Thomas Downey High

Summary:

Thomas Downey High is a public high school in Modesto, California, serving 2,145 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Modesto City High District, which is ranked 752 out of 1,568 districts in the state.

While Thomas Downey High has consistently underperformed compared to the district and state in standardized test scores, its academic performance has declined over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 656 out of 1,994 California high schools in 2014-2015 to 1,269 out of 2,323 in 2023-2024. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 86.9% and 91.8% over the past five years, which is generally lower than the state average, and its dropout rate has been higher than the state average. Additionally, Thomas Downey High has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 17.7% in 2017-2018 to 41.8% in 2021-2022, which is much higher than the state average.

Compared to nearby high schools in the Modesto City High District, such as Grace M. Davis High, Modesto High, and Fred C. Beyer High, Thomas Downey High's academic performance is generally lower. Additionally, the nearby Aspire Vanguard College Preparatory Academy, a public charter school, outperforms Thomas Downey High in most academic metrics. These comparisons highlight the challenges faced by Thomas Downey High in serving its student population, which has a high percentage of students (76.5% in 2022-2023) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively low socioeconomic status.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1000 Coffee Rd.
       Modesto, CA  95355-4204


(209) 574-1685

District: Modesto City High

SchoolDigger Rank:
1269th of 2,323 California High Schools


Feeder schools for Thomas Downey High:

Elementary:    Bret Harte Elementary
    Fairview Elementary
    John Muir Elementary
    Rose Avenue Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Evelyn Hanshaw Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  24.0 Help
Number of students:  2,145

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
67.5%
White:
19.5%
Two or more races:
8.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  76.5% Help


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 Compare Thomas Downey High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Thomas Downey High ranks worse than 54.6% of high schools in California. It also ranks 6th among 8 ranked high schools in the Modesto City High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.26. (See more...)
Help
The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Thomas Downey High freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (67.5%), White (19.5%), two or more races (8.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 76.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thomas Downey High is 24, which is the 4th best among 8 high schools in the Modesto City High School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Thomas Downey High employs 89.1 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Thomas Downey High:

SchoolDigger ranks Thomas Downey High 1269th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Thomas Downey High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Modesto City High:

SchoolDigger ranks Modesto City High 752nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Thomas Downey High

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Rank History for all students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 51.13 472nd 1653 71.4%
2005 58.23 443rd 1901 76.7%
2006 64.18 382nd 1968 80.6%
2007 64.78 356th 2063 82.7%
2008 57.41 515th 2117 75.7%
2009 53.42 647th 2238 71.1%
2010 57.64 563rd 2281 75.3%
2011 54.81 672nd 2367 71.6%
2012 50.58 787th 2354 66.6%
2013 48.85 819th 2426 66.2%
2015 64.96 656th 1994 67.1%
2016 57.18 848th 2039 58.4%
2017 54.09 926th 2021 54.2%
2018 53.71 939th 2017 53.4%
2019 41.01 1189th 2133 44.3%
2021 31.83 869th 1290 32.6%
2022 23.92 1560th 2123 26.5%
2023 27.48 1494th 2348 36.4%
2024 35.26 1269th 2323 45.4%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 17.09 354th 422 16.1%
2022 3.55 507th 515 1.6%
2023 7.87 711th 786 9.5%
2024 12.62 677th 804 15.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.52 721st 938 23.1%
2019 34.25 625th 941 33.6%
2021 38.94 263rd 467 43.7%
2022 28.23 894th 1044 14.4%
2023 27.88 904th 1323 31.7%
2024 40.84 443rd 1350 67.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 21.90 1293rd 1547 16.4%
2024 29.57 985th 1534 35.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.78 916th 1862 50.8%
2019 37.59 1219th 1937 37.1%
2021 29.27 834th 1126 25.9%
2022 19.54 1567th 1943 19.4%
2023 25.58 1530th 2247 31.9%
2024 34.84 1295th 2235 42.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.95 905th 1760 48.6%
2019 39.07 1091st 1833 40.5%
2021 21.41 861st 1054 18.3%
2022 18.73 1520th 1858 18.2%
2023 27.30 1398th 2118 34.0%
2024 34.80 1228th 2098 41.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.58 488th 1052 53.6%
2019 36.49 615th 1117 44.9%
2021 23.32 471st 555 15.1%
2022 21.22 1070th 1161 7.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.43 908th 1834 50.5%
2019 48.52 900th 1880 52.1%
2021 34.45 740th 1122 34.0%
2022 25.58 1393rd 1916 27.3%
2023 25.85 1447th 2207 34.4%
2024 33.73 1220th 2172 43.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 3.39 560th 581 3.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.66 288th 582 50.5%
2019 14.87 523rd 592 11.7%
2022 14.73 479th 522 8.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.22 862nd 1742 50.5%
2019 42.31 1055th 1814 41.8%
2022 21.34 1465th 1861 21.3%
2023 23.59 1524th 2142 28.9%
2024 30.84 1352nd 2125 36.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Thomas Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.41 609th 1173 48.1%
2019 46.51 674th 1222 44.8%
2022 26.88 889th 1204 26.2%
2023 35.36 835th 1434 41.8%
2024 50.84 575th 1406 59.1%
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.

