Very Good
#2560 of 9,539 schools in CA
Top 27% in state
Paulding Middle
Middle School · Lucia Mar Unified · Arroyo Grande, CA
A Lucia Mar Unified middle school where students score 4 points above what's typical for similar communities.
600 Crown Hill St., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
- Math 38% vs CA 34% (2024)
- Reading 63% vs CA 47% (2024)
- 20.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Academics
Full Profile · 3/3 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Paulding Middle score 50% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).
2024 CAASPP proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency is down 15 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 50% recently.
Show all 12 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 46% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 61% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)
Based on 28 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).
Equity & diversity
Shown separately, not included in the overall scoreFree/reduced lunch
51.2%
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 rateThe neighborhood
Where Paulding 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 72Very Walkable
- Bike 53Bikeable
- City Safety: Elevated968/100K
Powered by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Arroyo Grande), 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
$106,718
Median home value
$872,200
Median rent
$2,025/mo
College educated
43.7%
Homeownership
66.2%
Poverty rate
7.5%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 93420; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley View Adventist Junior AcademyPrivate · tuition | 6.8private | K–10 | 0.7 mi | 72 | Compare → |
| Coastal Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition | 4.6private | K–12 | 2.2 mi | 348 | Compare → |
| Mesa MiddleEnrollment path unverified | 6.0 | 7–8 | 3.5 mi | 477 | Compare → |
| Judkins MiddleEnrollment path unverified | 7.1 | 7–8 | 4.0 mi | 450 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
Lucia Mar Unified
- Schools in district
- 19
- Rank in district
- #5 of 19
- District spending per student
- $15,858NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 11.4%Census SAIPE · 2024
Paulding Middle is listed in Lucia Mar Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Paulding Middle
Paulding Middle is a public middle school in Arroyo Grande, CA, part of Lucia Mar Unified, serving approximately 562 students in grades 7th-8th with a 20.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 out of 10 and ranks #2,560 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Paulding Middle
What grades does Paulding Middle serve?
Paulding Middle serves students in grades 7th through 8th.
How many students attend Paulding Middle?
Paulding Middle has an enrollment of approximately 562 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Paulding Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Paulding Middle is 20.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Paulding Middle rank in CA?
Paulding Middle ranks #2,560 of 9,539 schools in CA.
What is Paulding Middle's MySchoolScout rating?
Paulding Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 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 Paulding Middle?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Paulding Middle has 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Is Paulding Middle a charter school?
No, Paulding Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Paulding Middle a Title I school?
No, Paulding Middle is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Paulding Middle?
51.2% of students at Paulding 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
- 562
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 20.1:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 28
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Small Suburb
- County
- San Luis Obispo County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 17.4%
- Phone
- (805) 474-3500
- Area population (ZIP 93420)
- 32,016
- Area average commute
- 22.4 min
- Area median age
- 45.4
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 93420; this does not measure the attendance area.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24
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