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#4113 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 43% in state

Jessie Nelson Academy

Middle School · Long Beach Unified · Signal Hill, CA

A Long Beach Unified middle school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1951 Cherry Ave., Signal Hill, CA 90755

  • Math 20% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 33% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 22.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.4Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-0.62 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics5.2Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency19.5% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency32.9% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-14.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-13 pts
Overall Proficiency26% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)30% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-3.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile33th
Resources & Environment6.2Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.7:1
District spending per student$18,539
Chronic Absenteeism29.3%

Students at Jessie Nelson Academy score 26% 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 Proficiency20%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency33%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency has held near 26% across the 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
31%
ELA
22%
2010
Math
45%
ELA
37%
2011
Math
48%
ELA
46%
2012
Math
52%
ELA
48%
2014
Math
23%
ELA
36%
2015
Math
28%
ELA
38%
2016
Math
35%
ELA
42%
2017
Math
40%
ELA
48%
2018
Math
43%
ELA
47%
2019
Math
43%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
25%
ELA
33%
2021*
Math
25%
ELA
33%
2022
Math
22%
ELA
34%
2024
Math
20%
ELA
33%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 32% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 38% (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 34 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

79.1%

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 Jessie Nelson Academy 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 68Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 69Bikeable
  • City Safety: High6,894/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Signal Hill), 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

$102,684

Median home value

$730,200

Median rent

$1,817/mo

College educated

38.3%

Homeownership

52.1%

Poverty rate

9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 90755; 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
Franklin Classical MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.66–81.4 mi1,025Compare →
Washington MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.06–81.5 mi889Compare →
First Baptist Church SchoolPrivate · tuition6.9privateK–121.6 mi107Compare →
Jefferson Leadership AcademiesEnrollment path unverified7.66–81.7 mi1,005Compare →

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.

Long Beach Unified

Schools in district
82
Rank in district
#37 of 82
District spending per student
$18,539NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Jessie Nelson Academy is listed in Long Beach Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Jessie Nelson Academy

Jessie Nelson Academy is a public middle school in Signal Hill, CA, part of Long Beach Unified, serving approximately 818 students in grades 6th-8th with a 22.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 out of 10 and ranks #4,113 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 32% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Jessie Nelson Academy

What grades does Jessie Nelson Academy serve?

Jessie Nelson Academy serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Jessie Nelson Academy?

Jessie Nelson Academy has an enrollment of approximately 818 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Jessie Nelson Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at Jessie Nelson Academy is 22.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Jessie Nelson Academy rank in CA?

Jessie Nelson Academy ranks #4,113 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Jessie Nelson Academy's MySchoolScout rating?

Jessie Nelson Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 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 Jessie Nelson Academy?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Jessie Nelson Academy has 32% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Jessie Nelson Academy a charter school?

No, Jessie Nelson Academy is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Jessie Nelson Academy a Title I school?

No, Jessie Nelson Academy is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Jessie Nelson Academy?

79.1% of students at Jessie Nelson Academy 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
818
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
36
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Los Angeles County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
29.3%
Area population (ZIP 90755)
11,654
Area average commute
31.2 min
Area median age
41.1
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 90755; 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

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