Is Vista La Mesa Academy a good school?

Vista La Mesa Academy ranks 3911 th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Vista La Mesa Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 531 students attended Vista La Mesa Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Vista La Mesa Academy?

Students at Vista La Mesa Academy are 59% Hispanic, 16% African American, 11% White, 8% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Vista La Mesa Academy attend?

Students who attend Vista La Mesa Academy usually go on to attend: High : Mount Miguel High

Vista La Mesa Academy

Summary:

Vista La Mesa Academy is a public elementary school serving 591 students in grades K-8 in La Mesa, CA. It is part of the Lemon Grove School District, which is ranked 973 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Vista La Mesa Academy has maintained a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years.

Vista La Mesa Academy faces several challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates, lower-than-average test scores, and disparities in subgroup performance. The school's chronic absenteeism rate has risen significantly, from 11.5% in 2017-2018 to 50.0% in 2021-2022, which is notably higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, the school's test scores are generally lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 34.42% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 35.59% for the Lemon Grove district and 47.04% for California. In Mathematics, 32.94% of students were proficient or better, compared to 25.24% for the district and 35.54% for the state.

However, Vista La Mesa Academy has some bright spots in its subgroup performance, with its African American students consistently ranking in the top 25-30% of California elementary schools in recent years, with a 5-star rating in 2022-2023. Unfortunately, its Hispanic and low socioeconomic status students perform significantly below the state averages. The school also has a relatively high student-teacher ratio of 24.5 in 2022-2023, compared to the district average of 22.3-27.8 for nearby schools. By addressing these issues and learning from the practices of higher-performing nearby schools, such as Carver Elementary and Harriet Tubman Village Charter, Vista La Mesa Academy has the potential to improve student learning and achievement.

Detail:

Public K-8

3900 Violet St.
La Mesa, CA 91941-7542

(619) 825-5645

District: Lemon Grove

SchoolDigger Rank:
3911^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Students who attend Vista La Mesa Academy usually attend:

High:

Mount Miguel High

Student/teacher ratio: 24.0

Number of students: 531

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

59.1%

African American:

16.0%

White:

11.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 71.4%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Vista La Mesa Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Vista La Mesa Academy ranks worse than 66.7% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 4^th among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Lemon Grove School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.11. (See more...)

Compare Details Vista La Mesa Academy ranks better than 62.9% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.35. (See more...)

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 Vista La Mesa Academy has the largest elementary school student body size in the Lemon Grove School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (59.1%), African American (16%), White (11.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 71.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Vista La Mesa Academy is 24, which is the highest among 5 elementary schools in the Lemon Grove School District! (See more...)

Compare Vista La Mesa Academy employs 22 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Vista La Mesa Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Vista La Mesa Academy 3911^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Vista La Mesa Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Vista La Mesa Academy 1030^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Vista La Mesa Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Lemon Grove:

SchoolDigger ranks Lemon Grove 973^rd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Vista La Mesa Academy?

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Rank History for Vista La Mesa Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	35.48	2912^th	4809	39.4%
2005	39.15	2774^th	4822	42.5%
2006	39.70	2735^th	4818	43.2%
2007	31.36	3472^nd	5113	32.1%
2008	33.26	3374^th	5113	34.0%
2009	31.83	3566^th	5193	31.3%
2010	24.23	4284^th	5314	19.4%
2011	27.69	4149^th	5377	22.8%
2012	35.42	3574^th	5390	33.7%
2013	31.96	3897^th	5530	29.5%
2015	24.34	4191^st	5611	25.3%
2016	42.05	2955^th	5614	47.4%
2017	43.81	2875^th	5692	49.5%
2018	38.07	3273^rd	5662	42.2%
2019	36.22	3444^th	5789	40.5%
2022	32.47	3660^th	5883	37.8%
2023	36.39	3404^th	5874	42.0%
2024	30.11	3911^th	5862	33.3%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	41.28	1695^th	3246	47.8%
2019	60.63	804^th	3275	75.5%
2022	62.43	686^th	3311	79.3%
2023	51.16	1129^th	3250	65.3%
2024	52.06	1073^rd	3160	66.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	44.22	2734^th	5084	46.2%
2019	46.21	2668^th	5173	48.4%
2022	42.30	2817^th	5264	46.5%
2023	40.52	3029^th	5374	43.6%
2024	39.76	3158^th	5511	42.7%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	36.25	3337^th	5413	38.4%
2019	27.75	4011^th	5492	27.0%
2022	27.80	3949^th	5635	29.9%
2023	33.77	3436^th	5617	38.8%
2024	30.85	3717^th	5605	33.7%

