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Excellent

#1627 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 17% in state

Challenger Middle

Middle School · San Diego Unified · San Diego, CA

A San Diego Unified middle school where students score 18 points above what's typical for similar communities.

10810 Parkdale Ave., San Diego, CA 92126

  • Math 63% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 68% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 24.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.0Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.15 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics9.3Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency63.2% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency68.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+28.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+22.5 pts
Overall Proficiency66% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)48% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+17.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile89th
Resources & Environment7.8Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio24.2:1
District spending per student$20,828
Chronic Absenteeism12.3%

Students at Challenger Middle score 66% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 48%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency63%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency68%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 41 points since 2020, reaching 66% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
62%
ELA
70%
2010
Math
64%
ELA
75%
2011
Math
71%
ELA
81%
2012
Math
73%
ELA
80%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
59%
ELA
73%
2015
Math
64%
ELA
78%
2016
Math
60%
ELA
77%
2017
Math
68%
ELA
77%
2018
Math
64%
ELA
73%
2019
Math
64%
ELA
73%
2020*
Math
25%
ELA
25%
2021*
Math
25%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
62%
ELA
69%
2024
Math
63%
ELA
68%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 61% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

46.8%

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 Challenger 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 46Car-Dependent
  • Transit 29Some Transit
  • Bike 49Somewhat 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

$123,232

Median home value

$802,000

Median rent

$2,630/mo

College educated

48.9%

Homeownership

52.7%

Poverty rate

7.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92126; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Wangenheim MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.56–81.9 mi716Compare →
Childrens WorkshopPrivate · tuition6.6private3–82.4 mi49Compare →
The Cambridge SchoolPrivate · tuition7.9privatePK–123.2 mi366Compare →
Mesa Verde MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.76–83.4 mi1,119Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

San Diego Unified

Schools in district
175
Rank in district
#60 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

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

About Challenger Middle

Challenger Middle is a public middle school in San Diego, CA, part of San Diego Unified, serving approximately 918 students in grades 6th-8th with a 24.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,627 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 61% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Challenger Middle

What grades does Challenger Middle serve?

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

How many students attend Challenger Middle?

Challenger Middle has an enrollment of approximately 918 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Challenger Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Challenger Middle is 24.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Challenger Middle rank in CA?

Challenger Middle ranks #1,627 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Challenger Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Challenger Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 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 Challenger Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Challenger Middle has 61% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Challenger Middle a charter school?

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

Is Challenger Middle a Title I school?

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

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

46.8% of students at Challenger 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
918
Student-Teacher Ratio
24.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
38
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
San Diego County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
12.3%
Area population (ZIP 92126)
77,239
Area average commute
23.1 min
Area median age
36.3
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 92126; this does not measure the attendance area.

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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