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Very Good

#2191 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 23% in state

Jefferson Middle

Middle School · Torrance Unified · Torrance, CA

A Torrance Unified middle school where students score 7 points above what's typical for similar communities.

21717 Talisman St., Torrance, CA 90503

  • Math 60% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 71% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 26.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.0Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-0.3 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics8.7Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency60.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency70.7% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+25.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+24.8 pts
Overall Proficiency66% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)58% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+7.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile80th
Resources & Environment4.2Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio26.9:1
District spending per student$15,134
Chronic Absenteeism12.4%

Students at Jefferson Middle score 66% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 58%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency60%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency71%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 5 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 66% recently.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
68%
ELA
73%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
71%
2011
Math
68%
ELA
78%
2012
Math
66%
ELA
72%
2014
Math
51%
ELA
63%
2015
Math
61%
ELA
69%
2016
Math
63%
ELA
74%
2017
Math
65%
ELA
73%
2018
Math
62%
ELA
73%
2019
Math
62%
ELA
73%
2022
Math
59%
ELA
70%
2024
Math
60%
ELA
71%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 62% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 72% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 30 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

28.4%

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 Jefferson 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 Los Angeles map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 77Very Walkable
  • Transit 43Some Transit
  • Bike 59Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,096/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Torrance), 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

$119,685

Median home value

$1,058,100

Median rent

$2,249/mo

College educated

55.4%

Homeownership

52.5%

Poverty rate

6.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 90503; 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
Madrona MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.76–80.8 mi674Compare →
Calle Mayor MiddleEnrollment path unverified5.76–81.2 mi629Compare →
Bert M. Lynn MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.46–81.3 mi605Compare →
Parras (nick G.) MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.86–81.5 mi1,036Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Torrance Unified

Schools in district
32
Rank in district
#13 of 30
District spending per student
$15,134NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Jefferson Middle is listed in Torrance Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Jefferson Middle

Jefferson Middle is a public middle school in Torrance, CA, part of Torrance Unified, serving approximately 645 students in grades 6th-8th with a 26.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 out of 10 and ranks #2,191 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 62% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 72% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Jefferson Middle

What grades does Jefferson Middle serve?

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

How many students attend Jefferson Middle?

Jefferson Middle has an enrollment of approximately 645 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Middle is 26.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Jefferson Middle rank in CA?

Jefferson Middle ranks #2,191 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Jefferson Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Jefferson Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.7 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 Jefferson Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Jefferson Middle has 62% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 72% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Jefferson Middle a charter school?

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

Is Jefferson Middle a Title I school?

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

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

28.4% of students at Jefferson 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
645
Student-Teacher Ratio
26.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
24
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Los Angeles County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
12.4%
Area population (ZIP 90503)
43,764
Area average commute
27.8 min
Area median age
41.5
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 90503; 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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