Jessie Nelson Academy

Summary:

Jessie Nelson Academy is a public middle school located in Signal Hill, CA, serving 834 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Long Beach Unified School District, which is ranked 654 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Jessie Nelson Academy consistently underperforms compared to the district and state in academic assessments, with only 32.9% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and just 19.48% proficient in Mathematics. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism, reaching 30.7% in 2021-2022, and significant achievement gaps among student subgroups. In contrast, nearby schools like Hughes Middle, Rogers Middle, and Marshall Academy of the Arts outperform Jessie Nelson Academy in academic proficiency and have lower chronic absenteeism.

The high rates of free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, reaching 70.7% in 2021-2022, and the declining performance of Jessie Nelson Academy over the past several years suggest that the school may be facing significant challenges in providing equitable educational opportunities for all its students. Addressing these issues will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to support the school's students and improve their educational experiences.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1951 Cherry Ave.
       Signal Hill, CA  90755-5823


(562) 591-6041

District: Long Beach Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1843rd of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,699 Help


Students who attend Jessie Nelson Academy usually attend:

High:    Polytechnic High

Feeder schools for Jessie Nelson Academy:

Elementary:    Alvarado Elementary
    Bobbie Smith Elementary
    Signal Hill Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  24.6 Help
Number of students:  834

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
61.8%
Asian:
20.7%
African American:
12.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70.3% Help


 See top rated California middle schools

 Compare Jessie Nelson Academy to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Jessie Nelson Academy ranks worse than 66.4% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 11th among 15 ranked middle schools in the Long Beach Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.21. (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 Student population at Jessie Nelson Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (61.8%), Asian (20.7%), African American (12.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Jessie Nelson Academy is 24.6. 10 middle schools in the Long Beach Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Jessie Nelson Academy employs 33.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Jessie Nelson Academy is $7,699. 8 middle schools in the Long Beach Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Jessie Nelson Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Jessie Nelson Academy 1843rd of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Jessie Nelson Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Long Beach Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Long Beach Unified 654th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Jessie Nelson Academy

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Rank History for all students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 27.53 1257th 1769 28.9%
2005 26.25 1306th 1777 26.5%
2011 29.44 1662nd 2236 25.7%
2012 32.35 1574th 2259 30.3%
2013 41.01 1395th 2379 41.4%
2015 34.73 1476th 2477 40.4%
2016 34.75 1495th 2497 40.1%
2017 46.93 1188th 2508 52.6%
2018 54.23 981st 2480 60.4%
2019 50.49 1137th 2715 58.1%
2021 33.47 573rd 894 35.9%
2022 29.13 1818th 2740 33.6%
2023 30.18 1811th 2802 35.4%
2024 29.21 1843rd 2777 33.6%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.14 469th 1364 65.6%
2019 40.41 677th 1442 53.1%
2021 42.14 162nd 363 55.4%
2022 33.78 1032nd 1540 33.0%
2023 52.47 405th 1529 73.5%
2024 35.23 937th 1477 36.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 36.16 881st 1538 42.7%
2024 38.88 807th 1550 47.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.71 427th 2230 80.9%
2019 66.12 581st 2369 75.5%
2021 49.71 300th 721 58.4%
2022 37.37 1426th 2458 42.0%
2023 40.09 1331st 2549 47.8%
2024 38.96 1417th 2575 45.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 26.00 272nd 336 19.0%
2023 37.14 196th 321 38.9%
2024 25.24 322nd 394 18.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.42 945th 2262 58.2%
2019 50.46 1050th 2380 55.9%
2021 35.99 447th 738 39.4%
2022 30.46 1651st 2509 34.2%
2023 29.20 1693rd 2547 33.5%
2024 29.73 1678th 2546 34.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.09 435th 1369 68.2%
2019 44.09 664th 1491 55.5%
2021 35.78 208th 354 41.2%
2022 32.48 972nd 1531 36.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.99 919th 2273 59.6%
2019 48.69 1055th 2407 56.2%
2021 31.69 501st 763 34.3%
2022 28.13 1730th 2527 31.5%
2023 30.97 1627th 2558 36.4%
2024 28.27 1743rd 2547 31.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.78 560th 700 20.0%
2019 26.93 581st 745 22.0%
2022 11.36 646th 733 11.9%
2023 14.78 618th 718 13.9%
2024 15.96 625th 741 15.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.05 253rd 600 57.8%
2019 56.54 243rd 643 62.2%
2022 35.86 394th 637 38.1%
2023 27.62 461st 614 24.9%
2024 29.40 451st 626 28.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Jessie Nelson Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.89 567th 2072 72.6%
2019 55.30 803rd 2213 63.7%
2022 33.52 1507th 2359 36.1%
2023 31.95 1560th 2391 34.8%
2024 26.83 1765th 2383 25.9%
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.

Jessie Nelson Academy 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 Jessie Nelson Academy

