Is Isbell Middle a good school?

Isbell Middle ranks 1965 th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Isbell Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,010 students attended Isbell Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Isbell Middle?

Students at Isbell Middle are 96% Hispanic, 2% White.

What high school do graduates of Isbell Middle attend?

Students who attend Isbell Middle usually go on to attend Santa Paula High

Isbell Middle

Summary:

Isbell Middle is a public middle school located in Santa Paula, California, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 1,010 students. The school is part of the Santa Paula Unified School District, which is ranked 1211 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Isbell Middle faces significant challenges, with a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, consistently low test scores across all subject areas and grade levels, and subgroup performance that ranks in the bottom quartile of California middle schools for Hispanic, English Language Learner, Special Education, and Low Socioeconomic Status students. The school's academic performance is notably lower than nearby middle schools like Anacapa Middle, Chaparral Middle, and Las Colinas Middle, which have higher test scores, lower chronic absenteeism, and serve a lower percentage of students from low-income families.

Interestingly, Isbell Middle's homeless student population performs relatively well, ranking in the top quartile of California middle schools for this subgroup. However, the school's overall declining performance, with a drop from a 2-star rating to a 1-star rating in recent years, suggests that significant intervention and support are needed to address the underlying factors contributing to the academic challenges faced by the majority of Isbell Middle's diverse student population.

Detail:

Public 7-8

221 South Fourth St.
Santa Paula, CA 93060-3301

(805) 933-8880

District: Santa Paula Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1965^th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,952

Students who attend Isbell Middle usually attend:

High:

Santa Paula High

Feeder schools for Isbell Middle:

Elementary:	Barbara Webster Elementary
	Blanchard Elementary
	Glen City Elementary
	Grace Thille Elementary
	More...
	McKevett Elementary
	Thelma Bedell Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 21.1

Number of students: 1,010

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

96.0%

White:

2.5%

Asian:

0.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 72.2%

See top rated California middle schools

Compare Isbell Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Isbell Middle ranks worse than 70.8% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.6. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (96%), White (2.5%), Asian (0.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 72.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Isbell Middle is 21.1. (See more...)

Compare Isbell Middle employs 47.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Isbell Middle is $7,952.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Isbell Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Isbell Middle 1965^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Isbell Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Santa Paula Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Paula Unified 1211^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Isbell Middle?

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Rank History for Isbell Middle

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Rank History for all students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2015	32.47	1554^th	2477	37.3%
2016	26.54	1777^th	2497	28.8%
2017	21.38	1978^th	2508	21.1%
2018	18.52	2060^th	2480	16.9%
2019	18.25	2262^nd	2715	16.7%
2022	18.06	2305^th	2740	15.9%
2023	16.78	2438^th	2802	13.0%
2024	26.60	1965^th	2777	29.2%

See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	33.43	835^th	1364	38.8%
2019	29.97	1122^nd	1442	22.2%
2022	33.02	1081^st	1540	29.8%
2023	30.37	1203^rd	1529	21.3%
2024	38.52	785^th	1477	46.9%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	28.18	1143^rd	1538	25.7%
2024	34.73	932^nd	1550	39.9%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	23.41	1794^th	2230	19.6%
2019	24.22	1895^th	2369	20.0%
2022	22.55	2010^th	2458	18.2%
2023	21.16	2120^th	2549	16.8%
2024	32.59	1671^st	2575	35.1%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	31.69	240^th	336	28.6%
2023	37.76	192^nd	321	40.2%
2024	74.55	49^th	394	87.6%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	17.38	1929^th	2262	14.7%
2019	18.21	2008^th	2380	15.6%
2022	19.37	2097^th	2509	16.4%
2023	17.82	2187^th	2547	14.1%
2024	26.73	1812^th	2546	28.8%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	25.04	1135^th	1369	17.1%
2019	21.24	1359^th	1491	8.9%
2022	27.01	1177^th	1531	23.1%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	19.42	1886^th	2273	17.0%
2019	17.96	2063^rd	2407	14.3%
2022	17.32	2190^th	2527	13.3%
2023	16.24	2273^rd	2558	11.1%
2024	25.92	1826^th	2547	28.3%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	24.28	1643^rd	2072	20.7%
2019	24.30	1735^th	2213	21.6%
2022	24.05	1851^st	2359	21.5%
2023	21.35	1984^th	2391	17.0%
2024	35.22	1455^th	2383	38.9%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Isbell Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	34.78	1001^st	1496	33.1%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Isbell Middle

