Is Urban Discovery Academy Charter a good school?

Urban Discovery Academy Charter ranks in the bottom 16.0% of California alternative schools.

How many students attend Urban Discovery Academy Charter?

In the 2023-24 school year, 314 students attended Urban Discovery Academy Charter.

What is the racial makeup of Urban Discovery Academy Charter?

Students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter are 57% Hispanic, 18% White, 15% African American, 8% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Summary:

Urban Discovery Academy Charter is a public charter school in San Diego, California that serves 382 students in grades K-12. While the school has a 4-year graduation rate above 80%, it faces significant challenges, including lower test scores, higher dropout rates, and extremely high chronic absenteeism compared to state averages.

Urban Discovery Academy Charter's academic performance is a major concern, with proficiency rates that are significantly lower than the state average across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 11th grade English Language Arts, the school had just 23.53% proficiency, compared to the state average of 55.73%. The school's graduation rate of 81.5% in 2022-2023 is also below the state average, and its dropout rate of 18.5% is much higher. Additionally, the school struggles with chronic absenteeism, with a rate of 46.0% in 2022-2023, which is extremely high.

Interestingly, when compared to nearby schools, Urban Discovery Academy Charter appears to be underperforming. The nearby San Diego County Court school has even lower test scores, graduation rates, and higher dropout rates. In contrast, The O'Farrell Charter school, another public charter, has significantly higher test scores and graduation rates than Urban Discovery Academy Charter. These comparisons suggest that Urban Discovery Academy Charter faces unique challenges that may be impacting its ability to support student learning and achievement.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

840 14th St.
San Diego, CA 92101-6608

(619) 788-4668

District: Urban Discovery Academy Charter District

SchoolDigger Rank:
4922^nd of 5,862 California Alternative Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 314

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

57.0%

White:

17.8%

African American:

14.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 52.5%

See top rated California elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Urban Discovery Academy Charter ranks worse than 84% of elementary schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.16. (See more...)

Compare Details Urban Discovery Academy Charter ranks worse than 78.5% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.75. (See more...)

Compare Details Urban Discovery Academy Charter ranks worse than 72.8% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.36. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Urban Discovery Academy Charter:

SchoolDigger ranks Urban Discovery Academy Charter 4922^nd of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Urban Discovery Academy Charter in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Urban Discovery Academy Charter 2180^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Urban Discovery Academy Charter in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Urban Discovery Academy Charter 1691^st of 2323 California public high schools. (See Urban Discovery Academy Charter in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

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Rank History for Urban Discovery Academy Charter

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	28.10	4095^th	5789	29.3%
2021	29.46	949^th	1417	33.0%
2022	30.75	3817^th	5883	35.1%
2023	26.79	4196^th	5874	28.6%
2024	19.16	4922^nd	5862	16.0%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	17.42	4719^th	5173	8.8%
2021	26.55	879^th	1110	20.8%
2022	26.93	4083^rd	5264	22.4%
2023	27.53	4118^th	5374	23.4%
2024	13.27	5242^nd	5511	4.9%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	32.19	3654^th	5492	33.5%
2021	32.85	805^th	1267	36.5%
2022	32.27	3555^th	5635	36.9%
2023	30.32	3733^rd	5617	33.5%
2024	25.92	4151^st	5605	25.9%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	24.91	4198^th	5510	23.8%
2021	28.20	874^th	1272	31.3%
2022	31.15	3688^th	5663	34.9%
2023	26.33	4114^th	5650	27.2%
2024	18.09	4899^th	5636	13.1%

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

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	19.94	4379^th	4963	11.8%
2022	25.20	4102^nd	5084	19.3%
2023	20.79	4434^th	5098	13.0%
2024	11.73	4935^th	5102	3.3%

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

Rank History for elementary school White students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	27.22	2220^th	2834	21.7%
2022	19.12	2294^th	2726	15.8%

