Summary:
ZIP code 92117 has three San Diego Unified middle schools—Marston Middle, Creative Performing and Media Arts, and Innovation Middle—all serving grades 6–8. The schools’ 2025–2026 results show that families will find sharply different achievement levels across this area, particularly in math. The clearest overall finding is that Marston led the other two schools in every tested subject and scored above state results in all three.
Marston Middle was the standout, with 59% proficient in English language arts (ELA), 54% in math, and 46% in science; its results were 9, 16, and 10 percentage points above the state, respectively. Innovation Middle ranked between the other schools, at 42% in ELA, 25% in math, and 28% in science. Creative Performing and Media Arts had the lowest result in each subject, at 35%, 15%, and 19%. Marston’s lead over Innovation was 17 points in ELA, 29 in math, and 18 in science. Across all three schools, average proficiency was 45% in ELA, 31% in math, and 31% in science—below state results of 49%, 38%, and 36%.
Recent changes add important distinctions: Marston Middle was nearly unchanged in ELA but rose 4 percentage points in math and 4 in science; Innovation Middle fell in all three subjects, including 19 points in science; and Creative Performing and Media Arts declined in ELA and math but gained 3 points in science. SchoolDigger rated Marston 4 stars and the 81st percentile, compared with Innovation at 2 stars and the 42nd percentile and CPMA at 1 star and the 23rd percentile. For 2024–2025, all three reported free/reduced lunch eligible figures: 48% at Marston, 77% at CPMA, and 80% at Innovation; student–teacher ratios were 21.7, 17.3, and 16.5, respectively. These figures describe differences, not causes, and year-to-year test changes may reflect different students.
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