Sparks Middle

Summary:

Sparks Middle is a public middle school located in La Puente, California, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 351 students. It is part of the Hacienda la Puente Unified School District, which is ranked 782 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sparks Middle faces significant challenges, with a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism rates, from 7.2% in 2018-2019 to 42.4% in 2021-2022, notably higher than nearby schools like Orange Grove Middle (26.8%) and Newton Middle (20.4%). Academically, Sparks Middle consistently underperforms compared to the district and the state, with only 30.74% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy and just 15.92% in Mathematics, far below the district and state averages. The school's performance is particularly concerning for Asian, Hispanic, and Low Socioeconomic Status students, ranking in the bottom 25% of California middle schools in both subjects.

Sparks Middle's high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 74.17% to 90.34%, suggests that addressing non-academic barriers to learning may be crucial for improving student outcomes. The school's declining performance over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 932 out of 2,379 California middle schools in 2012-2013 to 2,143 out of 2,777 in 2023-2024, highlights the need for significant interventions to improve student achievement. Comparing Sparks Middle to the higher-performing nearby schools, such as Orange Grove Middle, Newton Middle, and Sierra Vista Middle, can provide valuable insights to address the challenges facing Sparks Middle.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 15100 Giordano St.
       La Puente, CA  91744-2718


(626) 933-5001

District: Hacienda la Puente Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2143rd of 2,777 California Middle Schools


Students who attend Sparks Middle usually attend:

High:    La Puente High

Feeder schools for Sparks Middle:

Elementary:    California Elementary
    Nelson Elementary
    Sparks Elementary
    Sunset Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  22.3 Help
Number of students:  351

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
93.4%
Asian:
6.0%
White:
0.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  74.4% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sparks Middle ranks worse than 77.2% of middle schools in California. It also ranks last among 4 ranked middle schools in the Hacienda la Puente Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.5. (See more...)
Help
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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (93.4%), Asian (6%), two or more races (0.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 74.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Hacienda la Puente Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sparks Middle is 22.3, which is the 2nd best among 4 middle schools in the Hacienda la Puente Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sparks Middle employs 15.7 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sparks Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Sparks Middle 2143rd of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Sparks 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:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:


Hacienda la Puente Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Hacienda la Puente Unified 782nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Sparks Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 24.98 1319th 1769 25.4%
2005 26.82 1293rd 1777 27.2%
2006 26.16 1343rd 1804 25.6%
2007 34.95 1256th 1999 37.2%
2008 35.31 1288th 2005 35.8%
2009 49.54 986th 2063 52.2%
2010 60.49 780th 2179 64.2%
2011 68.25 607th 2236 72.9%
2012 62.79 748th 2259 66.9%
2013 58.19 932nd 2379 60.8%
2015 29.93 1632nd 2477 34.1%
2016 46.10 1215th 2497 51.3%
2017 46.27 1211th 2508 51.7%
2018 40.64 1339th 2480 46.0%
2019 35.65 1597th 2715 41.2%
2022 30.09 1768th 2740 35.5%
2023 19.74 2287th 2802 18.4%
2024 22.50 2143rd 2777 22.8%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.45 696th 1364 49.0%
2019 40.84 659th 1442 54.3%
2022 70.33 190th 1540 87.7%
2023 44.60 593rd 1529 61.2%
2024 53.11 388th 1477 73.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 33.36 971st 1538 36.9%
2024 31.90 1031st 1550 33.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.87 777th 2230 65.2%
2019 47.89 1083rd 2369 54.3%
2022 38.74 1377th 2458 44.0%
2023 23.81 2023rd 2549 20.6%
2024 27.05 1893rd 2575 26.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 19.56 305th 336 9.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.82 1096th 2262 51.5%
2019 37.07 1395th 2380 41.4%
2022 29.69 1673rd 2509 33.3%
2023 18.12 2170th 2547 14.8%
2024 22.84 1976th 2546 22.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.23 945th 1369 31.0%
2019 18.55 1442nd 1491 3.3%
2022 26.56 1202nd 1531 21.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.79 1430th 2273 37.1%
2019 32.61 1535th 2407 36.2%
2022 30.02 1650th 2527 34.7%
2023 21.50 2027th 2558 20.8%
2024 22.50 1980th 2547 22.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 5.37 671st 718 6.5%
2024 4.27 697th 741 5.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sparks Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.44 779th 2072 62.4%
2019 49.28 964th 2213 56.4%
2022 40.93 1262nd 2359 46.5%
2023 23.66 1882nd 2391 21.3%
2024 26.27 1787th 2383 25.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle 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.

