Helix High

Summary:

Helix High is a public charter high school located in La Mesa, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,502 students. This exceptional school consistently ranks among the top high schools in the state, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and outperforming nearby public high schools like Hoover High, Morse High, and Mount Miguel High.

Helix High's students excel academically, with 83.45% of 11th-grade students and end-of-course students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, and 64.67% proficient or better in Mathematics, significantly outperforming the state averages. The school's performance on the CAST Science assessment is also impressive, with over 56% of 11th-grade students and end-of-course students scoring proficient or better. Helix High's exceptional academic performance extends to diverse student subgroups, including female, Asian, African American, Hispanic, White, and multi-racial students, as well as English Language Learners, students with low socioeconomic status, and military-connected students.

Helix High's success is further evidenced by its very high four-year graduation rate of 96.1% and a low dropout rate of just 0.4% in the 2022-2023 school year. The school also maintains a low chronic absenteeism rate of 2.3%, indicating that the vast majority of students attend school regularly. Despite serving a diverse student population, with 61.47% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, Helix High continues to excel, suggesting that the school is effectively supporting and enabling the success of students from all backgrounds. Helix High's outstanding performance and student outcomes make it a standout educational institution in the Helix High District, which is ranked 30th out of 1,568 districts in California.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

7323 University Ave.
La Mesa, CA 91941-6055

(619) 644-1940

District: Helix High District

SchoolDigger Rank:
79^th of 2,323 California High Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 24.0

Number of students: 2,502

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

45.4%

White:

24.6%

African American:

11.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 61.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Helix High ranks better than 96.6% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.06. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Helix High 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:

Helix High:

SchoolDigger ranks Helix High 79^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Helix High 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:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Helix High District:

SchoolDigger ranks Helix High District 30^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Helix High

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Rank History for all students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	81.46	340^th	2133	84.1%
2022	88.63	219^th	2123	89.7%
2023	88.29	206^th	2348	91.2%
2024	95.06	79^th	2323	96.6%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	61.39	162^nd	422	61.6%
2022	63.47	183^rd	515	64.5%
2023	71.53	169^th	786	78.5%
2024	87.87	44^th	804	94.5%

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

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	65.64	141^st	941	85.0%
2022	84.63	47^th	1044	95.5%
2024	99.37	1^st	1350	99.9%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	65.15	262^nd	1547	83.1%
2024	76.83	145^th	1534	90.5%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	81.20	271^st	1937	86.0%
2022	91.18	132^nd	1943	93.2%
2023	91.54	128^th	2247	94.3%
2024	97.95	33^rd	2235	98.5%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	97.88	5^th	290	98.3%
2023	82.76	46^th	417	89.0%
2024	98.57	7^th	451	98.4%

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

Rank History for Female students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	77.17	369^th	1833	79.9%
2022	85.19	245^th	1858	86.8%
2023	85.31	214^th	2118	89.9%
2024	95.12	60^th	2098	97.1%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	42.38	516^th	1117	53.8%
2022	76.25	161^st	1161	86.1%

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

Rank History for Military Connected students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	81.26	28^th	168	83.3%
2023	89.71	17^th	233	92.7%
2024	96.25	4^th	234	98.3%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	81.07	305^th	1880	83.8%
2022	89.79	182^nd	1916	90.5%
2023	88.84	184^th	2207	91.7%
2024	93.32	105^th	2172	95.2%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	60.14	266^th	582	54.3%
2022	69.15	206^th	581	64.5%
2023	78.24	139^th	731	81.0%
2024	88.04	33^rd	712	95.4%

See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	71.33	128^th	592	78.4%
2022	86.47	51^st	522	90.2%
2023	94.34	33^rd	720	95.4%
2024	97.61	15^th	721	97.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	82.44	226^th	1814	87.5%
2022	92.04	107^th	1861	94.3%
2023	91.00	103^rd	2142	95.2%
2024	97.10	38^th	2125	98.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Helix High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	86.75	111^th	1222	90.9%
2022	87.79	103^rd	1204	91.4%
2023	87.05	92^nd	1434	93.6%
2024	94.20	23^rd	1406	98.4%

See the entire list of Best California High 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 Helix High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2019	545	273	142	1178	5	23	262	0	2428
2020	577	271	141	1156	3	22	279	0	2449
2021	601	278	145	1113	4	25	303	0	2469
2022	610	279	166	1086	4	22	289	6	2462
2023	615	285	173	1136	4	22	261	6	2502

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 Helix High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	2428	104.3	23.2	56.9
2020	2449	n/a	n/a	57.1
2021	2469	100.3	24.6	52.5
2022	2462	102.1	24.0	57.1
2023	2502	103.9	24.0	61.5

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 Helix High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	2428	104.3	23.2	56.9
2020	2449	n/a	n/a	57.1
2021	2469	100.3	24.6	52.5
2022	2462	102.1	24.0	57.1
2023	2502	103.9	24.0	61.5

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.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Helix High

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 340^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 206^th of 2348 High schools	7.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Helix High)	78.4	78.4
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Helix High)	72.5	58.2	14.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%
11th Grade Science (Helix High)	36.6	41.1	4.5%
11th Grade Science (California)	30.4	31.7	1.3%
12th Grade Science (Helix High)	30.1	53.2	23.2%
12th Grade Science (California)	25.6	26.9	1.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	2428	2502	3%
African American	273	285	4.4%
American Indian	5	4	20%
Asian	142	173	21.8%
Hispanic	1178	1136	3.6%
Pacific Islander	23	22	4.3%
White	545	615	12.8%
Two or More Races	262	261	0.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	56.9%	61.5%	4.6%

Schools Near Helix High

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 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	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 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Helix High	Public, Charter	9-12	7323 University Ave.	La Mesa	91941	San Diego County	Helix High District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 644-1940	2,502	104	24.0	61.5%	615 (24.6%)	285 (11.4%)	1,136 (45.4%)	173 (6.9%)	4 (0.2%)	22 (0.9%)	261 (10.4%)	95.1	79^th of 2323 public high schools	96.6%		88.3	206^th of 2348 public high schools	91.2%	127		57.0		57.1				83.5	83.5				64.7	64.7
Crawford High	Public	9-12	4191 Colts Way	San Diego	92115	San Diego County	San Diego Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 362-3700	1,193	55	21.7	86.6%	24 (2.0%)	353 (29.6%)	550 (46.1%)	217 (18.2%)	3 (0.3%)	5 (0.4%)	40 (3.4%)	34.4	1298^th of 2323 public high schools	44.1%		33.4	1321^st of 2348 public high schools	43.7%	23		15.9	10.3	15.4				47.9	47.9				10.8	10.8	$8,914
City Heights Preparatory Charter	Public, Charter	6-12	4260 54th St.	San Diego	92115	San Diego County	City Heights Preparatory Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 795-3137	141	9	15.6	92.9%	28 (19.9%)	40 (28.4%)	60 (42.6%)	11 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	14.1	1837^th of 2323 public high schools	20.9%		13.9	1873^rd of 2348 public high schools	20.2%	36	8.3		9.1	8.7	18.2	6.7	20.8	29.2	18.0	9.1	6.7	8.3	4.2	7.0
Mount Miguel High	Public	9-12	8585 Blossom Ln.	Spring Valley	91977	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 664-8400	1,480	73	20.3	80.7%	130 (8.8%)	168 (11.4%)	984 (66.5%)	88 (5.9%)	7 (0.5%)	25 (1.7%)	78 (5.3%)	35.2	1274^th of 2323 public high schools	45.2%		35.7	1256^th of 2348 public high schools	46.5%	18		22.1	10.5	21.5				38.6	38.6				15.1	15.1	$14,492
Henry High	Public	9-12	6702 Wandermere Dr.	San Diego	92120	San Diego County	San Diego Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 286-7700	2,607	96	27.0	34.9%	1,011 (38.8%)	163 (6.3%)	814 (31.2%)	390 (15.0%)	1 (0.0%)	3 (0.1%)	223 (8.6%)	87.5	208^th of 2323 public high schools	91.0%		84.5	247^th of 2348 public high schools	89.5%	39		53.6	8.3	52.6				73.6	73.6				46.8	46.8	$7,298
Grossmont High	Public	9-12	1100 Murray Dr.	La Mesa	91944	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 668-6000	2,175	89	24.3	59.5%	764 (35.1%)	167 (7.7%)	924 (42.5%)	109 (5.0%)	4 (0.2%)	13 (0.6%)	191 (8.8%)	64.3	558^th of 2323 public high schools	76.0%		62	616^th of 2348 public high schools	73.8%	58		39.2	15.0	38.3				61.2	61.2				23.7	23.7	$10,796
Hoover High	Public	9-12	4474 El Cajon Blvd.	San Diego	92115	San Diego County	San Diego Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 344-4500	2,265	99	22.9	80.6%	39 (1.7%)	165 (7.3%)	1,756 (77.5%)	263 (11.6%)	1 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	38 (1.7%)	31.2	1393^rd of 2323 public high schools	40.0%		33.7	1312^th of 2348 public high schools	44.1%	81		19.0	0.0	18.1				41.6	41.6				8.0	8.0	$7,838
Morse High	Public	9-12	6905 Skyline Dr.	San Diego	92114	San Diego County	San Diego Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 262-0763	1,675	77	21.6	72.5%	42 (2.5%)	187 (11.2%)	779 (46.5%)	518 (30.9%)	2 (0.1%)	21 (1.3%)	124 (7.4%)	54.8	756^th of 2323 public high schools	67.5%		58.2	688^th of 2348 public high schools	70.7%	68		31.7		31.7				56.0	56.0				19.7	19.7	$8,156
Monte Vista High	Public	9-12	3230 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.	Spring Valley	91977	San Diego County	Grossmont Union High	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(619) 660-3000	1,569	79	19.9	76.3%	176 (11.2%)	155 (9.9%)	1,060 (67.6%)	75 (4.8%)	5 (0.3%)	12 (0.8%)	85 (5.4%)	51.8	819^th of 2323 public high schools	64.7%		44	1014^th of 2348 public high schools	56.8%	195		25.1	33.3	25.4				43.7	43.7				33.3	33.3	$14,196
Ingenuity Charter	Public, Virtual, Charter	6-12	6130 Skyline Dr.	San Diego	92114	San Diego County	Ingenuity Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(619) 262-2046	154	10	14.7	90.3%	10 (6.5%)	21 (13.6%)	99 (64.3%)	9 (5.8%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (9.1%)	18.2	1732^nd of 2323 public high schools	25.4%		17.4	1763^rd of 2348 public high schools	24.9%	31	3.9	15.5	10.5	11.5		30.8	11.5	24.6	22.5		0.0	0.0	6.0	4.4

Frequently Asked Questions about Helix High

Is Helix High a good school?

Yes! Helix High is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 79^th of 2323 California high schools.

How many students attend Helix High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,502 students attended Helix High.

What is the racial makeup of Helix High?

Students at Helix High are 45% Hispanic, 25% White, 11% African American, 10% Two or more races, 7% Asian.

What district is Helix High in?

Helix High District

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.