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

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	55.14	840^th	2585	67.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for elementary school Military Connected students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	38.89	85^th	130	34.6%
2023	56.80	57^th	140	59.3%
2024	29.74	84^th	118	28.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	40.75	2995^th	5431	44.9%
2019	46.33	2658^th	5510	51.8%
2022	37.86	3144^th	5663	44.5%
2023	40.00	3068^th	5650	45.7%
2024	31.30	3716^th	5636	34.1%

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

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	69.48	151^st	700	78.4%
2019	66.51	184^th	747	75.4%
2022	62.08	175^th	663	73.6%
2023	85.36	55^th	662	91.7%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	44.13	2609^th	4830	46.0%
2019	48.58	2381^st	4963	52.0%
2022	35.74	3240^th	5084	36.3%
2023	36.74	3163^rd	5098	38.0%
2024	27.95	3881^st	5102	23.9%

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

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Vista La Mesa Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2011	40.33	1350^th	2236	39.6%
2012	42.49	1291^st	2259	42.9%
2013	46.70	1248^th	2379	47.5%
2015	25.38	1813^th	2477	26.8%
2016	33.14	1544^th	2497	38.2%
2017	42.07	1334^th	2508	46.8%
2018	43.00	1283^rd	2480	48.3%
2019	40.36	1435^th	2715	47.1%
2022	34.34	1637^th	2740	40.3%
2023	44.65	1321^st	2802	52.9%
2024	54.35	1030^th	2777	62.9%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	45.18	538^th	1442	62.7%
2022	56.38	348^th	1540	77.4%
2023	62.05	243^rd	1529	84.1%
2024	79.51	87^th	1477	94.1%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	66.89	301^st	1538	80.4%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	55.37	819^th	2230	63.3%
2019	43.46	1229^th	2369	48.1%
2022	44.92	1170^th	2458	52.4%
2023	50.61	1010^th	2549	60.4%
2024	65.75	619^th	2575	76.0%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	45.89	1121^st	2262	50.4%
2019	35.37	1435^th	2380	39.7%
2022	28.42	1712^th	2509	31.8%
2023	42.30	1266^th	2547	50.3%
2024	41.54	1289^th	2546	49.4%

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

Rank History for middle school Disabled students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	30.11	1053^rd	1531	31.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for middle school Military Connected students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	63.04	74^th	197	62.4%
2024	71.75	51^st	191	73.3%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	38.18	1308^th	2273	42.5%
2019	43.48	1201^st	2407	50.1%
2022	42.25	1271^st	2527	49.7%
2023	46.28	1173^rd	2558	54.1%
2024	64.60	721^st	2547	71.7%

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

Rank History for middle school African American students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	69.52	145^th	600	75.8%
2019	67.15	174^th	643	72.9%
2023	72.16	121^st	614	80.3%
2024	78.98	92^nd	626	85.3%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	43.99	1070^th	2072	48.4%
2019	37.84	1316^th	2213	40.5%
2022	38.18	1356^th	2359	42.5%
2023	51.90	932^nd	2391	61.0%
2024	62.19	680^th	2383	71.5%

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

Rank History for middle school White students at Vista La Mesa Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	69.77	435^th	1535	71.7%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary 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