Thomas Downey High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.5)
50%

50%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Thomas Downey High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1736 16 150 493 20 n/a n/a 0 2415
1989 1682 14 157 524 15 n/a n/a 0 2392
1990 1513 14 167 599 13 n/a n/a 0 2306
1991 1519 22 193 698 12 n/a n/a 0 2444
1992 1518 44 199 763 9 n/a n/a 0 2533
1993 1147 53 173 706 7 n/a n/a 0 2086
1994 1168 61 156 788 10 n/a n/a 0 2183
1995 1229 70 161 808 12 n/a n/a 0 2280
1996 1229 70 161 808 12 n/a n/a 0 2280
1997 1201 58 154 810 19 n/a n/a 0 2242
1998 1186 60 151 837 11 n/a n/a 0 2245
1999 1181 62 138 906 24 n/a n/a 0 2311
2000 1180 78 131 899 24 n/a n/a 0 2312
2001 1146 94 127 988 22 n/a n/a 2 2379
2002 1093 115 144 1181 21 n/a n/a 0 2554
2003 1093 115 144 1181 21 n/a n/a 0 2554
2004 1085 108 141 1233 22 n/a n/a 9 2598
2005 1036 106 131 1253 24 n/a n/a 16 2566
2006 971 110 111 1254 17 n/a n/a 81 2544
2007 927 102 104 1288 12 n/a n/a 95 2528
2008 860 99 108 1250 19 n/a n/a 0 2336
2009 792 86 85 1166 21 13 29 0 2192
2010 728 75 83 1106 19 12 17 0 2040
2011 686 62 73 1110 14 15 40 0 2000
2012 669 64 69 1100 13 14 56 0 1985
2013 649 48 64 1107 12 10 75 0 1965
2014 639 52 61 1113 6 12 91 0 1974
2015 626 48 52 1077 8 9 85 0 1905
2016 612 53 43 1223 6 9 80 0 2026
2017 614 65 47 1242 7 7 82 0 2064
2018 558 60 47 1316 12 9 96 0 2098
2019 525 51 51 1367 11 12 98 0 2115
2020 484 45 56 1400 8 12 124 0 2129
2021 447 39 51 1437 9 11 147 0 2141
2022 435 39 47 1469 8 10 157 0 2165
2023 419 37 43 1447 7 10 182 0 2145

