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#6116 of 9,539 schools in CA

Bell Middle

Middle School · San Diego Unified · San Diego, CA

A San Diego Unified middle school where students score 7 points below what's typical for similar communities.

620 Briarwood Rd., San Diego, CA 92139

  • Math 15% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 29% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 20.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.8Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.5 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.3Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency15.2% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency29.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-19.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-16.5 pts
Overall Proficiency22% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)30% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-7.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile24th
Resources & Environment7.6Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.4:1
District spending per student$20,828
Chronic Absenteeism37.3%

Students at Bell Middle score 22% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 30%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency15%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency29%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 6 points since 2018, to 22% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
44%
ELA
46%
2010
Math
34%
ELA
43%
2011
Math
33%
ELA
46%
2012
Math
32%
ELA
46%
2013
Math
30%
ELA
50%
2014
Math
20%
ELA
30%
2015
Math
19%
ELA
30%
2016
Math
18%
ELA
30%
2017
Math
27%
ELA
31%
2018
Math
24%
ELA
33%
2019
Math
24%
ELA
33%
2022
Math
14%
ELA
27%
2024
Math
15%
ELA
29%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 24% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

79.2%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Bell Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the San Diego map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 28Car-Dependent
  • Transit 35Some Transit
  • Bike 10Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,092/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (San Diego), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$92,381

Median home value

$598,500

Median rent

$2,107/mo

College educated

25.1%

Homeownership

60.2%

Poverty rate

7.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92139; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
The O'farrell CharterCharter · enrollment unverified7.0K–121.9 mi1,819Compare →
Granger Junior HighEnrollment path unverified5.27–92.3 mi743Compare →
Sci Tech Engr Arts and Math Acad at La PresaEnrollment path unverified6.65–82.5 mi694Compare →
Knox MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.86–83.0 mi502Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

San Diego Unified

Schools in district
175
Rank in district
#129 of 174
District spending per student
$20,828NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Bell Middle is listed in San Diego Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Bell Middle

Bell Middle is a public middle school in San Diego, CA, part of San Diego Unified, serving approximately 713 students in grades 6th-8th with a 20.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.7 out of 10 and ranks #6,116 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 24% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 35% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Bell Middle

What grades does Bell Middle serve?

Bell Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Bell Middle?

Bell Middle has an enrollment of approximately 713 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Bell Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Bell Middle is 20.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Bell Middle rank in CA?

Bell Middle ranks #6,116 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Bell Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Bell Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Bell Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Bell Middle has 24% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 35% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Bell Middle a charter school?

No, Bell Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Bell Middle a Title I school?

No, Bell Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Bell Middle?

79.2% of students at Bell Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
713
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
35
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
San Diego County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
37.3%
Area population (ZIP 92139)
34,780
Area average commute
28.1 min
Area median age
36.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 92139; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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