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	42	3	4	1063	0	1	2	1115
2015	40	1	4	1092	1	3	2	1143
2016	43	2	2	1179	1	2	2	1231
2017	40	1	3	1212	0	1	2	1259
2018	32	1	2	1249	0	1	1	1286
2019	30	1	4	1204	0	1	3	1243
2020	32	2	3	1160	0	1	2	1200
2021	30	4	3	1076	2	1	2	1118
2022	26	0	6	1013	3	0	3	1051
2023	25	0	6	970	4	0	5	1010

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Isbell Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	1115	37.6	29.6	84
2015	1143	46.0	24.8	87.8
2016	1231	44.0	27.9	87
2017	1259	54.3	23.1	84.5
2018	1286	56.7	22.6	92.1
2019	1243	55.5	22.3	92.2
2020	1200	n/a	n/a	92
2021	1118	47.2	23.6	85.5
2022	1051	48.0	21.8	79.8
2023	1010	47.6	21.1	72.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Isbell Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	1115	37.6	29.6	84
2015	1143	46.0	24.8	87.8
2016	1231	44.0	27.9	87
2017	1259	54.3	23.1	84.5
2018	1286	56.7	22.6	92.1
2019	1243	55.5	22.3	92.2
2020	1200	n/a	n/a	92
2021	1118	47.2	23.6	85.5
2022	1051	48.0	21.8	79.8
2023	1010	47.6	21.1	72.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Isbell Middle

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$7,952

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Isbell Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 2262^nd of 2715 Middle schools	Ranks 2438^th of 2802 Middle schools	3.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Isbell Middle)	25.1	22.5	2.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Paula Unified)	25.1	22.5	2.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	48.5	44.2	4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Isbell Middle)	16.1	13.8	2.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Santa Paula Unified)	16.1	13.8	2.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (California)	38.5	33.2	5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Isbell Middle)	26.6	24	2.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Paula Unified)	26.6	23.9	2.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	51.4	47.4	3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Isbell Middle)	20.5	13.4	7.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Santa Paula Unified)	20.5	13.3	7.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (California)	37.9	33.2	4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Isbell Middle)	25.6	21.8	3.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Paula Unified)	25.6	21.8	3.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	49.4	45.7	3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Isbell Middle)	18.2	9.5	8.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Santa Paula Unified)	18.2	9.5	8.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (California)	36.6	29.9	6.7%
8th Grade Science (Isbell Middle)	17.1	9.8	7.3%
8th Grade Science (Santa Paula Unified)	17.1	9.8	7.3%
8th Grade Science (California)	30.8	28.8	2.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1243	1010	18.7%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	0	4
Asian	4	6	50%
Hispanic	1204	970	19.4%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	30	25	16.7%
Two or More Races	3	5	66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	92.2%	72.2%	20%