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 Thomas Downey High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2415 92.5 26.1 n/a
1989 2392 91.0 26.2 n/a
1990 2306 94.4 24.4 n/a
1991 2444 98.6 24.7 n/a
1992 2533 100.2 25.2 18.1
1993 2086 83.0 25.1 12.6
1994 2183 85.8 25.4 23.7
1995 2280 86.7 26.3 34.8
1996 2280 86.7 26.3 34.8
1997 2242 86.3 26.0 24
1998 2245 87.3 25.7 25.3
1999 2311 92.9 24.9 27.2
2000 2312 97.4 23.7 30.8
2001 2379 98.8 24.1 30.8
2002 2554 98.8 25.9 47.1
2003 2554 98.8 25.9 47.1
2004 2598 100.5 25.9 49.1
2005 2566 104.0 24.7 53.7
2006 2544 101.2 25.1 61.3
2007 2528 95.1 26.6 61.7
2008 2336 108.4 21.5 60.6
2009 2192 93.3 21.0 60.9
2010 2040 79.8 25.5 62
2011 2000 n/a n/a 61.5
2012 1985 77.9 25.4 n/a
2013 1965 81.7 24.0 65
2014 1974 80.9 24.3 65.5
2015 1905 80.0 23.8 67.7
2016 2026 80.0 25.3 68.8
2017 2064 86.6 23.8 70.8
2018 2098 85.3 24.5 72.9
2019 2115 87.8 24.0 73.8
2020 2129 n/a n/a 75.5
2021 2141 85.6 24.9 72.4
2022 2165 91.4 23.6 77.7
2023 2145 89.1 24.0 76.5

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 Thomas Downey High

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2415 92.5 26.1 n/a
1989 2392 91.0 26.2 n/a
1990 2306 94.4 24.4 n/a
1991 2444 98.6 24.7 n/a
1992 2533 100.2 25.2 18.1
1993 2086 83.0 25.1 12.6
1994 2183 85.8 25.4 23.7
1995 2280 86.7 26.3 34.8
1996 2280 86.7 26.3 34.8
1997 2242 86.3 26.0 24
1998 2245 87.3 25.7 25.3
1999 2311 92.9 24.9 27.2
2000 2312 97.4 23.7 30.8
2001 2379 98.8 24.1 30.8
2002 2554 98.8 25.9 47.1
2003 2554 98.8 25.9 47.1
2004 2598 100.5 25.9 49.1
2005 2566 104.0 24.7 53.7
2006 2544 101.2 25.1 61.3
2007 2528 95.1 26.6 61.7
2008 2336 108.4 21.5 60.6
2009 2192 93.3 21.0 60.9
2010 2040 79.8 25.5 62
2011 2000 n/a n/a 61.5
2012 1985 77.9 25.4 n/a
2013 1965 81.7 24.0 65
2014 1974 80.9 24.3 65.5
2015 1905 80.0 23.8 67.7
2016 2026 80.0 25.3 68.8
2017 2064 86.6 23.8 70.8
2018 2098 85.3 24.5 72.9
2019 2115 87.8 24.0 73.8
2020 2129 n/a n/a 75.5
2021 2141 85.6 24.9 72.4
2022 2165 91.4 23.6 77.7
2023 2145 89.1 24.0 76.5

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 Thomas Downey 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 1189th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 1494th of 2348 High schools
 7.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Thomas Downey High)51.332.8
 18.5%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Modesto City High)50.845
 5.8%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Thomas Downey High)20.112.4
 7.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Modesto City High)24.417.4
 7%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Thomas Downey High)30.315.8
 14.5%
   11th Grade Science (Modesto City High)29.225.9
 3.3%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Thomas Downey High)9.111.5
 2.5%
   12th Grade Science (Modesto City High)8.724.6
 15.8%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students21152145
 1.4%
African American5137
 27.5%
American Indian117
 36.4%
Asian5143
 15.7%
Hispanic13671447
 5.9%
Pacific Islander1210
 16.7%
White525419
 20.2%
Two or More Races98182
 85.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients73.8%76.5%
 2.7%


Schools Near Thomas Downey High









Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Downey High

Thomas Downey High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Bret Harte Elementary
Elementary : Fairview Elementary
Elementary : John Muir Elementary
Elementary : Rose Avenue Elementary
Elementary : Shackelford Elementary
Elementary : Sonoma Elementary
Middle : Evelyn Hanshaw Middle

Thomas Downey High ranks 1269th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Thomas Downey High are 67% Hispanic, 20% White, 8% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 2% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,145 students attended Thomas Downey 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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