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Below Average

#7503 of 9,539 schools in CA

Isbell Middle

Middle School · Santa Paula Unified · Santa Paula, CA

A Santa Paula Unified middle school serving grades 7th – 8th.

221 South Fourth St., Santa Paula, CA 93060

  • Math 16% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 34% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 21.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.9Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data9
Annual Change-2.42 pts/yr
Data Period2013–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.2Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency15.8% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.1% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-18.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-13.2 pts
Overall Proficiency25% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)27% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-2.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile33th
Resources & Environment7.4Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio21.6:1
District spending per student$20,620
Chronic Absenteeism31.7%

Students at Isbell Middle score 25% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 27%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency16%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency34%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 50 points across the 12-year record (2013–2024) and has held near 25% recently.

Show all 9 years
2013
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
21%
ELA
31%
2015
Math
18%
ELA
34%
2016
Math
20%
ELA
28%
2017
Math
20%
ELA
26%
2018
Math
19%
ELA
26%
2019
Math
19%
ELA
26%
2022
Math
13%
ELA
28%
2024
Math
16%
ELA
34%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 23% (multi-year average, 2013-2024) · reading/ELA 34% (multi-year average, 2013-2024)

Based on 22 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

84.2%

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 Isbell Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 85Very Walkable
  • Bike 58Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated1,217/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Santa Paula), 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

$79,606

Median home value

$582,900

Median rent

$1,678/mo

College educated

16%

Homeownership

54.2%

Poverty rate

14.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93060; 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

1 from a 5-mile search

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Briggs ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.85–82.7 mi239Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Santa Paula Unified

Schools in district
10
Rank in district
#9 of 9
District spending per student
$20,620NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Isbell Middle is listed in Santa Paula Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Isbell Middle

Isbell Middle is a public middle school in Santa Paula, CA, part of Santa Paula Unified, serving approximately 671 students in grades 7th-8th with a 21.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 out of 10 and ranks #7,503 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 23% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2013-2024) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2013-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Isbell Middle

What grades does Isbell Middle serve?

Isbell Middle serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Isbell Middle?

Isbell Middle has an enrollment of approximately 671 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Isbell Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Isbell Middle is 21.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Isbell Middle rank in CA?

Isbell Middle ranks #7,503 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Isbell Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Isbell Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.8 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 Isbell Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Isbell Middle has 23% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2013-2024) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2013-2024).

Is Isbell Middle a charter school?

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

Is Isbell Middle a Title I school?

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

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

84.2% of students at Isbell 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
7th – 8th
Enrollment
671
Student-Teacher Ratio
21.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
31
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Ventura County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.7%
Area population (ZIP 93060)
34,640
Area average commute
26.8 min
Area median age
35.5
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 93060; 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, 2013-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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