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Very Good

#3455 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 36% in state

Sussman (edward A.) Middle

Middle School · Downey Unified · Downey, CA

A Downey Unified middle school where students score 4 points above what's typical for similar communities.

12500 Birchdale Ave., Downey, CA 90242

  • Math 28% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 44% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 22.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.6Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-0.94 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics6.9Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency28.4% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency43.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-2.3 pts
Overall Proficiency36% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)32% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+3.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile54th
Resources & Environment6.1Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.6:1
District spending per student$18,173
Chronic Absenteeism29.2%

Students at Sussman (edward A.) Middle score 36% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 32%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency28%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency44%(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 36% recently.

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
39%
ELA
43%
2010
Math
40%
ELA
41%
2011
Math
41%
ELA
45%
2012
Math
49%
ELA
46%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
24%
ELA
33%
2015
Math
24%
ELA
39%
2016
Math
23%
ELA
36%
2017
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2018
Math
32%
ELA
43%
2019
Math
32%
ELA
43%
2022
Math
23%
ELA
41%
2024
Math
28%
ELA
44%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 34% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 44% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

74.5%

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 Sussman (edward A.) 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 69Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 53Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low245/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$83,238

Median home value

$676,100

Median rent

$1,874/mo

College educated

24.2%

Homeownership

52.4%

Poverty rate

9.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 90242; 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
Calvary Chapel Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition5.7privatePK–121.4 mi566Compare →
Stauffer (mary R.) MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.56–81.7 mi1,327Compare →
Paramount Park MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.36–81.8 mi535Compare →
Paramount Virtual AcademyEnrollment path unverifiedNot ratedK–122.0 mi33Compare →

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.

Downey Unified

Schools in district
22
Rank in district
#8 of 20
District spending per student
$18,173NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Sussman (edward A.) Middle is listed in Downey Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Sussman (edward A.) Middle

Sussman (edward A.) Middle is a public middle school in Downey, CA, part of Downey Unified, serving approximately 1,218 students in grades 6th-8th with a 22.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10 and ranks #3,455 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 34% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 44% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Sussman (edward A.) Middle

What grades does Sussman (edward A.) Middle serve?

Sussman (edward A.) Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Sussman (edward A.) Middle?

Sussman (edward A.) Middle has an enrollment of approximately 1,218 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Sussman (edward A.) Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Sussman (edward A.) Middle is 22.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Sussman (edward A.) Middle rank in CA?

Sussman (edward A.) Middle ranks #3,455 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Sussman (edward A.) Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Sussman (edward A.) Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 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 Sussman (edward A.) Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Sussman (edward A.) Middle has 34% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 44% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Sussman (edward A.) Middle a charter school?

No, Sussman (edward A.) Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Sussman (edward A.) Middle a Title I school?

No, Sussman (edward A.) Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Sussman (edward A.) Middle?

74.5% of students at Sussman (edward A.) 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
1,218
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
54
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Los Angeles County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
29.2%
Area population (ZIP 90242)
40,983
Area average commute
29.6 min
Area median age
37.4
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 90242; 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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