Heritage Valley Independent Study

Summary:

Heritage Valley Independent Study is a small public alternative school in Fillmore, CA that serves grades K-12 with just 46 students. Located within the Fillmore Unified School District, which is ranked 1321 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, Heritage Valley Independent Study faces significant challenges in serving its students effectively.

The school has had highly variable performance, with 4-year graduation rates ranging from 61.5% to 100% in recent years, well below the state average of around 85%. Correspondingly, Heritage Valley Independent Study has also had high dropout rates, ranging from 0% to 15.4%. Additionally, the school has extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, over twice the state average, and its students perform very poorly on standardized tests, with only 9.52% proficient in ELA and 0% proficient in Math in 2023-2024, compared to 47.04% and 35.54% statewide. The school serves a high-need student population, with over 80% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

In comparison, nearby virtual charter schools like Insight @ San Diego and the various California Virtual Academy schools generally outperform Heritage Valley Independent Study on key metrics like graduation rates, test scores, and chronic absenteeism, suggesting that the independent study model may be less effective than a virtual school approach for this population.

Detail:

Public, Alternative K-12

615 Shiells Dr.
Fillmore, CA 93015-1353

(805) 524-6077

District: Fillmore Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2241^st of 2,323 California Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,448

Student/teacher ratio: 28.2

Number of students: 46

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

84.8%

White:

15.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 87%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Heritage Valley Independent Study ranks worse than 96.5% of high schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.12. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Heritage Valley Independent Study freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

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

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 (84.8%), White (15.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 87% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Heritage Valley Independent Study is 28.2. (See more...)

Compare Heritage Valley Independent Study employs 1.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Heritage Valley Independent Study is $8,448.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Heritage Valley Independent Study:

SchoolDigger ranks Heritage Valley Independent Study 2241^st of 2323 California public high schools. (See Heritage Valley Independent Study in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Hispanic students:

Fillmore Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Fillmore Unified 1321^st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Heritage Valley Independent Study

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Rank History for all students at Heritage Valley Independent Study

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2013	13.55	1952^nd	2426	19.5%
2022	15.65	1774^th	2123	16.4%
2023	27.86	1478^th	2348	37.1%
2024	7.12	2241^st	2323	3.5%

See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Heritage Valley Independent Study

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	37.61	1204^th	2247	46.4%
2024	7.87	2113^th	2235	5.5%

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

Rank History for Female students at Heritage Valley Independent Study

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	8.57	1980^th	2118	6.5%
2024	5.33	2089^th	2098	0.4%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Heritage Valley Independent Study

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	30.85	1353^rd	2142	36.8%
2024	7.22	2026^th	2125	4.7%

See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic 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 Heritage Valley Independent Study

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2012	9	0	1	47	2	2	61
2013	3	0	1	28	1	1	34
2014	3	0	0	18	0	0	21
2015	3	1	0	13	0	0	17
2016	7	1	0	15	1	0	24
2017	3	0	0	20	2	0	25
2018	1	0	0	20	0	0	21
2019	2	0	0	19	3	0	24
2020	1	0	0	17	1	0	19
2021	1	0	0	26	1	0	28
2022	8	0	2	109	0	3	122
2023	7	0	0	39	0	0	46

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 Heritage Valley Independent Study

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	61	1.6	36.5	95.1
2013	34	1.0	34.0	41.2
2014	21	0.1	140.0	71.4
2015	17	1.0	17.0	64.7
2016	24	1.0	24.0	70.8
2017	25	1.0	25.0	40
2018	21	1.0	21.0	66.7
2019	24	1.0	24.0	66.7
2020	19	n/a	n/a	57.9
2021	28	1.0	28.0	82.1
2022	122	3.1	39.3	79.5
2023	46	1.6	28.2	87

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 Heritage Valley Independent Study

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	61	1.6	36.5	95.1
2013	34	1.0	34.0	41.2
2014	21	0.1	140.0	71.4
2015	17	1.0	17.0	64.7
2016	24	1.0	24.0	70.8
2017	25	1.0	25.0	40
2018	21	1.0	21.0	66.7
2019	24	1.0	24.0	66.7
2020	19	n/a	n/a	57.9
2021	28	1.0	28.0	82.1
2022	122	3.1	39.3	79.5
2023	46	1.6	28.2	87

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 Heritage Valley Independent Study

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$8,448

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Heritage Valley Independent Study

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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	24	46	91.7%
African American	0	0
American Indian	3	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	19	39	105.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	2	7	250%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	66.7%	87%	20.3%