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Enrollment information for Vista La Mesa Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	205	40	21	73	1	n/a	n/a	0	340
1989	206	43	46	89	1	n/a	n/a	0	385
1990	200	43	48	117	2	n/a	n/a	0	410
1991	218	48	42	124	2	n/a	n/a	0	434
1992	226	40	33	113	6	n/a	n/a	0	418
1993	245	41	23	102	2	n/a	n/a	0	413
1994	204	59	14	133	1	n/a	n/a	0	411
1995	176	81	21	169	2	n/a	n/a	0	449
1996	176	81	21	169	2	n/a	n/a	0	449
1997	156	85	24	171	1	n/a	n/a	0	437
1998	207	157	45	201	2	n/a	n/a	0	612
1999	218	190	55	219	2	n/a	n/a	0	684
2000	154	172	62	205	0	n/a	n/a	9	602
2001	151	158	70	222	1	n/a	n/a	0	602
2002	127	153	79	217	6	n/a	n/a	0	582
2003	127	153	79	217	6	n/a	n/a	0	582
2004	119	153	48	225	3	n/a	n/a	0	548
2005	125	142	54	196	6	n/a	n/a	2	525
2006	118	132	56	182	4	n/a	n/a	3	495
2007	97	105	56	170	5	n/a	n/a	43	476
2008	88	110	44	139	6	n/a	n/a	0	387
2009	103	121	42	186	7	9	89	0	557
2010	90	110	38	239	5	9	37	0	528
2011	89	137	48	361	4	5	33	0	677
2012	90	129	60	349	4	1	43	0	676
2013	84	130	60	351	3	4	53	0	685
2014	79	132	65	367	2	5	43	0	693
2015	65	103	63	382	2	5	39	0	659
2016	84	120	51	332	2	3	38	0	630
2017	77	122	52	330	4	4	42	0	631
2018	75	139	55	335	13	7	3	0	627
2019	70	134	54	349	9	2	14	0	632
2020	59	138	51	329	6	2	15	0	600
2021	79	124	65	366	8	8	27	0	677
2022	59	102	64	345	6	5	31	0	612
2023	60	98	56	338	5	7	27	0	591
2024	59	85	44	314	4	4	21	0	531

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 Vista La Mesa Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	340	16.0	21.2	n/a
1989	385	17.0	22.6	n/a
1990	410	17.0	24.1	n/a
1991	434	19.0	22.8	n/a
1992	418	19.3	21.6	49.5
1993	413	19.0	21.7	59.6
1994	411	18.9	21.7	59.1
1995	449	17.9	25.1	66.1
1996	449	17.9	25.1	66.1
1997	437	26.9	16.2	79.4
1998	612	35.3	17.3	94.9
1999	684	37.8	18.1	79.8
2000	602	34.0	17.7	90.7
2001	602	32.0	18.8	69.8
2002	582	34.0	17.1	72.9
2003	582	34.0	17.1	72.9
2004	548	29.0	18.9	76.8
2005	525	28.0	18.8	72.1
2006	495	23.0	21.5	77.8
2007	476	22.0	21.6	85.9
2008	387	28.0	13.8	94.6
2009	557	23.9	19.3	79.9
2010	528	21.0	25.1	68.4
2011	677	n/a	n/a	99.6
2012	676	25.0	27.0	n/a
2013	685	28.0	24.4	75.5
2014	693	25.5	27.1	76
2015	659	27.0	24.4	73.9
2016	630	25.0	25.2	79.8
2017	631	25.7	24.4	74
2018	627	26.9	23.2	71.3
2019	632	25.0	25.2	69.6
2020	600	n/a	n/a	68.8
2021	677	29.9	22.5	66.5
2022	612	24.9	24.4	57.7
2023	591	24.1	24.5	58.7
2024	531	22.0	24.0	71.4

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 Vista La Mesa Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	340	16.0	21.2	n/a
1989	385	17.0	22.6	n/a
1990	410	17.0	24.1	n/a
1991	434	19.0	22.8	n/a
1992	418	19.3	21.6	49.5
1993	413	19.0	21.7	59.6
1994	411	18.9	21.7	59.1
1995	449	17.9	25.1	66.1
1996	449	17.9	25.1	66.1
1997	437	26.9	16.2	79.4
1998	612	35.3	17.3	94.9
1999	684	37.8	18.1	79.8
2000	602	34.0	17.7	90.7
2001	602	32.0	18.8	69.8
2002	582	34.0	17.1	72.9
2003	582	34.0	17.1	72.9
2004	548	29.0	18.9	76.8
2005	525	28.0	18.8	72.1
2006	495	23.0	21.5	77.8
2007	476	22.0	21.6	85.9
2008	387	28.0	13.8	94.6
2009	557	23.9	19.3	79.9
2010	528	21.0	25.1	68.4
2011	677	n/a	n/a	99.6
2012	676	25.0	27.0	n/a
2013	685	28.0	24.4	75.5
2014	693	25.5	27.1	76
2015	659	27.0	24.4	73.9
2016	630	25.0	25.2	79.8
2017	631	25.7	24.4	74
2018	627	26.9	23.2	71.3
2019	632	25.0	25.2	69.6
2020	600	n/a	n/a	68.8
2021	677	29.9	22.5	66.5
2022	612	24.9	24.4	57.7
2023	591	24.1	24.5	58.7
2024	531	22.0	24.0	71.4

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates