Summary:
Zip code 90810 in Long Beach, California, contains one public middle school, Stephens Middle School, which serves grades 6-8 within the Long Beach Unified School District.
Stephens Middle shows a clear strength in English Language Arts, where student proficiency exceeds both district and state averages and improves steadily from 6th to 8th grade. However, the school faces significant challenges in mathematics and especially science, where proficiency rates are well below average. A notable pattern is that math scores peak in 7th grade before dropping in 8th, which may be an area for the school to examine. On a positive note, the school's statewide ranking has improved substantially over the past few years, moving from a 2-star to a 3-star rating.
The most pressing concern for parents to consider is the school's very high chronic absenteeism rate of 33.8%, which is much higher than the state average and can significantly impact student learning. While the school's per-student funding is robust, this high rate of missed school days presents a major hurdle. For families in this area, Stephens Middle is the only local option, and it presents a mixed picture of strong ELA progress alongside serious challenges in other core subjects and student attendance.
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