Is Design Science Middle College High a good school?

Yes! Design Science Middle College High is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 98 th of 2323 California high schools.

How many students attend Design Science Middle College High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 242 students attended Design Science Middle College High.

What is the racial makeup of Design Science Middle College High?

Students at Design Science Middle College High are 69% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 11% White, 5% Two or more races, 2% African American, 1% Pacific Islander.

Design Science Middle College High

Summary:

Design Science Middle College High is a public high school located in Fresno, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 245 students. The school is part of the Fresno Unified School District, which is ranked 1082 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Design Science Middle College High consistently ranks among the top high schools in California, with a statewide ranking between 58 and 167 over the past 10 years. The school has maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating exceptional academic performance. Its 4-year graduation rate ranges from 98.2% to 100% over the past 5 years, significantly higher than the district and state averages, and it has an exceptionally low dropout rate, ranging from 0% to 1.7% over the same period. Design Science Middle College High students consistently outperform their peers in the Fresno Unified School District and the state of California on standardized tests, with 80% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy in 2023-2024, compared to 44.76% in the district and 55.73% statewide.

When compared to other high schools in the immediate vicinity, such as Fresno High School, which is located just 0.52 miles away, Design Science Middle College High significantly outperforms its peers in terms of academic achievement and student outcomes. The school's small size, focus on college-preparatory curriculum, and partnership with a local community college may contribute to its outstanding performance, though its chronic absenteeism rate has seen an increase in recent years, from 1.1% in 2017-2018 to 22.5% in 2021-2022, which is an area the school may want to monitor and address.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1101 E University Ave
Fresno, CA 93741-6219

(559) 489-2270

District: Fresno Unified

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,348

Student/teacher ratio: 24.0

Number of students: 242

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

69.4%

Asian:

11.2%

White:

10.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 63.6%

See top rated California high schools

Compare Design Science Middle College High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Design Science Middle College High ranks better than 95.8% of high schools in California. It also ranks first among 13 ranked high schools in the Fresno Unified School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 93.96. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Design Science Middle College 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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (69.4%), Asian (11.2%), White (10.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 63.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Fresno Unified School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Design Science Middle College High is 24, which is the highest among 15 high schools in the Fresno Unified School District! (See more...)

Compare Design Science Middle College High employs 10 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Design Science Middle College High is $7,348. 13 high schools in the Fresno Unified School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Design Science Middle College High:

SchoolDigger ranks Design Science Middle College High 98^th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Design Science Middle College High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Fresno Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Fresno Unified 1082^nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Design Science Middle College High.

What do you think?

Your rating for Design Science Middle College High?

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Rank History for Design Science Middle College High

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Rank History for all students at Design Science Middle College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2006	79.27	127^th	1968	93.5%
2007	58.58	483^rd	2063	76.6%
2008	72.20	233^rd	2117	89.0%
2009	67.43	297^th	2238	86.7%
2010	82.79	100^th	2281	95.6%
2011	86.48	61^st	2367	97.4%
2012	86.82	57^th	2354	97.6%
2013	78.79	156^th	2426	93.6%
2015	94.65	82^nd	1994	95.9%
2016	95.60	58^th	2039	97.2%
2017	92.25	146^th	2021	92.8%
2018	95.68	70^th	2017	96.5%
2019	91.74	155^th	2133	92.7%
2022	92.11	167^th	2123	92.1%
2023	92.43	131^st	2348	94.4%
2024	93.96	98^th	2323	95.8%

See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Design Science Middle College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	97.92	30^th	1862	98.4%
2019	93.96	83^rd	1937	95.7%
2022	94.14	90^th	1943	95.4%
2023	96.12	70^th	2247	96.9%
2024	96.74	45^th	2235	98.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Design Science Middle College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	95.61	47^th	1760	97.3%
2019	81.38	298^th	1833	83.7%
2022	80.58	314^th	1858	83.1%
2023	82.78	257^th	2118	87.9%
2024	85.27	220^th	2098	89.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Design Science Middle College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	94.87	98^th	1834	94.7%
2019	94.39	94^th	1880	95.0%
2022	96.00	90^th	1916	95.3%
2023	95.14	86^th	2207	96.1%
2024	97.34	54^th	2172	97.5%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Design Science Middle College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	81.57	97^th	581	83.3%
2019	57.68	278^th	582	52.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Design Science Middle College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	96.47	51^st	1742	97.1%
2019	93.91	69^th	1814	96.2%
2022	96.04	63^rd	1861	96.6%
2023	97.39	37^th	2142	98.3%
2024	97.66	31^st	2125	98.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Design Science Middle College High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	90.09	80^th	1204	93.4%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a student
Thursday, November 28, 2019

Students don't get prepared for University at this school. Fresno City College Courses are super easy and don't challenge or teach you anything. I received a 4.0 every year and only received a 820 SAT score. This tells me that my grades were meaningless. I got into UC Irvine and flunked out my first year. All that Design Science students are used for is to improve Fresno City College's pass rate. Don't believe the good reviews of this school, the staff give students school swag for writing reviews or posting positive things on social media. I was forced to come here by my parents and regret not going to another High School that would have actually prepared me. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, February 10, 2017

Design Science is a specialty school with an amazing staff and student body. The teachers work overtime to assure that students are on the road to college.
100 of the students graduate.
100 of the students attend college.
97 of the students go to a four year college after high school.