Schools Near Isbell Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CAST Science (2024)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Isbell Middle	Public	7-8	221 South Fourth St.	Santa Paula	93060	Ventura County	Santa Paula Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 933-8880	1,010	48	21.1	72.2%	25 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	970 (96.0%)	6 (0.6%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.5%)	26.6	1965^th of 2777 public middle schools	29.2%		16.8	2438^th of 2802 public middle schools	13.0%	473		14.6	14.6			32.1	36.0	34.1			18.9	13.0	15.8	$7,952
Briggs Elementary	Public	5-8	14438 West Telegraph Rd.	Santa Paula	93060	Ventura County	Briggs Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 525-7151	227	15	14.9	65.6%	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	220 (96.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.9%)	17.2	2380^th of 2777 public middle schools	14.3%		25.9	2003^rd of 2802 public middle schools	28.5%	377	16.0	10.9	13.2	36.0	14.3	23.4	24.2	24.1	22.0	15.5	14.1	14.1	16.1
Monte Vista Middle	Public	6-8	888 North Lantana St.	Camarillo	93010	Ventura County	Pleasant Valley	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 383-5335	680	34	20.0	40.4%	238 (35.0%)	21 (3.1%)	313 (46.0%)	44 (6.5%)	7 (1.0%)	4 (0.6%)	52 (7.6%)	53.6	1050^th of 2777 public middle schools	62.2%		58.6	944^th of 2802 public middle schools	66.3%	106		34.4	34.4		46.5	41.4	52.8	47.1		33.9	26.0	28.4	29.3	$7,288
Fillmore Middle	Public	6-8	543 A St.	Fillmore	93016	Ventura County	Fillmore Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 524-6055	820	39	21.0	82.4%	26 (3.2%)	3 (0.4%)	773 (94.3%)	6 (0.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.1%)	15.5	2455^th of 2777 public middle schools	11.6%		18.1	2369^th of 2802 public middle schools	15.5%	86		11.1	11.1		21.3	20.1	19.9	20.4		14.2	12.8	9.8	12.3	$8,368
Las Colinas Middle	Public	6-8	5750 Fieldcrest Dr.	Camarillo	93012	Ventura County	Pleasant Valley	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 383-5320	735	33	22.0	29.0%	290 (39.5%)	8 (1.1%)	329 (44.8%)	75 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (4.5%)	74.5	597^th of 2777 public middle schools	78.5%		79.9	488^th of 2802 public middle schools	82.6%	109		33.9	33.9		54.5	65.0	54.6	58.0		46.0	46.9	45.1	46.0	$7,199
Rio Vista Middle	Public	6-8	3050 Thames River Dr.	Oxnard	93036	Ventura County	Rio Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 981-1507	698	32	21.7	59.6%	45 (6.4%)	14 (2.0%)	587 (84.1%)	34 (4.9%)	4 (0.6%)	3 (0.4%)	10 (1.4%)	23.6	2098^th of 2777 public middle schools	24.5%		25.3	2034^th of 2802 public middle schools	27.4%	64		14.9	14.9		29.1	31.2	27.8	29.4		13.4	18.2	16.2	16.2	$6,534
Rio del Valle Middle	Public	6-8	3100 Rose Ave.	Oxnard	93036	Ventura County	Rio Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 485-3119	633	34	18.7	67.5%	45 (7.1%)	7 (1.1%)	542 (85.6%)	34 (5.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	29.1	1852^nd of 2777 public middle schools	33.3%		32.3	1733^rd of 2802 public middle schools	38.2%	119		14.1	14.1		29.3	38.9	34.5	34.0		24.8	19.6	15.0	19.6	$6,917
Balboa Middle	Public	6-8	247 Hill Rd.	Ventura	93003	Ventura County	Ventura Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 289-1800	1,074	42	25.6	47.9%	386 (35.9%)	10 (0.9%)	578 (53.8%)	48 (4.5%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (3.9%)	53.1	1065^th of 2777 public middle schools	61.6%		52.5	1093^rd of 2802 public middle schools	61.0%	28		31.0	31.0		43.2	42.5	48.2	44.9		30.0	33.2	32.3	32.0	$6,467
Chaparral Middle	Public	6-8	280 Poindexter Rd.	Moorpark	93021	Ventura County	Moorpark Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 378-6302	572	25	23.2	35.7%	168 (29.4%)	9 (1.6%)	345 (60.3%)	26 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.0%)	55	1011^th of 2777 public middle schools	63.6%		54.9	1034^th of 2802 public middle schools	63.1%	23		34.2	34.2		40.4	42.0	50.3	44.3		36.8	32.8	33.9	34.4	$5,036
R.J. Frank Academy of Marine Science & Engineering	Public	6-8	701 North Juanita Ave.	Oxnard	93030	Ventura County	Oxnard	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 385-1536	1,044	56	18.5	90.4%	32 (3.1%)	3 (0.3%)	972 (93.1%)	32 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	30.3	1794^th of 2777 public middle schools	35.4%		22	2176^th of 2802 public middle schools	22.3%	382		14.2	14.2		36.8	36.8	36.7	36.8		23.3	17.2	15.5	18.7

Isbell Middle

Isbell Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Santa Paula Unified:

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Rank History for Isbell Middle

Rank History for all students at Isbell Middle

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Isbell Middle

Rank History for Special Education students at Isbell Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Isbell Middle

Rank History for Homeless students at Isbell Middle

Rank History for Female students at Isbell Middle

Rank History for Disabled students at Isbell Middle

Rank History for Male students at Isbell Middle

Rank History for Hispanic students at Isbell Middle

Rank History for White students at Isbell Middle

Enrollment information for Isbell Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Isbell Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Isbell Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Isbell Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Isbell Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Isbell Middle

Frequently Asked Questions about Isbell Middle

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