2014th 2480 18.8%
2019 24.71 1999th 2715 26.4%
2022 29.06 1822nd 2740 33.5%
2023 27.96 1907th 2802 31.9%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.29 407th 462 11.9%
2019 34.26 395th 554 28.7%
2023 39.57 418th 678 38.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.62 1272nd 1364 6.7%
2019 26.58 1312th 1442 9.0%
2022 26.50 1413th 1540 8.2%
2023 26.94 1407th 1529 8.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.67 1021st 1538 33.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.60 2053rd 2230 7.9%
2019 22.69 1939th 2369 18.2%
2022 31.64 1633rd 2458 33.6%
2023 29.65 1777th 2549 30.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.97 1915th 2262 15.3%
2019 22.21 1881st 2380 21.0%
2022 30.33 1657th 2509 34.0%
2023 30.66 1626th 2547 36.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.02 1086th 1369 20.7%
2019 26.62 1138th 1491 23.7%
2022 40.73 741st 1531 51.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 28.93 136th 193 29.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.10 1827th 2273 19.6%
2019 26.09 1759th 2407 26.9%
2022 28.29 1726th 2527 31.7%
2023 25.69 1842nd 2558 28.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.82 336th 600 44.0%
2019 32.84 422nd 643 34.4%
2022 43.57 319th 637 49.9%
2023 27.86 459th 614 25.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.20 1888th 2072 8.9%
2019 21.36 1847th 2213 16.5%
2022 30.06 1623rd 2359 31.2%
2023 29.66 1667th 2391 30.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Richard Henry Dana Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.04 757th 1496 49.4%
2019 53.94 718th 1602 55.2%
2022 50.94 751st 1555 51.7%
2023 46.23 804th 1552 48.2%
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.

Richard Henry Dana Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.3)
33%

0%

0%

0%

67%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Open Quote This school has only improved and exceeded my expectations in the last few years.
Since Mr.Steve Gebhart began his leadership has brought this school to the next level. Dana is now a Steam Magnet and the students are excelling. I am a proud parent and highly recommend this school to all students in this area. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Open Quote I had to pull my child out of the school due to bullying issues. The bullying took place in the classroom. Teachers are abrasive and just dont' care. This school is horrible. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Richard Henry Dana Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 566 113 91 831 9 n/a n/a 0 1610
1989 569 100 96 856 13 n/a n/a 0 1634
1990 567 121 103 979 16 n/a n/a 0 1786
1991 557 126 92 1012 13 n/a n/a 0 1800
1992 540 168 69 1024 7 n/a n/a 0 1808
1993 492 164 67 1034 10 n/a n/a 0 1767
1994 426 197 67 1047 5 n/a n/a 0 1742
1995 369 225 55 1066 11 n/a n/a 0 1726
1996 369 225 55 1066 11 n/a n/a 0 1726
1997 330 209 54 1133 12 n/a n/a 0 1738
1998 311 215 55 1146 10 n/a n/a 0 1737
1999 305 225 66 1192 8 n/a n/a 0 1796
2000 295 252 75 1189 8 n/a n/a 0 1819
2001 297 245 70 1226 9 n/a n/a 0 1847
2002 351 182 63 1368 15 n/a n/a 0 1979
2003 351 182 63 1368 15 n/a n/a 0 1979
2004 336 179 65 1417 14 n/a n/a 0 2011
2005 324 176 67 1415 9 n/a n/a 0 1991
2006 309 148 64 1393 14 n/a n/a 0 1928
2007 288 170 66 1361 16 n/a n/a 5 1906
2008 279 172 70 1310 18 n/a n/a 0 1849
2009 279 173 54 1294 17 17 10 0 1844
2010 270 153 42 1243 18 13 9 0 1748
2011 217 144 46 1134 16 15 2 0 1574
2012 211 128 45 1107 18 17 3 0 1529
2013 200 141 39 1088 13 15 0 0 1496
2014 196 122 35 1115 16 12 0 0 1496
2015 213 106 37 1119 11 10 32 0 1528
2016 233 124 44 1080 10 14 41 0 1546
2017 255 139 42 1134 9 15 51 0 1645
2018 233 129 35 1137 7 18 53 0 1612
2019 239 148 39 1153 9 19 0 0 1607
2020 234 129 33 1133 6 15 37 0 1587
2021 219 129 28 1105 4 10 42 0 1537
2022 186 101 22 1042 3 10 38 0 1402
2023 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1424 1424

