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Mesquite Continuation High

Public Grades 9-12

1829^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,135 California High Schools

Better than 14% of California high schools

Summary

Mesquite Continuation High is a 9–12 school in Ridgecrest, California, with 95 students. Its most urgent concern is attendance: in 2025–2026, 88% of students were chronically absent, about 61 percentage points above Sierra Sands Unified and 70 points above the state.

Academic proficiency is low compared with the district and state, though math is the school’s relative strength and English language arts is its weakest subject against those benchmarks. In 2025–2026, 9% were proficient in math, versus 38% statewide and 28% in the district; ELA proficiency was 11%, versus 49% statewide and 43% in the district. Science was lowest, at 3%, compared with 36% statewide and 30% in the district. Results also trail Sherman E. Burroughs High in all three subjects. Graduation and dropout figures raise further concerns: Mesquite’s graduation rate was 51%, compared with 88% at Burroughs and 93% at Trona High; its dropout rate was 27%, versus 11% and 7%, respectively.

Results over time show mixed progress: chronic absenteeism rose 9 percentage points from 2021–2022 to 2025–2026, while graduation increased 4 points and dropout fell 5 points. Test scores fell in ELA and science over the period, while math rose 2 points overall but remained below the state. SchoolDigger ranks Mesquite in the 14th percentile statewide, with 1 star (rank 1,831 of 2,137), just below Trona’s 15th percentile; Burroughs is at the 68th percentile. In 2024–2025, 77% of Mesquite students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, compared with 74% at Trona and 53% at Burroughs; its student-teacher ratio was 13.8. SchoolDigger’s effectiveness measure for Low Socio Economic Status Students rose from the 1st percentile in 2024–2025 to the 18th in 2025–2026, and its measure for Hispanic Students rose from the 5th to the 20th percentile—sharp one-year gains compared with Mesquite’s overall percentile of 14.

Students ?

13.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$23,383

Per pupil spending ?

76.8%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in California receive free school meals.

140 West Drummond
Ridgecrest, CA 93555-3118

(760) 499-1810

District: Sierra Sands Unified

Racial breakdown:

White:

51.6%

Hispanic:

34.7%

African American:

6.3%

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Compare Mesquite Continuation High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 23rd percentile in 2016 → 14th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (8% vs 42% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (14th percentile)

!Graduation rate below the California average (51% vs 88%)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school8%

District avg35%

California avg42%

1,829^th of 2,135

California public high schools ?

Bottom 14%▼ down 9 pts since 2016

From bottom 23% (2016) to bottom 14% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of California High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2High Schools in the Sierra Sands Unified

972^nd of 1,530Sierra Sands Unified among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	12.4	1829 of 2135	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	11.5	1941 of 2162	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.8	1855 of 2159	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.6	1504 of 2170	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	20.3	1644 of 2123	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	9.4	1199 of 1290	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	14.9	1775 of 2133	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	10.4	1823 of 2017	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	12.7	1679 of 2021	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	17.0	1567 of 2039	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	19.5	1502 of 1994	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	21.3	1599 of 2426	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	19.2	1656 of 2354	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	21.6	1583 of 2367	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2010	22.0	1536 of 2281	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	30.1	1382 of 2238	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	23.3	1392 of 2117	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	19.7	1512 of 2063	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	17.8	1521 of 1968	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	27.3	1122 of 1901	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2004	24.3	1094 of 1653	33.8%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	11.7	1644 of 1864	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	12.0	1677 of 1906	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.1	1679 of 1915	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.3	1439 of 1915	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	6.8	1009 of 1054	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	11.3	1624 of 1833	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	7.5	1692 of 1760	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	18.7	1511 of 1880	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	9.2	1803 of 1900	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	26.6	1413 of 1902	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.2	1508 of 1917	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	8.7	1684 of 1742	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	16.6	1629 of 1997	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	7.7	1984 of 2013	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.7	1856 of 2026	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	22.3	1570 of 2030	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	9.0	1931 of 1943	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	9.9	1034 of 1126	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	16.1	1599 of 1937	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	10.7	1685 of 1862	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	10.9	1715 of 1930	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	9.2	1814 of 1942	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.0	1697 of 1948	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.0	1307 of 1963	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	23.0	1444 of 1916	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	7.2	1091 of 1122	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	10.8	1732 of 1880	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	11.4	1582 of 1834	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	2.3	1104 of 1130	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	3.0	1129 of 1155	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	3.1	1147 of 1173	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	22.8	943 of 1193	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	7.2	1127 of 1204	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	3.8	1192 of 1222	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	3.5	1134 of 1173	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Hispanic (2026)20th percentile+5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)18th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2026)12th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2026)11th percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)2nd percentile-12 vs school

By subject vs California (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy11%-38 vs state

Mathematics9%-29 vs state

Science3%-33 vs state

★

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Schools Near Mesquite Continuation High

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CAST Science (2026)					Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 10th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mesquite Continuation High	Public	9-12	140 West Drummond	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1810	95	7	13.8	76.8%	49 (51.6%)	6 (6.3%)	33 (34.7%)	2 (2.1%)	3 (3.2%)	1 (1.1%)	1 (1.1%)	12.4	1829^th of 2135 public high schools	14.3%		11.5	1941^st of 2162 public high schools	10.2%	112			3.5		3.5			11.1	11.1			9.1	9.1	$23,383	$1,274	$22,109
High Desert	Public	7-12	140 West Drummond Ave.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(760) 499-1810	0			—															(n/a)			35.7		33.3			46.2	40.0			0.0	12.9
Opportunities for Learning - Ridgecrest	Public, Charter	7-12	900 North Norma St.	Ridgecrest	91706	Kern County	Opportunities for Learning - Ridgecrest District	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(760) 375-7799	0			—															(n/a)	21.7			31.8	26.7	30.8	20.8	57.5	42.9	7.7	12.5	36.2	25.0
Sherman E. Burroughs High	Public	9-12	500 East French Ave.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1800	1,536	75	20.4	52.9%	732 (47.7%)	120 (7.8%)	508 (33.1%)	62 (4.0%)	20 (1.3%)	11 (0.7%)	77 (5.0%)	66.7	680^th of 2135 public high schools	68.1%		73.2	531^st of 2162 public high schools	75.4%	149			39.0		38.1			75.1	75.1			25.0	25.0	$17,096	$993	$16,103
Trona High	Public	7-12	83600 Trona Rd.	Trona	93562	San Bernardino County	Trona Joint Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 372-2824	111	10	11.6	73.9%	65 (58.6%)	5 (4.5%)	39 (35.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)	12.5	1825^th of 2135 public high schools	14.5%					(n/a)	0.0	0.0			0.0	0.0	6.7	10.0	5.0	4.0	26.7	10.0	11.7	$33,620	$6,549	$27,071

Frequently Asked Questions about Mesquite Continuation High

What district is Mesquite Continuation High in?

Sierra Sands Unified

Is Mesquite Continuation High a good school?

Mesquite Continuation High ranks in the bottom 14.3% of California high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Mesquite Continuation High?

Students at Mesquite Continuation High are 52% White, 35% Hispanic, 6% African American, 3% American Indian, 2% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander, 1% Two or more races.

How many students attend Mesquite Continuation High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 95 students attended Mesquite Continuation High.

Rate Mesquite Continuation High!

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Latest California data All new data »

2024–25 school spending data (updated)NewNov 2, 2026

2013–14 through 2024–25 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 15, 2026

2025–26 CAST, CSA Spanish & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresOct 15, 2026

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.