Sparks Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Sparks Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 88 26 26 568 6 n/a n/a 0 714
1989 80 28 19 603 5 n/a n/a 0 735
1990 76 26 35 599 5 n/a n/a 0 741
1991 66 30 40 605 3 n/a n/a 0 744
1992 55 32 37 588 1 n/a n/a 0 713
1993 53 28 34 609 1 n/a n/a 0 725
1994 50 18 31 599 1 n/a n/a 0 699
1995 39 19 24 643 18 n/a n/a 0 743
1996 39 19 24 643 18 n/a n/a 0 743
1997 23 16 40 675 1 n/a n/a 0 755
1998 30 21 53 976 2 n/a n/a 0 1082
1999 28 16 45 918 7 n/a n/a 0 1014
2000 33 20 32 941 6 n/a n/a 0 1032
2001 38 12 39 894 8 n/a n/a 0 991
2002 32 13 39 946 7 n/a n/a 0 1037
2003 32 13 39 946 7 n/a n/a 0 1037
2004 25 19 35 992 7 n/a n/a 0 1078
2005 21 18 34 944 3 n/a n/a 0 1020
2006 25 15 30 935 3 n/a n/a 0 1008
2007 10 10 20 588 3 n/a n/a 1 632
2008 9 7 17 517 2 n/a n/a 0 552
2009 9 3 11 519 2 0 0 0 544
2010 10 6 10 492 3 1 0 0 522
2011 6 8 15 476 2 2 1 0 510
2012 3 7 18 496 2 1 1 0 528
2013 6 8 20 462 1 1 4 0 502
2014 3 8 23 457 0 0 1 0 492
2015 4 11 26 434 1 0 0 0 476
2016 6 3 23 442 1 0 1 0 476
2017 4 1 15 443 1 0 0 0 464
2018 3 4 9 424 0 4 1 0 445
2019 3 3 16 425 0 3 1 0 451
2020 1 1 20 399 0 2 0 0 423
2021 5 4 13 387 0 3 2 0 414
2022 3 4 17 362 1 2 2 0 391
2023 1 0 21 328 0 0 1 0 351

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 Sparks Middle

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 714 29.0 24.6 n/a
1989 735 29.1 25.2 n/a
1990 741 31.2 23.7 n/a
1991 744 29.2 25.4 n/a
1992 713 29.7 24.0 43.3
1993 725 33.6 21.6 41.5
1994 699 26.1 26.8 56.7
1995 743 28.4 26.2 42.3
1996 743 28.4 26.2 42.3
1997 755 27.1 27.9 76.6
1998 1082 40.1 27.0 75.8
1999 1014 39.0 26.0 75.5
2000 1032 34.5 29.9 72.1
2001 991 42.1 23.5 74.8
2002 1037 47.1 22.0 96.8
2003 1037 47.1 22.0 96.8
2004 1078 48.1 22.4 78.6
2005 1020 46.1 22.1 79.5
2006 1008 46.1 21.9 64.5
2007 632 28.1 22.5 77.5
2008 552 28.0 19.7 69.2
2009 544 23.0 20.8 82.5
2010 522 24.4 21.3 90.8
2011 510 n/a n/a 92.2
2012 528 21.8 24.1 99.4
2013 502 23.1 21.7 92.2
2014 492 23.1 21.2 94.7
2015 476 22.0 21.6 94.3
2016 476 21.0 22.6 91.2
2017 464 18.5 25.0 91.6
2018 445 18.5 24.0 90.8
2019 451 18.0 25.0 90
2020 423 n/a n/a 89.6
2021 414 17.3 23.8 90.3
2022 391 18.7 20.9 74.2
2023 351 15.7 22.3 74.4

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 Sparks Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 714 29.0 24.6 n/a
1989 735 29.1 25.2 n/a
1990 741 31.2 23.7 n/a
1991 744 29.2 25.4 n/a
1992 713 29.7 24.0 43.3
1993 725 33.6 21.6 41.5
1994 699 26.1 26.8 56.7
1995 743 28.4 26.2 42.3
1996 743 28.4 26.2 42.3
1997 755 27.1 27.9 76.6
1998 1082 40.1 27.0 75.8
1999 1014 39.0 26.0 75.5
2000 1032 34.5 29.9 72.1
2001 991 42.1 23.5 74.8
2002 1037 47.1 22.0 96.8
2003 1037 47.1 22.0 96.8
2004 1078 48.1 22.4 78.6
2005 1020 46.1 22.1 79.5
2006 1008 46.1 21.9 64.5
2007 632 28.1 22.5 77.5
2008 552 28.0 19.7 69.2
2009 544 23.0 20.8 82.5
2010 522 24.4 21.3 90.8
2011 510 n/a n/a 92.2
2012 528 21.8 24.1 99.4
2013 502 23.1 21.7 92.2
2014 492 23.1 21.2 94.7
2015 476 22.0 21.6 94.3
2016 476 21.0 22.6 91.2
2017 464 18.5 25.0 91.6
2018 445 18.5 24.0 90.8
2019 451 18.0 25.0 90
2020 423 n/a n/a 89.6
2021 414 17.3 23.8 90.3
2022 391 18.7 20.9 74.2
2023 351 15.7 22.3 74.4

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 Sparks 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 1597th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2287th of 2802 Middle schools
 22.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sparks Middle)42.526.7
 15.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Hacienda la Puente Unified)57.448.5
 8.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sparks Middle)30.312.1
 18.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Hacienda la Puente Unified)37.128.9
 8.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sparks Middle)38.529.2
 9.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Hacienda la Puente Unified)57.647.6
 10%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sparks Middle)30.716.9
 13.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Hacienda la Puente Unified)40.327.4
 12.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Sparks Middle)16.54.5
 12%
   8th Grade Science (Hacienda la Puente Unified)33.424.3
 9.1%
   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 Students451351
 22.2%
African American30
 100%
American Indian00
Asian1621
 31.3%
Hispanic425328
 22.8%
Pacific Islander30
 100%
White31
 66.7%
Two or More Races11
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients90%74.4%
 15.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Sparks Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 351 students attended Sparks Middle.

Students at Sparks Middle are 93% Hispanic, 6% Asian.

Sparks Middle ranks in the bottom 22.8% of California middle schools.

Students who attend Sparks Middle usually go on to attend La Puente 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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