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 Richard Henry Dana Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1610 61.9 26.0 n/a
1989 1634 61.1 26.7 n/a
1990 1786 67.3 26.5 n/a
1991 1800 68.3 26.3 n/a
1992 1808 69.4 26.0 51.5
1993 1767 65.5 27.0 56.9
1994 1742 65.7 26.5 61.8
1995 1726 68.7 25.1 64.1
1996 1726 68.7 25.1 64.1
1997 1738 72.7 23.9 69.3
1998 1737 70.4 24.7 66.1
1999 1796 67.5 26.6 73.2
2000 1819 77.2 23.6 65.8
2001 1847 78.9 23.4 64.2
2002 1979 77.3 25.6 68.1
2003 1979 77.3 25.6 68.1
2004 2011 79.4 25.3 64.3
2005 1991 81.3 24.5 64.1
2006 1928 77.7 24.8 66.8
2007 1906 76.7 24.9 64.7
2008 1849 93.0 19.9 65.5
2009 1844 77.6 19.6 67.6
2010 1748 72.2 24.2 70.3
2011 1574 n/a n/a 68.5
2012 1529 62.5 24.4 n/a
2013 1496 57.3 26.0 65.8
2014 1496 58.3 25.6 73.9
2015 1528 60.0 25.4 66.6
2016 1546 64.0 24.1 68.1
2017 1645 66.0 24.9 74.1
2018 1612 63.0 25.5 71.7
2019 1607 60.0 26.7 71.6
2020 1587 n/a n/a 75
2021 1537 58.0 26.4 77.9
2022 1402 59.0 23.7 80
2023 1424 65.8 21.6 82.2

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 Richard Henry Dana Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1610 61.9 26.0 n/a
1989 1634 61.1 26.7 n/a
1990 1786 67.3 26.5 n/a
1991 1800 68.3 26.3 n/a
1992 1808 69.4 26.0 51.5
1993 1767 65.5 27.0 56.9
1994 1742 65.7 26.5 61.8
1995 1726 68.7 25.1 64.1
1996 1726 68.7 25.1 64.1
1997 1738 72.7 23.9 69.3
1998 1737 70.4 24.7 66.1
1999 1796 67.5 26.6 73.2
2000 1819 77.2 23.6 65.8
2001 1847 78.9 23.4 64.2
2002 1979 77.3 25.6 68.1
2003 1979 77.3 25.6 68.1
2004 2011 79.4 25.3 64.3
2005 1991 81.3 24.5 64.1
2006 1928 77.7 24.8 66.8
2007 1906 76.7 24.9 64.7
2008 1849 93.0 19.9 65.5
2009 1844 77.6 19.6 67.6
2010 1748 72.2 24.2 70.3
2011 1574 n/a n/a 68.5
2012 1529 62.5 24.4 n/a
2013 1496 57.3 26.0 65.8
2014 1496 58.3 25.6 73.9
2015 1528 60.0 25.4 66.6
2016 1546 64.0 24.1 68.1
2017 1645 66.0 24.9 74.1
2018 1612 63.0 25.5 71.7
2019 1607 60.0 26.7 71.6
2020 1587 n/a n/a 75
2021 1537 58.0 26.4 77.9
2022 1402 59.0 23.7 80
2023 1424 65.8 21.6 82.2

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 Richard Henry Dana Middle

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $8,643

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Richard Henry Dana 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 1999th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1907th of 2802 Middle schools
 5.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Richard Henry Dana Middle)32.432.4
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Los Angeles Unified)41.238.6
 2.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Richard Henry Dana Middle)26.919.9
 7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Los Angeles Unified)32.528.1
 4.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Richard Henry Dana Middle)35.330.8
 4.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Los Angeles Unified)43.740.8
 2.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Richard Henry Dana Middle)22.216.1
 6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Los Angeles Unified)30.527.5
 3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Richard Henry Dana Middle)30.630.6
 0%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Los Angeles Unified)41.138.9
 2.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Richard Henry Dana Middle)20.622
 1.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Los Angeles Unified)29.223.7
 5.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Richard Henry Dana Middle)15.214.6
 0.6%
   8th Grade Science (Los Angeles Unified)23.120.9
 2.2%
   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 Students16071424
 11.4%
African American1480
 100%
American Indian90
 100%
Asian390
 100%
Hispanic11530
 100%
Pacific Islander190
 100%
White2390
 100%
Two or More Races00
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients71.6%82.2%
 10.6%


Schools Near Richard Henry Dana Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Richard Henry Dana Middle

Students who attend Richard Henry Dana Middle usually go on to attend San Pedro Senior High

Richard Henry Dana Middle ranks 1907th of 2802 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Richard Henry Dana Middle are 100% Not Specified.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,424 students attended Richard Henry Dana Middle.


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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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