Summary:
This analysis examines six high schools serving grades 9-12 in zip code 92395, part of Victorville, California, revealing a diverse educational landscape with traditional, charter, and virtual options that show wide variation in performance despite serving predominantly low-income student populations.
Among these schools, Victor Valley Virtual Academy stands out as the top performer, ranking in the 86th percentile statewide with the highest test scores and a 95.5% graduation rate, showing remarkable improvement in recent years. In contrast, Goodwill High faces significant challenges, ranking in the bottom 4th percentile with severe attendance issues and very low test proficiency. Excelsior Charter serves as a consistent option with strong attendance and above-average graduation rates, while schools within the Victor Valley Union High district, like Victor Valley High and Lakeview Leadership Academy, show mixed results.
A key finding is a widespread mathematics performance crisis, with most schools performing far below state averages, though the virtual academy's success suggests alternative models can work. There is no clear link between per-student spending and outcomes, and chronic absenteeism rates—which are high across most schools—do not consistently predict academic performance, as seen with the high-achieving virtual academy. Parents should note that independent study programs here have struggled academically, while the virtual and charter models offer different approaches that have yielded some success in this community.
Thank you for your feedback!