Summary:
In the Long Beach, CA area of zip code 90807, parents will find two middle schools serving grades 6-8: the large traditional public school Hughes Middle and the smaller charter school Intellectual Virtues Academy of Long Beach (IVA).
Comparing the two, Intellectual Virtues Academy of Long Beach consistently earns a higher statewide ranking and shows particular strength in English Language Arts and Science proficiency, while also maintaining a remarkably low rate of chronic student absenteeism at 8.3%. Hughes Middle, part of the Long Beach Unified district, serves nearly five times as many students and operates with significantly higher per-student spending, yet achieves a very strong 7th grade math score that outpaces both IVA and state averages.
The most striking finding is the efficiency of the smaller charter school; despite spending over $5,000 less per student than Hughes, IVA achieves higher academic rankings and much better student attendance. Both schools serve student populations with similar economic backgrounds, but their different sizes and structures—Hughes as a large comprehensive school and IVA as a small, focused academy in the Intellectual Virtues Academy of Long Beach District—highlight distinct approaches and strengths for families to consider.
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