The school is currently housed on another school's campus but eventually they will get their own school. This school is a hidden gem in the Valley and my child loves it there and I am completely satisfied with the program as a parent. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Design Science Middle College High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2006	11	10	6	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	55
2007	19	7	13	64	0	n/a	n/a	0	103
2008	25	9	24	86	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	144
2009	36	12	25	102	1	0	0	0	176
2010	44	13	31	131	2	1	0	0	222
2011	48	14	37	140	2	2	0	0	243
2012	50	16	43	140	2	3	0	0	254
2013	43	16	35	144	1	5	2	0	246
2014	47	13	40	143	0	5	2	0	250
2015	39	15	45	148	0	6	3	0	256
2016	35	14	36	140	0	4	3	0	232
2017	34	11	42	145	0	4	3	0	239
2018	43	11	49	157	1	3	4	0	268
2019	41	9	50	163	1	1	8	0	273
2020	49	8	50	149	1	2	9	0	268
2021	43	7	39	163	2	1	11	0	266
2022	37	10	32	164	0	2	14	2	261
2023	32	8	33	157	0	4	10	1	245
2024	26	4	27	168	0	3	13	1	242

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 Design Science Middle College High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	55	n/a	n/a	94.5
2007	103	4.0	25.8	81.6
2008	144	7.0	20.6	83.3
2009	176	4.0	22.0	82.4
2010	222	6.0	37.0	82.9
2011	243	n/a	n/a	82.7
2012	254	7.0	36.2	n/a
2013	246	10.0	24.6	98.8
2014	250	10.1	24.6	76.8
2015	256	10.0	25.6	75.4
2016	232	8.0	29.0	74.1
2017	239	9.0	26.5	80.8
2018	268	7.0	38.2	75
2019	273	6.4	42.6	73.3
2020	268	n/a	n/a	70.5
2021	266	7.2	36.8	67.7
2022	261	10.0	26.1	62.8
2023	245	10.2	23.9	64.1
2024	242	10.0	24.0	63.6

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 Design Science Middle College High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	55	n/a	n/a	94.5
2007	103	4.0	25.8	81.6
2008	144	7.0	20.6	83.3
2009	176	4.0	22.0	82.4
2010	222	6.0	37.0	82.9
2011	243	n/a	n/a	82.7
2012	254	7.0	36.2	n/a
2013	246	10.0	24.6	98.8
2014	250	10.1	24.6	76.8
2015	256	10.0	25.6	75.4
2016	232	8.0	29.0	74.1
2017	239	9.0	26.5	80.8
2018	268	7.0	38.2	75
2019	273	6.4	42.6	73.3
2020	268	n/a	n/a	70.5
2021	266	7.2	36.8	67.7
2022	261	10.0	26.1	62.8
2023	245	10.2	23.9	64.1
2024	242	10.0	24.0	63.6

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 Design Science Middle College High

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$7,348

Data source: California Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Design Science Middle College 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 155^th of 2133 High schools	Ranks 131^st of 2348 High schools	1.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Design Science Middle College High)	87.9	82.8	5.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Fresno Unified)	44.9	46.1	1.3%
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	57.3	55.4	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Design Science Middle College High)	74.2	56.9	17.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (Fresno Unified)	15.5	14	1.5%
11th Grade Mathematics (California)	32.2	27.4	4.9%
11th Grade Science (Design Science Middle College High)	51.5	51.7	0.2%
11th Grade Science (Fresno Unified)	15.3	18.5	3.2%
11th Grade Science (California)	30.4	31.7	1.3%
12th Grade Science (Design Science Middle College High)	36.1	63.2	27.1%
12th Grade Science (Fresno Unified)	12.7	16.8	4.1%
12th Grade Science (California)	25.6	26.8	1.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	273	245	10.3%
African American	9	8	11.1%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	50	33	34%
Hispanic	163	157	3.7%
Pacific Islander	1	4	300%
White	41	32	22%
Two or More Races	8	10	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	73.3%	64.1%	9.2%

