Summary:
In the Westminster, CA area (zip code 92683), three public middle schools serving grades 6-8 operate across two districts: Westminster and Garden Grove Unified.
Sarah McGarvin Intermediate stands out as the top performer, consistently ranking among the best schools in California with exceptionally high test scores in English, math, and science, and a very low rate of chronic student absenteeism. Warner Middle shows solid and improving performance, ranking above the state average, while Johnson Middle faces greater challenges, with academic results below district and state averages and a higher chronic absenteeism rate.
Interestingly, higher per-student spending and smaller class sizes do not automatically lead to better outcomes here; the top-performing school has the lowest spending and largest classes. All three schools serve a significant population of economically disadvantaged students, yet achieve very different results, highlighting differences in school effectiveness. Parents should note the strong performance of the Garden Grove Unified school and the positive improvement trend at Warner Middle within the Westminster district.
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