Summary:
ZIP code 92129 has two Poway Unified middle schools, Mesa Verde Middle and Black Mountain Middle; both serve grades 6–8. In 2025–2026, the two-school average was above the state in ELA, math and science by 24, 29 and 32 percentage points, respectively. The area average, however, hides a substantial difference between the schools. Most importantly, Mesa Verde led Black Mountain in all three subjects, by 16 points in ELA, 21 in math and 12 in science.
Mesa Verde stands out at the top: 82% of students were proficient in ELA, 78% in math and 74% in science. It was above state results in each subject, while Black Mountain, the lower-performing school in this comparison, was also above the state in all three, at 65%, 57% and 62%. Black Mountain was below the district in ELA, math and science by 8, 9 and 2 points, respectively; Mesa Verde exceeded district results in every subject. SchoolDigger ranks Mesa Verde 65th of 2,703 schools (98th percentile, five stars) and Black Mountain 350th (87th percentile, four stars).
Recent results moved in different directions: Mesa Verde improved in ELA and science and was nearly unchanged in math, while Black Mountain fell 4 points in ELA and 1 in math but rose 7 points in science. Across the two schools, the advantage over the state narrowed in ELA and math but widened in science. Other reported figures offer context, not explanations: for 2024–2025, free/reduced lunch eligible students were 11% at Mesa Verde and 21% at Black Mountain; student-teacher ratios were 25.1 and 22.6, respectively. In 2025–2026, chronic absenteeism was 5% at Mesa Verde and 10% at Black Mountain, compared with 18% statewide.
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