Schools Near Design Science Middle College 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 10th Grade	CAST Science 11th Grade	CAST Science 12th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	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 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 11th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
Design Science Middle College High	Public	9-12	1101 E University Ave	Fresno	93741	Fresno County	Fresno Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 489-2270	242	10	24.0	63.6%	26 (10.7%)	4 (1.7%)	168 (69.4%)	27 (11.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	13 (5.4%)	94	98^th of 2323 public high schools	95.8%		92.4	131^st of 2348 public high schools	94.4%	33			56.4		56.4			80.0	80.0			61.8	61.8	$7,348
Phillip J Patino School of Entrepreneurship	Public	9-12	2000 East Cambridge Ave.	Fresno	93703	Fresno County	Fresno Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 248-7360	268	16	16.4	83.6%	22 (8.2%)	18 (6.7%)	199 (74.3%)	12 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (6.0%)	55.5	737^th of 2323 public high schools	68.3%		64.3	574^th of 2348 public high schools	75.6%	163			21.7		21.7			73.9	73.9			20.0	20.0	$12,890
Fresno High	Public	9-12	1839 Echo Ave.	Fresno	93704	Fresno County	Fresno Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 457-2780	2,009	102	19.7	89.3%	171 (8.5%)	167 (8.3%)	1,501 (74.7%)	103 (5.1%)	17 (0.8%)	5 (0.2%)	40 (2.0%)	29.2	1445^th of 2323 public high schools	37.8%		29.2	1443^rd of 2348 public high schools	38.5%	2			17.4		17.4			37.9	37.9			9.5	9.5	$9,919
Crescent View West Public Charter	Public, Charter	9-12	1901 East Shields Ave. Ste. 10	Fresno	93726	Fresno County	Crescent View West Public Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 222-8439	1,580	69	22.9	90.7%	190 (12.0%)	86 (5.4%)	1,172 (74.2%)	39 (2.5%)	11 (0.7%)	3 (0.2%)	70 (4.4%)	22.9	1605^th of 2323 public high schools	30.9%		27.6	1490^th of 2348 public high schools	36.5%	115				21.4	21.4			31.8	31.8			6.0	6.0
Career Technical Education Charter	Public, Charter	9-12	1320 North Mariposa St.	Fresno	93703	Fresno County	Career Technical Education Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 443-4872	247	20	12.1	48.2%	45 (18.2%)	17 (6.9%)	151 (61.1%)	18 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	15 (6.1%)	92.6	118^th of 2323 public high schools	94.9%		76.3	397^th of 2348 public high schools	83.1%	279			72.0		72.0			82.0	82.0			48.0	48.0
Aspen Ridge Public	Public, Charter	7-12	3821 North Clark St.	Fresno	93726	Fresno County	Aspen Ridge Public District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 374-0080	227	16	14.1	89.9%	15 (6.6%)	33 (14.5%)	165 (72.7%)	8 (3.5%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	25.4	1540^th of 2323 public high schools	33.7%		27	1506^th of 2348 public high schools	35.9%	34	13.2	13.6			13.3	35.8	29.6	45.5	34.1	22.4	7.4	9.1	15.2
Carter G. Woodson Public Charter	Public, Charter	7-12	3333 North Bond Ave.	Fresno	93726	Fresno County	Carter G. Woodson Public Charter District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 229-3529	333	22	14.9	91.6%	29 (8.7%)	44 (13.2%)	235 (70.6%)	13 (3.9%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	11.9	1904^th of 2323 public high schools	18.0%		13	1905^th of 2348 public high schools	18.9%	1	0.0			5.1	4.5	0.0	14.7	20.5	17.2	0.0	2.9	0.0	0.8
School of Unlimited Learning	Public, Charter	9-12	2336 Calaveras St.	Fresno	93721	Fresno County	School of Unlimited Learning District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 500-1352	209	11	19.0	91.9%	9 (4.3%)	14 (6.7%)	174 (83.3%)	2 (1.0%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	8 (3.8%)	11	1953^rd of 2323 public high schools	15.9%		25.3	1550^th of 2348 public high schools	34.0%	403				5.1	5.1			15.4	15.4			0.0	0.0
Fulton	Public	7-12	2004 Cambridge Ave.	Fresno	93703	Fresno County	Fresno Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 248-7385	13	4	3.1	84.6%	2 (15.4%)	2 (15.4%)	7 (53.8%)	1 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)														$589
Pershing Continuation High	Public	9-12	855 West Nielsen	Fresno	93706	Fresno County	Central Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 268-2272	88	6	14.8	90.9%	9 (10.2%)	14 (15.9%)	58 (65.9%)	3 (3.4%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.3%)	7.3	2231^st of 2323 public high schools	4.0%		9.2	2121^st of 2348 public high schools	9.7%	110			2.1		2.0			2.2	2.2			0.0	0.0	$11,447

Design Science Middle College High

Design Science Middle College High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Fresno Unified:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Design Science Middle College High

Rank History for all students at Design Science Middle College High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Design Science Middle College High

Rank History for Female students at Design Science Middle College High

Rank History for Male students at Design Science Middle College High

Rank History for Asian students at Design Science Middle College High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Design Science Middle College High

Rank History for White students at Design Science Middle College High

Review counts

Enrollment information for Design Science Middle College High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Design Science Middle College High

Student/Teacher Ratio Design Science Middle College High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Design Science Middle College High

Impact of COVID-19 on Design Science Middle College High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Design Science Middle College High

Frequently Asked Questions about Design Science Middle College High

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