Thurston Middle

Summary:

Thurston Middle is a public middle school located in Laguna Beach, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 537 students. The school is part of the Laguna Beach Unified School District, which is ranked 42 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Thurston Middle consistently ranks among the top middle schools in California, with a statewide ranking between 81 and 175 over the past 10 years. The school's performance on Smarter Balanced Assessments is exceptional, with 74.8% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy and 64.72% proficient or better in Mathematics for the 2023-2024 school year. These scores are significantly higher than the state averages of 47.04% and 35.54%, respectively. Thurston Middle also excels in supporting various student subgroups, ranking in the top 5% of California middle schools for Asian students, top 10% for Hispanic students, and top 20% for multi-racial students and students with disabilities.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Marco Forster Middle, Thurston Middle outperforms in academic achievement, with significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Thurston Middle has maintained its exceptional performance over the past decade, consistently ranking among the top middle schools in California, which is a testament to the school's commitment to providing a high-quality education for its diverse student population.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 2100 Park Ave.
       Laguna Beach, CA  92651-2240


(949) 497-7785

District: Laguna Beach Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
175th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,146 Help


Students who attend Thurston Middle usually attend:

High:    Laguna Beach High

Feeder schools for Thurston Middle:

Elementary:    El Morro Elementary
    Top of the World Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  15.9 Help
Number of students:  537

Racial breakdown:

White:
73.9%
Hispanic:
12.1%
Two or more races:
9.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  21% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Thurston Middle ranks better than 93.7% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.21. (See more...)
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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: White (73.9%), Hispanic (12.1%), two or more races (9.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 21% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thurston Middle is 15.9. (See more...)
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Compare Thurston Middle employs 33.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thurston Middle is $17,146.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Thurston Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Thurston Middle 175th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Thurston Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Laguna Beach Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Laguna Beach Unified 42nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Thurston Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 91.39 98th 1769 94.5%
2005 78.24 313th 1777 82.4%
2006 82.23 252nd 1804 86.0%
2007 82.02 267th 1999 86.6%
2008 83.40 226th 2005 88.7%
2009 86.57 155th 2063 92.5%
2010 88.05 134th 2179 93.9%
2011 89.56 97th 2236 95.7%
2012 91.72 52nd 2259 97.7%
2013 89.61 99th 2379 95.8%
2015 93.58 138th 2477 94.4%
2016 95.59 81st 2497 96.8%
2017 95.91 95th 2508 96.2%
2018 96.09 87th 2480 96.5%
2019 96.54 89th 2715 96.7%
2022 95.25 129th 2740 95.3%
2023 96.18 116th 2802 95.9%
2024 94.21 175th 2777 93.7%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.26 16th 462 96.5%
2019 92.36 11th 554 98.0%
2022 87.42 42nd 665 93.7%
2023 86.50 54th 678 92.0%
2024 78.27 135th 699 80.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 96.32 46th 1538 97.0%
2024 96.12 43rd 1550 97.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.23 87th 2230 96.1%
2019 91.20 128th 2369 94.6%
2022 95.46 70th 2458 97.2%
2023 93.59 105th 2549 95.9%
2024 91.58 163rd 2575 93.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.53 104th 2262 95.4%
2019 95.47 82nd 2380 96.6%
2022 96.43 88th 2509 96.5%
2023 95.96 105th 2547 95.9%
2024 93.60 165th 2546 93.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 95.20 42nd 1369 96.9%
2019 91.66 74th 1491 95.0%
2022 84.14 137th 1531 91.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 96.40 82nd 2273 96.4%
2019 96.69 81st 2407 96.6%
2022 92.90 178th 2527 93.0%
2023 94.82 139th 2558 94.6%
2024 92.99 187th 2547 92.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.17 156th 700 77.7%
2019 79.39 113th 745 84.8%
2022 88.95 18th 733 97.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 92.83 98th 2072 95.3%
2019 92.45 103rd 2213 95.3%
2022 95.64 64th 2359 97.3%
2023 89.44 147th 2391 93.9%
2024 86.60 189th 2383 92.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Thurston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.02 86th 1496 94.3%
2019 89.96 80th 1602 95.0%
2022 82.57 195th 1555 87.5%
2023 88.04 106th 1552 93.2%
2024 83.65 168th 1535 89.1%
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.

Thurston 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 Thurston Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 375 5 9 18 0 n/a n/a 0 407
1989 375 7 4 16 0 n/a n/a 0 402
1990 411 5 11 23 1 n/a n/a 0 451
1991 453 4 16 30 1 n/a n/a 0 504
1992 484 4 12 45 1 n/a n/a 0 546
1993 471 5 15 48 0 n/a n/a 0 539
1994 467 3 39 27 1 n/a n/a 0 537
1995 497 1 16 38 2 n/a n/a 0 554
1996 497 1 16 38 2 n/a n/a 0 554
1997 485 7 11 44 1 n/a n/a 0 548
1998 496 4 12 53 3 n/a n/a 0 568
1999 520 5 16 60 2 n/a n/a 0 603
2000 508 2 23 57 5 n/a n/a 0 595
2001 531 7 18 60 2 n/a n/a 4 622
2002 570 7 22 66 3 n/a n/a 15 683
2003 570 7 22 66 3 n/a n/a 15 683
2004 599 10 26 72 4 n/a n/a 13 724
2005 616 5 23 67 4 n/a n/a 16 731
2006 600 7 28 58 2 n/a n/a 18 713
2007 567 8 22 51 3 n/a n/a 10 661
2008 548 10 31 60 2 n/a n/a 0 651
2009 565 8 25 53 3 0 18 0 672
2010 583 8 22 55 1 2 12 0 683
2011 613 5 13 48 3 4 17 0 703
2012 620 11 17 51 4 5 16 0 724
2013 637 11 26 70 7 3 20 0 774
2014 782 12 34 93 9 3 29 0 962
2015 624 13 39 77 5 2 20 0 780
2016 574 11 42 70 1 1 22 0 721
2017 582 11 54 74 3 2 40 0 766
2018 570 9 50 90 4 1 54 0 778
2019 547 7 50 90 3 0 51 0 748
2020 492 8 46 85 2 0 58 0 691
2021 467 4 41 73 0 0 55 0 640
2022 424 4 34 67 0 0 57 0 586
2023 397 1 24 65 0 0 50 0 537