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 136 79 23 42 0 n/a n/a 0 280
1989 139 67 20 57 1 n/a n/a 0 284
1990 123 73 34 48 2 n/a n/a 0 280
1991 93 82 49 55 3 n/a n/a 0 282
1992 80 76 68 77 2 n/a n/a 0 303
1993 88 119 149 118 3 n/a n/a 0 477
1994 115 193 252 141 1 n/a n/a 0 702
1995 111 221 273 132 0 n/a n/a 0 737
1996 111 221 273 132 0 n/a n/a 0 737
1997 64 229 302 138 2 n/a n/a 0 735
1998 55 263 434 209 0 n/a n/a 0 961
1999 39 275 397 241 0 n/a n/a 0 952
2000 27 234 385 274 0 n/a n/a 0 920
2001 27 210 359 318 1 n/a n/a 0 915
2002 27 216 362 419 1 n/a n/a 2 1027
2003 27 216 362 419 1 n/a n/a 2 1027
2004 32 247 356 483 0 n/a n/a 3 1121
2005 32 239 360 457 0 n/a n/a 1 1089
2006 15 192 334 466 0 n/a n/a 2 1009
2007 15 195 104 416 2 n/a n/a 216 948
2008 11 148 275 405 2 n/a n/a 0 841
2009 12 113 198 308 2 11 1 0 645
2010 8 106 188 312 0 5 0 0 619
2011 9 103 177 329 0 12 2 0 632
2012 7 93 183 334 0 7 3 0 627
2013 16 95 183 450 2 10 4 0 760
2014 18 106 191 507 2 7 6 0 837
2015 20 102 192 538 2 9 7 0 870
2016 15 112 177 470 0 10 14 0 798
2017 13 105 167 471 0 11 18 0 785
2018 8 96 184 485 0 7 19 0 799
2019 8 78 177 494 1 9 24 0 791
2020 8 86 173 519 1 5 22 0 814
2021 10 92 164 526 1 5 23 0 821
2022 12 95 159 531 0 1 28 0 826
2023 14 101 173 515 0 1 30 0 834

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 Jessie Nelson Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 280 11.0 25.4 n/a
1989 284 12.6 22.5 n/a
1990 280 11.0 25.4 n/a
1991 282 10.0 28.2 n/a
1992 303 10.2 29.7 69.3
1993 477 17.0 28.1 75.9
1994 702 27.0 26.0 90.2
1995 737 30.7 24.0 88.5
1996 737 30.7 24.0 88.5
1997 735 33.5 21.9 83.3
1998 961 36.0 26.7 90.2
1999 952 39.0 24.4 95
2000 920 45.0 20.4 99.6
2001 915 45.0 20.3 91.3
2002 1027 47.8 21.5 84.1
2003 1027 47.8 21.5 84.1
2004 1121 44.8 25.0 82.6
2005 1089 44.9 24.3 12
2006 1009 42.8 23.6 95.5
2007 948 37.8 25.1 122.3
2008 841 44.6 18.9 94.5
2009 645 28.0 17.5 94
2010 619 26.0 23.8 92.2
2011 632 n/a n/a 95.6
2012 627 24.1 25.9 n/a
2013 760 28.4 26.7 89.7
2014 837 30.2 27.6 90.9
2015 870 31.0 28.0 88.6
2016 798 29.0 27.5 86.3
2017 785 30.5 25.7 91.3
2018 799 30.3 26.3 87.6
2019 791 29.4 26.9 89.1
2020 814 n/a n/a 85.5
2021 821 33.6 24.3 86
2022 826 31.8 25.9 70.7
2023 834 33.8 24.6 70.3

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 Jessie Nelson Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 280 11.0 25.4 n/a
1989 284 12.6 22.5 n/a
1990 280 11.0 25.4 n/a
1991 282 10.0 28.2 n/a
1992 303 10.2 29.7 69.3
1993 477 17.0 28.1 75.9
1994 702 27.0 26.0 90.2
1995 737 30.7 24.0 88.5
1996 737 30.7 24.0 88.5
1997 735 33.5 21.9 83.3
1998 961 36.0 26.7 90.2
1999 952 39.0 24.4 95
2000 920 45.0 20.4 99.6
2001 915 45.0 20.3 91.3
2002 1027 47.8 21.5 84.1
2003 1027 47.8 21.5 84.1
2004 1121 44.8 25.0 82.6
2005 1089 44.9 24.3 12
2006 1009 42.8 23.6 95.5
2007 948 37.8 25.1 122.3
2008 841 44.6 18.9 94.5
2009 645 28.0 17.5 94
2010 619 26.0 23.8 92.2
2011 632 n/a n/a 95.6
2012 627 24.1 25.9 n/a
2013 760 28.4 26.7 89.7
2014 837 30.2 27.6 90.9
2015 870 31.0 28.0 88.6
2016 798 29.0 27.5 86.3
2017 785 30.5 25.7 91.3
2018 799 30.3 26.3 87.6
2019 791 29.4 26.9 89.1
2020 814 n/a n/a 85.5
2021 821 33.6 24.3 86
2022 826 31.8 25.9 70.7
2023 834 33.8 24.6 70.3

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 Jessie Nelson Academy

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,699

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Jessie Nelson Academy

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 1137th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1811th of 2802 Middle schools
 22.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Jessie Nelson Academy)47.935.5
 12.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Long Beach Unified)50.744.1
 6.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Jessie Nelson Academy)4421.4
 22.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Long Beach Unified)45.933.3
 12.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Jessie Nelson Academy)49.739.2
 10.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Long Beach Unified)55.249.5
 5.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Jessie Nelson Academy)40.823.4
 17.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Long Beach Unified)44.332.5
 11.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Jessie Nelson Academy)4234.3
 7.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Long Beach Unified)52.546.9
 5.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Jessie Nelson Academy)44.315.5
 28.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Long Beach Unified)41.828.1
 13.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Jessie Nelson Academy)11.86.6
 5.3%
   8th Grade Science (Long Beach Unified)28.223
 5.2%
   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 Students791834
 5.4%
African American78101
 29.5%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian177173
 2.3%
Hispanic494515
 4.3%
Pacific Islander91
 88.9%
White814
 75%
Two or More Races2430
 25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients89.1%70.3%
 18.9%


Schools Near Jessie Nelson Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Jessie Nelson Academy

Jessie Nelson Academy ranks 1843rd of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 834 students attended Jessie Nelson Academy.

Students at Jessie Nelson Academy are 62% Hispanic, 21% Asian, 12% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% White.

Students who attend Jessie Nelson Academy usually go on to attend Polytechnic 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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