Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Summary:

Sussman (Edward A.) Middle is a public middle school located in Downey, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,122 students. The school is part of the Downey Unified School District, which is ranked 562 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sussman Middle's academic performance, as measured by the Smarter Balanced Assessments, is generally below the Downey Unified School District and the state of California averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy ranged from 41.62% to 46.13%, compared to the district's 50.99% to 52.56% and the state's 45.82% to 47.19%. In Mathematics, the percentage of students proficient or better ranged from 24.41% to 33.08%, compared to the district's 32.22% to 37.48% and the state's 31.57% to 34.31%. The school's performance in Science, as measured by the CAST assessment, is also below the district and state averages, with only 25% of students proficient or better in 8th grade. Additionally, Sussman Middle has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 6.3% in 2017-2018 to 44.7% in 2021-2022, before slightly improving to 29.8% in 2022-2023.

Interestingly, Sussman Middle's African American and Hispanic students generally perform better than the school's overall averages, ranking in the top 25% and top 35% of California middle schools, respectively, in English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics. In contrast, the school's White students perform significantly worse, ranking in the bottom 10% of California middle schools in recent years. The school's academic performance is also generally lower than the nearby Griffiths (Gordon) Middle and Stauffer (Mary R.) Middle, which are also part of the Downey Unified School District. However, Sussman Middle's performance is generally better than the nearby Corvallis Middle and the Paramount Unified schools, which all have lower academic achievement and higher chronic absenteeism rates.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 12500 Birchdale Ave.
       Downey, CA  90242-3604


(562) 904-3572

District: Downey Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1251st of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,312 Help


Students who attend Sussman (Edward A.) Middle usually attend:

High:    Downey High

Feeder schools for Sussman (Edward A.) Middle:

Elementary:    Alameda Elementary
    Carpenter (C. C.) Elementary
    Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  22.2 Help
Number of students:  1,218

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
90.4%
African American:
3.1%
White:
2.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  74.5% Help


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 Compare Sussman (Edward A.) Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sussman (Edward A.) Middle ranks better than 55% of middle schools in California. It also ranks last among 4 ranked middle schools in the Downey Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.81. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Sussman (Edward A.) Middle has the smallest middle school student body size in the Downey Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (90.4%), African American (3.1%), White (2.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 74.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Downey Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle is 22.2, which is the lowest among 4 middle schools in the Downey Unified School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Sussman (Edward A.) Middle employs 54.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle is $12,312, which is the lowest among 4 middle schools in the Downey Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sussman (Edward A.) Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Sussman (Edward A.) Middle 1251st of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Sussman (Edward A.) 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:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Downey Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Downey Unified 562nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 35.31 1078th 1769 39.1%
2005 29.33 1250th 1777 29.7%
2006 32.99 1187th 1804 34.2%
2007 34.61 1265th 1999 36.7%
2008 34.98 1295th 2005 35.4%
2009 35.24 1323rd 2063 35.9%
2010 36.98 1391st 2179 36.2%
2011 34.75 1503rd 2236 32.8%
2012 36.39 1468th 2259 35.0%
2013 45.15 1289th 2379 45.8%
2015 35.92 1451st 2477 41.4%
2016 39.55 1372nd 2497 45.1%
2017 31.00 1650th 2508 34.2%
2018 33.76 1556th 2480 37.3%
2019 41.52 1398th 2715 48.5%
2022 41.55 1413th 2740 48.4%
2023 39.61 1472nd 2802 47.5%
2024 46.81 1251st 2777 55.0%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.32 1081st 1364 20.7%
2019 34.88 880th 1442 39.0%
2022 51.38 438th 1540 71.6%
2023 49.58 458th 1529 70.0%
2024 56.34 320th 1477 78.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 36.75 862nd 1538 44.0%
2024 33.59 979th 1550 36.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.20 1108th 2230 50.3%
2019 54.76 886th 2369 62.6%
2022 52.73 934th 2458 62.0%
2023 50.52 1012th 2549 60.3%
2024 55.36 872nd 2575 66.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 59.75 104th 394 73.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.19 1450th 2262 35.9%
2019 41.02 1289th 2380 45.8%
2022 43.30 1239th 2509 50.6%
2023 35.43 1469th 2547 42.3%
2024 42.82 1258th 2546 50.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.70 608th 1369 55.6%
2019 37.59 798th 1491 46.5%
2022 31.36 1013th 1531 33.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.44 1451st 2273 36.2%
2019 40.46 1296th 2407 46.2%
2022 39.72 1350th 2527 46.6%
2023 42.88 1265th 2558 50.5%
2024 49.20 1098th 2547 56.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.33 346th 600 42.3%
2019 55.36 244th 643 62.1%
2022 75.81 113th 637 82.3%
2023 61.20 190th 614 69.1%
2024 68.85 151st 626 75.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.06 993rd 2072 52.1%
2019 57.22 749th 2213 66.2%
2022 55.28 844th 2359 64.2%
2023 54.66 853rd 2391 64.3%
2024 62.59 671st 2383 71.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.96 1273rd 1496 14.9%
2019 5.46 1557th 1602 2.8%
2023 12.51 1393rd 1552 10.2%
2024 51.03 728th 1535 52.6%
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.

Sussman (Edward A.) Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 455 32 85 333 15 n/a n/a 0 920
1989 434 40 86 342 18 n/a n/a 0 920
1990 436 52 106 419 18 n/a n/a 0 1031
1991 374 60 113 432 13 n/a n/a 0 992
1992 387 49 111 468 9 n/a n/a 0 1024
1993 377 77 124 484 13 n/a n/a 0 1075
1994 393 85 124 563 7 n/a n/a 0 1172
1995 303 96 100 661 7 n/a n/a 0 1167
1996 303 96 100 661 7 n/a n/a 0 1167
1997 301 83 97 716 10 n/a n/a 0 1207
1998 279 87 89 827 9 n/a n/a 0 1291
1999 293 88 91 921 12 n/a n/a 0 1405
2000 277 83 83 969 8 n/a n/a 0 1420
2001 275 101 81 1062 7 n/a n/a 0 1526
2002 222 126 54 1157 7 n/a n/a 0 1566
2003 222 126 54 1157 7 n/a n/a 0 1566
2004 189 101 58 1173 8 n/a n/a 0 1529
2005 172 93 54 1193 4 n/a n/a 0 1516
2006 159 72 44 1229 2 n/a n/a 8 1514
2007 140 71 39 1208 6 n/a n/a 11 1475
2008 118 62 49 1219 7 n/a n/a 0 1455
2009 102 65 43 1219 6 7 7 0 1449
2010 102 76 34 1198 4 6 0 0 1420
2011 78 65 27 1169 3 4 2 0 1348
2012 65 68 22 1145 0 4 1 0 1305
2013 58 69 25 1063 4 5 1 0 1225
2014 46 60 30 1011 5 4 3 0 1159
2015 49 57 34 954 5 8 1 0 1108
2016 40 54 31 1017 3 5 3 0 1153
2017 42 63 29 1037 4 5 9 0 1189
2018 45 52 21 1102 5 1 10 0 1236
2019 32 44 27 1036 3 3 11 0 1156
2020 24 48 20 1035 2 3 6 0 1138
2021 24 52 27 957 2 5 6 0 1073
2022 31 48 32 998 2 7 5 0 1123
2023 29 45 31 1009 2 3 3 0 1122
2024 34 38 33 1101 3 4 5 0 1218

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 Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 920 38.8 23.7 n/a
1989 920 39.3 23.4 n/a
1990 1031 45.1 22.8 n/a
1991 992 45.1 21.9 n/a
1992 1024 45.8 22.3 46.1
1993 1075 44.0 24.4 44.9
1994 1172 47.0 24.9 47.5
1995 1167 49.3 23.7 56.9
1996 1167 49.3 23.7 56.9
1997 1207 50.3 24.0 59.9
1998 1291 52.9 24.4 60.6
1999 1405 54.8 25.6 61.4
2000 1420 57.6 24.7 57.8
2001 1526 60.6 25.2 61.3
2002 1566 64.6 24.2 63.3
2003 1566 64.6 24.2 63.3
2004 1529 65.2 23.5 65.1
2005 1516 63.2 24.0 68.8
2006 1514 63.8 23.7 68.9
2007 1475 63.3 23.3 70.8
2008 1455 73.1 19.9 77
2009 1449 64.5 21.2 78.1
2010 1420 63.7 22.2 77.5
2011 1348 n/a n/a 80.6
2012 1305 52.3 24.9 n/a
2013 1225 52.0 23.5 83
2014 1159 49.7 23.3 83.1
2015 1108 45.0 24.6 76.3
2016 1153 48.0 24.0 77.9
2017 1189 48.8 24.3 79.8
2018 1236 50.1 24.6 79.2
2019 1156 46.8 24.7 77.9
2020 1138 n/a n/a 76.8
2021 1073 47.6 22.4 72.4
2022 1123 47.2 23.7 76
2023 1122 47.9 23.3 78.7
2024 1218 54.7 22.2 74.5

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 Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 920 38.8 23.7 n/a
1989 920 39.3 23.4 n/a
1990 1031 45.1 22.8 n/a
1991 992 45.1 21.9 n/a
1992 1024 45.8 22.3 46.1
1993 1075 44.0 24.4 44.9
1994 1172 47.0 24.9 47.5
1995 1167 49.3 23.7 56.9
1996 1167 49.3 23.7 56.9
1997 1207 50.3 24.0 59.9
1998 1291 52.9 24.4 60.6
1999 1405 54.8 25.6 61.4
2000 1420 57.6 24.7 57.8
2001 1526 60.6 25.2 61.3
2002 1566 64.6 24.2 63.3
2003 1566 64.6 24.2 63.3
2004 1529 65.2 23.5 65.1
2005 1516 63.2 24.0 68.8
2006 1514 63.8 23.7 68.9
2007 1475 63.3 23.3 70.8
2008 1455 73.1 19.9 77
2009 1449 64.5 21.2 78.1
2010 1420 63.7 22.2 77.5
2011 1348 n/a n/a 80.6
2012 1305 52.3 24.9 n/a
2013 1225 52.0 23.5 83
2014 1159 49.7 23.3 83.1
2015 1108 45.0 24.6 76.3
2016 1153 48.0 24.0 77.9
2017 1189 48.8 24.3 79.8
2018 1236 50.1 24.6 79.2
2019 1156 46.8 24.7 77.9
2020 1138 n/a n/a 76.8
2021 1073 47.6 22.4 72.4
2022 1123 47.2 23.7 76
2023 1122 47.9 23.3 78.7
2024 1218 54.7 22.2 74.5

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.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $12,312

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sussman (Edward A.) 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 1398th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1472nd of 2802 Middle schools
 1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sussman (Edward A.) Middle)46.936.4
 10.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Downey Unified)50.545.2
 5.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Sussman (Edward A.) Middle)36.325.7
 10.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Downey Unified)38.333.3
 5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sussman (Edward A.) Middle)45.444.7
 0.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Downey Unified)50.550.2
 0.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sussman (Edward A.) Middle)33.424.4
 9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Downey Unified)37.431.1
 6.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sussman (Edward A.) Middle)36.837.7
 0.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Downey Unified)49.444.6
 4.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sussman (Edward A.) Middle)2821.1
 6.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Downey Unified)36.729.9
 6.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Sussman (Edward A.) Middle)23.120.9
 2.2%
   8th Grade Science (Downey Unified)32.230.3
 1.8%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11561122
 2.9%
African American4445
 2.3%
American Indian32
 33.3%
Asian2731
 14.8%
Hispanic10361009
 2.6%
Pacific Islander33
White3229
 9.4%
Two or More Races113
 72.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77.9%78.7%
 0.8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Sussman (Edward A.) Middle ranks 1251st of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Sussman (Edward A.) Middle are 90% Hispanic, 3% African American, 3% White, 3% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,218 students attended Sussman (Edward A.) Middle.

Students who attend Sussman (Edward A.) Middle usually go on to attend Downey High


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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.





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