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 Thurston Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 407 17.5 23.2 n/a
1989 402 17.1 23.5 n/a
1990 451 19.1 23.6 n/a
1991 504 20.5 24.5 n/a
1992 546 20.8 26.2 6.6
1993 539 23.4 23.0 6.5
1994 537 28.0 19.2 6.9
1995 554 29.2 19.0 9.6
1996 554 29.2 19.0 9.6
1997 548 23.8 23.0 7.7
1998 568 23.0 24.7 9.3
1999 603 27.8 21.7 10.1
2000 595 28.2 21.1 12.4
2001 622 29.0 21.4 11.2
2002 683 30.4 22.5 9.3
2003 683 30.4 22.5 9.3
2004 724 32.2 22.5 12.7
2005 731 32.8 22.3 6.4
2006 713 31.6 22.6 4.6
2007 661 32.4 20.4 6
2008 651 36.6 17.8 6.1
2009 672 33.8 17.8 6.7
2010 683 31.2 21.8 9.8
2011 703 n/a n/a 13.4
2012 724 31.6 22.9 n/a
2013 774 32.0 24.1 10.3
2014 962 33.6 28.6 8.5
2015 780 33.0 23.6 7.9
2016 721 35.0 20.6 9.4
2017 766 34.4 22.2 9.1
2018 778 36.5 21.3 13.4
2019 748 37.3 20.0 11.4
2020 691 n/a n/a 9.8
2021 640 37.4 17.1 9.7
2022 586 34.7 16.8 19.1
2023 537 33.5 15.9 21

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 Thurston Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 407 17.5 23.2 n/a
1989 402 17.1 23.5 n/a
1990 451 19.1 23.6 n/a
1991 504 20.5 24.5 n/a
1992 546 20.8 26.2 6.6
1993 539 23.4 23.0 6.5
1994 537 28.0 19.2 6.9
1995 554 29.2 19.0 9.6
1996 554 29.2 19.0 9.6
1997 548 23.8 23.0 7.7
1998 568 23.0 24.7 9.3
1999 603 27.8 21.7 10.1
2000 595 28.2 21.1 12.4
2001 622 29.0 21.4 11.2
2002 683 30.4 22.5 9.3
2003 683 30.4 22.5 9.3
2004 724 32.2 22.5 12.7
2005 731 32.8 22.3 6.4
2006 713 31.6 22.6 4.6
2007 661 32.4 20.4 6
2008 651 36.6 17.8 6.1
2009 672 33.8 17.8 6.7
2010 683 31.2 21.8 9.8
2011 703 n/a n/a 13.4
2012 724 31.6 22.9 n/a
2013 774 32.0 24.1 10.3
2014 962 33.6 28.6 8.5
2015 780 33.0 23.6 7.9
2016 721 35.0 20.6 9.4
2017 766 34.4 22.2 9.1
2018 778 36.5 21.3 13.4
2019 748 37.3 20.0 11.4
2020 691 n/a n/a 9.8
2021 640 37.4 17.1 9.7
2022 586 34.7 16.8 19.1
2023 537 33.5 15.9 21

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 Thurston Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $17,146

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Thurston 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 89th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 116th of 2802 Middle schools
 0.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Thurston Middle)78.272.4
 5.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Laguna Beach Unified)78.272
 6.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Thurston Middle)79.665.6
 14%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Laguna Beach Unified)79.665.2
 14.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Thurston Middle)81.675
 6.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Laguna Beach Unified)81.675
 6.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Thurston Middle)71.971.2
 0.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Laguna Beach Unified)71.971.2
 0.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Thurston Middle)80.477.4
 3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Laguna Beach Unified)80.477.4
 3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Thurston Middle)78.671.5
 7.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Laguna Beach Unified)78.671.5
 7.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Thurston Middle)7467.9
 6.1%
   8th Grade Science (Laguna Beach Unified)7467.9
 6.1%
   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 Students748537
 28.2%
African American71
 85.7%
American Indian30
 100%
Asian5024
 52%
Hispanic9065
 27.8%
Pacific Islander00
White547397
 27.4%
Two or More Races5150
 2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients11.4%21%
 9.7%


Schools Near Thurston Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Thurston Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 537 students attended Thurston Middle.

Students who attend Thurston Middle usually go on to attend Laguna Beach High

Students at Thurston Middle are 74% White, 12% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

Yes. Thurston Middle ranks in the top 6.3% of California middle schools.


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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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