Schools Near Heritage Valley Independent Study

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				CAST Science (2024)					Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)								Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)								% Completely Immunized (2022)	% Polio (2022)	% Hepatitis B (2022)	% Varicella (2022)	% DTP (2022)	% MMR (2022)	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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	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 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 3rd Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	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 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% DTP KG	% MMR KG	Total
Heritage Valley Independent Study	Public, Alternative	K-12	615 Shiells Dr.	Fillmore	93015	Ventura County	Fillmore Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(805) 524-6077	46	2	28.2	87.0%	7 (15.2%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (84.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					5.9								9.5								0.0							$8,448
Santa Paula Unified School District Independent Studies	Public, Alternative	K-12	201 South Steckel Dr.	Santa Paula	93060	Ventura County	Santa Paula Unified	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(805) 525-4407	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Insight @ San Diego	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	50 Moreland Rd.	Simi Valley	93065	Ventura County	Insight @ San Diego District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(805) 581-0202	143	4	32.9	65.0%	55 (38.5%)	12 (8.4%)	59 (41.3%)	10 (7.0%)	4 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.1%)								(n/a)			6.1	18.2	7.8							22.4	22.4							4.5	4.5
California Virtual Academy at Fresno	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	50 Moreland Rd.	Simi Valley	93065	Ventura County	California Virtual Academy at Fresno District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(805) 581-0202	1,184	42	28.2	74.5%	282 (23.8%)	118 (10.0%)	681 (57.5%)	56 (4.7%)	17 (1.4%)	6 (0.5%)	24 (2.0%)								(n/a)	16.0	24.1	30.0		23.6	35.8	14.4	26.0	23.4	27.9	40.4	53.2	32.1	39.5	21.1	15.2	14.0	23.0	22.6	18.9	21.6	39.8	43.7	50.5	41.8	40.8	41.8
California Virtual Academy @ Los Angeles	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	50 Moreland Rd.	Simi Valley	93065	Ventura County	California Virtual Academy @ Los Angeles District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(805) 581-0202	5,407	193	28.0	73.7%	896 (16.6%)	1,084 (20.0%)	2,897 (53.6%)	298 (5.5%)	45 (0.8%)	51 (0.9%)	136 (2.5%)								(n/a)	26.6	21.0	29.3	33.3	25.1	36.7	27.3	32.8	28.1	37.7	34.3	56.8	36.1	37.7	27.8	18.6	18.7	28.5	22.6	25.9	25.3	43.7	46.1	61.2	46.5	45.2	47.1
California Virtual Academy San Mateo	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	50 Moreland Rd.	Simi Valley	93065	Ventura County	California Virtual Academy San Mateo District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(805) 581-0202	1,009	35	29.0	50.8%	291 (28.8%)	109 (10.8%)	338 (33.5%)	204 (20.2%)	8 (0.8%)	18 (1.8%)	41 (4.1%)								(n/a)	45.8	29.9	42.6	45.5	38.2	41.7	37.0	49.2	48.8	44.2	41.4	61.2	46.9	40.0	40.7	37.3	40.7	36.8	34.2	33.0	36.9	46.1	54.0	55.3	48.7	50.0	50.0
California Virtual Academy @ San Diego	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	50 Moreland Rd.	Simi Valley	93065	Ventura County	California Virtual Academy @ San Diego District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(805) 581-0202	3,294	116	28.4	63.8%	865 (26.3%)	383 (11.6%)	1,667 (50.6%)	232 (7.0%)	28 (0.9%)	48 (1.5%)	71 (2.2%)								(n/a)	27.4	22.4	33.7	26.7	27.6	38.5	27.8	34.5	33.5	41.8	37.1	56.3	39.1	39.2	28.3	21.6	28.8	31.3	27.0	28.7	29.1	39.6	41.5	57.0	41.5	40.9	42.1
California Virtual Academy at Sutter	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	50 Moreland Rd.	Simi Valley	93065	Ventura County	California Virtual Academy at Sutter District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(805) 581-0202	1,394	49	28.2	67.1%	478 (34.3%)	314 (22.5%)	367 (26.3%)	143 (10.3%)	28 (2.0%)	24 (1.7%)	40 (2.9%)								(n/a)	22.7	22.8	31.4	41.7	26.3	31.6	34.5	24.5	31.8	33.7	39.2	47.9	35.6	31.6	30.0	19.2	31.8	28.5	25.3	22.1	26.8	37.8	39.6	53.2	41.4	37.8	40.5
California Virtual Academy at Kings	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	50 Moreland Rd.	Simi Valley	93065	Ventura County	California Virtual Academy at Kings District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(805) 581-0202	547	21	26.6	71.1%	185 (33.8%)	19 (3.5%)	302 (55.2%)	21 (3.8%)	8 (1.5%)	5 (0.9%)	7 (1.3%)								(n/a)	23.5	15.1	36.7		22.4	34.5	31.8	23.5	40.0	31.5	36.1	44.1	34.1	20.7	27.3	15.7	29.1	27.4	24.7	30.3	25.1	47.1	52.9	58.8	49.0	51.0	49.0
iQ Academy California-Los Angeles	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	50 Moreland Rd.	Simi Valley	93065	Ventura County	iQ Academy California-Los Angeles District	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(805) 581-0202	1,289	55	23.4	74.6%	194 (15.1%)	285 (22.1%)	685 (53.1%)	76 (5.9%)	21 (1.6%)	11 (0.9%)	17 (1.3%)								(n/a)	14.2	23.3	26.2	27.3	21.8	39.2	30.6	26.7	28.6	44.3	37.9	52.9	37.8	37.1	23.2	14.2	23.5	23.7	22.8	17.6	22.9	43.7	48.5	58.3	47.6	46.6	47.6

Frequently Asked Questions about Heritage Valley Independent Study

What is the racial makeup of Heritage Valley Independent Study?

Students at Heritage Valley Independent Study are 85% Hispanic, 15% White.

Is Heritage Valley Independent Study a good school?

Heritage Valley Independent Study ranks in the bottom 3.5% of California alternative schools.

What district is Heritage Valley Independent Study in?

Fillmore Unified

How many students attend Heritage Valley Independent Study?

In the 2022-23 school year, 46 students attended Heritage Valley Independent Study.

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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.