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

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

Rank History for Urban Discovery Academy Charter

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Rank History for all middle school students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	24.36	2012^th	2715	25.9%
2021	21.56	727^th	894	18.7%
2022	25.96	1946^th	2740	29.0%
2023	13.50	2572^nd	2802	8.2%
2024	21.75	2180^th	2777	21.5%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	16.77	2122^nd	2369	10.4%
2021	23.28	610^th	721	15.4%
2022	19.32	2123^rd	2458	13.6%
2023	11.16	2457^th	2549	3.6%
2024	21.91	2102^nd	2575	18.4%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	33.66	1490^th	2380	37.4%
2021	20.18	627^th	738	15.0%
2022	14.71	2279^th	2509	9.2%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	17.28	2086^th	2407	13.3%
2021	25.62	565^th	763	26.0%
2022	37.88	1397^th	2527	44.7%
2023	13.31	2368^th	2558	7.4%
2024	15.29	2273^rd	2547	10.8%

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

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	24.30	1734^th	2213	21.6%
2022	19.22	2040^th	2359	13.5%
2023	6.10	2372^nd	2391	0.8%
2024	14.74	2177^th	2383	8.6%

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

Rank History for middle school White students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	34.00	1066^th	1602	33.5%

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

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

Rank History for Urban Discovery Academy Charter

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Rank History for all high school students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	85.36	270^th	2133	87.3%
2021	41.98	737^th	1290	42.9%
2022	24.83	1538^th	2123	27.6%
2023	22.21	1641^st	2348	30.1%
2024	19.36	1691^st	2323	27.2%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Multi-racial students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	26.57	532^nd	786	32.3%
2024	17.55	633^rd	804	21.3%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for high school English Language Learner students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	42.93	451^st	1044	56.8%
2023	24.58	1057^th	1323	20.1%
2024	31.68	768^th	1350	43.1%

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

Rank History for high school Special Education students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	42.55	644^th	1547	58.4%
2024	22.30	1277^th	1534	16.8%

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

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	24.19	1461^st	1943	24.8%
2023	18.60	1699^th	2247	24.4%
2024	16.54	1740^th	2235	22.1%

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

Rank History for high school Female students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	79.99	322^nd	1833	82.4%
2021	28.73	781^st	1054	25.9%
2022	12.32	1667^th	1858	10.3%
2023	20.02	1598^th	2118	24.6%
2024	21.28	1563^rd	2098	25.5%

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

Rank History for high school Disabled students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	49.47	206^th	555	62.9%

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

Rank History for high school Male students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	85.41	239^th	1880	87.3%
2021	35.21	725^th	1122	35.4%
2022	30.03	1284^th	1916	33.0%
2023	23.23	1527^th	2207	30.8%
2024	17.62	1647^th	2172	24.2%

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

Rank History for high school African American students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	40.73	389^th	720	46.0%
2024	18.34	632^nd	721	12.3%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	64.48	546^th	1814	69.9%
2022	25.68	1389^th	1861	25.4%
2023	14.34	1735^th	2142	19.0%
2024	11.41	1792^nd	2125	15.7%

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

Rank History for high school White students at Urban Discovery Academy Charter

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	27.34	977^th	1434	31.9%
2024	36.59	810^th	1406	42.4%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative 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 Urban Discovery Academy Charter

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2019	190	42	23	265	1	2	55	578
2020	182	60	20	308	2	1	50	623
2021	147	54	15	300	3	0	45	564
2022	98	44	16	276	2	0	43	479
2023	66	45	11	218	0	0	42	382
2024	56	46	8	179	0	0	25	314

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 Urban Discovery Academy Charter

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	578	23.0	25.1	36.7
2020	623	n/a	n/a	46.4
2021	564	22.4	25.1	38.1
2022	479	23.0	20.8	45.7
2023	382	21.9	17.4	49.7
2024	314	18.9	16.5	52.5

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 Urban Discovery Academy Charter

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	578	23.0	25.1	36.7
2020	623	n/a	n/a	46.4
2021	564	22.4	25.1	38.1
2022	479	23.0	20.8	45.7
2023	382	21.9	17.4	49.7
2024	314	18.9	16.5	52.5

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates