Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Summary:

Octavia E. Butler Magnet is a public middle school in Pasadena, California, serving 513 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Pasadena Unified School District, which is ranked 730 out of 1,568 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Octavia E. Butler Magnet consistently underperforms compared to the district and state in standardized test scores, with only 25.15% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy and 16.5% proficient or better in Mathematics, significantly lower than the district and state averages. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism, rising from 18.1% in 2017-2018 to 29.3% in 2022-2023, notably higher than the surrounding area. Additionally, 88.69% of Octavia E. Butler Magnet's students come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, much higher than nearby schools.

Nearby schools, such as Sierra Madre Middle and Huntington Middle, significantly outperform Octavia E. Butler Magnet in academic achievement, with proficiency rates that are 2-3 times higher in core subject areas. These schools also have lower chronic absenteeism rates and serve student populations with lower percentages of free or reduced-price lunch recipients. Addressing the challenges at Octavia E. Butler Magnet will require a comprehensive approach to improve educational outcomes and support the unique needs of its diverse student population.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1505 North Marengo Ave.
       Pasadena, CA  91103-1813


(626) 396-5830

District: Pasadena Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
2199th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,673 Help


Students who attend Octavia E. Butler Magnet usually attend:

High:    John Muir High

Feeder schools for Octavia E. Butler Magnet:

Elementary:    Madison Elementary
    Mary W. Jackson STEAM Multilingual Magnet Elementary
    Washington Elementary STEM Magnet

Student/teacher ratio:  18.8 Help
Number of students:  513

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
79.7%
African American:
9.6%
White:
6.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  88.7% Help


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 Compare Octavia E. Butler Magnet to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Octavia E. Butler Magnet ranks worse than 79.2% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked middle schools in the Pasadena Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.35. (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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (79.7%), African American (9.6%), White (6.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 88.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Pasadena Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Octavia E. Butler Magnet is 18.8. 1 middle schools in the Pasadena Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Octavia E. Butler Magnet employs 27.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Octavia E. Butler Magnet is $9,673. 1 middle schools in the Pasadena Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Octavia E. Butler Magnet:

SchoolDigger ranks Octavia E. Butler Magnet 2199th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Octavia E. Butler Magnet 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:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Pasadena Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Pasadena Unified 730th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Octavia E. Butler Magnet

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 19.91 1449th 1769 18.1%
2005 31.05 1201st 1777 32.4%
2006 24.62 1383rd 1804 23.3%
2007 15.80 1756th 1999 12.2%
2008 13.64 1819th 2005 9.3%
2009 16.41 1810th 2063 12.3%
2010 15.73 1944th 2179 10.8%
2011 16.06 1974th 2236 11.7%
2012 16.40 1998th 2259 11.6%
2013 8.63 2254th 2379 5.3%
2015 14.14 2221st 2477 10.3%
2016 11.99 2290th 2497 8.3%
2017 9.46 2398th 2508 4.4%
2018 10.47 2341st 2480 5.6%
2019 12.07 2482nd 2715 8.6%
2022 22.31 2119th 2740 22.7%
2023 23.61 2118th 2802 24.4%
2024 21.35 2199th 2777 20.8%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.53 1324th 1364 2.9%
2019 24.63 1387th 1442 3.8%
2022 26.72 1406th 1540 8.7%
2023 26.49 1427th 1529 6.7%
2024 24.21 1448th 1477 2.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 43.68 690th 1538 55.1%
2024 23.62 1333rd 1550 14.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.82 2105th 2230 5.6%
2019 13.77 2183rd 2369 7.9%
2022 20.88 2070th 2458 15.8%
2023 21.16 2121st 2549 16.8%
2024 17.11 2288th 2575 11.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 11.70 318th 321 0.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.09 2149th 2262 5.0%
2019 12.23 2202nd 2380 7.5%
2022 22.23 1970th 2509 21.5%
2023 26.82 1797th 2547 29.4%
2024 25.49 1880th 2546 26.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.47 1162nd 1369 15.1%
2019 35.72 846th 1491 43.3%
2022 36.09 874th 1531 42.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.97 2153rd 2273 5.3%
2019 11.92 2254th 2407 6.4%
2022 22.45 1961st 2527 22.4%
2023 20.61 2071st 2558 19.0%
2024 18.21 2161st 2547 15.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.10 548th 600 8.7%
2019 26.69 488th 643 24.1%
2022 27.04 484th 637 24.0%
2023 44.17 309th 614 49.7%
2024 22.01 522nd 626 16.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.93 1945th 2072 6.1%
2019 14.06 2046th 2213 7.5%
2022 21.90 1944th 2359 17.6%
2023 20.92 1999th 2391 16.4%
2024 19.04 2040th 2383 14.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 79.24 248th 1552 84.0%
2024 73.90 348th 1535 77.3%
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.

Octavia E. Butler Magnet 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 Octavia E. Butler Magnet

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 183 484 58 474 3 n/a n/a 0 1202
1989 189 477 57 490 1 n/a n/a 0 1214
1990 180 430 42 458 1 n/a n/a 0 1111
1991 189 412 47 476 0 n/a n/a 0 1124
1992 112 267 25 366 1 n/a n/a 0 771
1993 92 273 24 373 1 n/a n/a 0 763
1994 88 259 19 383 0 n/a n/a 0 749
1995 132 308 54 419 0 n/a n/a 0 913
1996 132 308 54 419 0 n/a n/a 0 913
1997 106 371 30 412 1 n/a n/a 0 920
1998 104 518 23 814 0 n/a n/a 0 1459
1999 89 457 21 859 0 n/a n/a 0 1426
2000 72 472 9 874 0 n/a n/a 0 1427
2001 61 400 16 955 2 n/a n/a 0 1434
2002 32 209 18 575 1 n/a n/a 0 835
2003 32 209 18 575 1 n/a n/a 0 835
2004 13 154 11 535 0 n/a n/a 0 713
2005 12 121 7 381 0 n/a n/a 1 522
2006 9 87 4 344 0 n/a n/a 0 444
2007 5 82 4 406 0 n/a n/a 3 500
2008 3 85 7 458 1 n/a n/a 0 554
2009 4 68 4 448 0 0 3 0 527
2010 9 79 9 421 2 0 17 0 537
2011 10 98 11 471 0 0 3 0 593
2012 5 83 10 471 0 0 2 0 571
2013 5 87 4 401 0 0 2 0 499
2014 5 87 9 422 0 0 3 0 526
2015 11 77 3 420 0 1 1 0 513
2016 6 69 5 441 2 2 2 0 527
2017 13 56 5 454 1 1 1 0 531
2018 13 59 6 409 0 1 2 0 490
2019 6 66 5 375 0 0 2 0 454
2020 20 50 11 361 0 0 4 0 446
2021 22 60 13 376 0 1 3 0 475
2022 32 56 14 413 0 0 3 2 520
2023 35 49 12 409 0 0 5 3 513

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 Octavia E. Butler Magnet

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1202 48.7 24.6 n/a
1989 1214 48.5 25.0 n/a
1990 1111 42.7 26.0 n/a
1991 1124 41.6 27.0 n/a
1992 771 42.3 18.2 61.7
1993 763 29.4 26.0 64.5
1994 749 30.4 24.6 74.4
1995 913 35.6 25.6 66.2
1996 913 35.6 25.6 66.2
1997 920 40.6 22.7 67.1
1998 1459 65.6 22.2 80
1999 1426 67.6 21.1 82.3
2000 1427 73.9 19.3 77.6
2001 1434 74.4 19.3 79.6
2002 835 37.6 22.2 77.7
2003 835 37.6 22.2 77.7
2004 713 34.2 20.8 74.2
2005 522 26.5 19.7 84.3
2006 444 25.6 17.3 85.1
2007 500 24.3 20.6 54.3
2008 554 32.0 17.3 66.1
2009 527 27.5 17.7 70.4
2010 537 32.0 16.7 90.7
2011 593 n/a n/a 90.4
2012 571 40.4 14.1 n/a
2013 499 27.3 18.2 91.6
2014 526 26.2 20.0 93
2015 513 29.0 17.6 89.9
2016 527 23.0 22.9 86.5
2017 531 17.0 31.2 82.9
2018 490 21.0 23.3 77.6
2019 454 17.0 26.7 81.5
2020 446 n/a n/a 88.6
2021 475 24.4 19.4 87.4
2022 520 27.7 18.7 83.5
2023 513 27.1 18.8 88.7

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 Octavia E. Butler Magnet

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1202 48.7 24.6 n/a
1989 1214 48.5 25.0 n/a
1990 1111 42.7 26.0 n/a
1991 1124 41.6 27.0 n/a
1992 771 42.3 18.2 61.7
1993 763 29.4 26.0 64.5
1994 749 30.4 24.6 74.4
1995 913 35.6 25.6 66.2
1996 913 35.6 25.6 66.2
1997 920 40.6 22.7 67.1
1998 1459 65.6 22.2 80
1999 1426 67.6 21.1 82.3
2000 1427 73.9 19.3 77.6
2001 1434 74.4 19.3 79.6
2002 835 37.6 22.2 77.7
2003 835 37.6 22.2 77.7
2004 713 34.2 20.8 74.2
2005 522 26.5 19.7 84.3
2006 444 25.6 17.3 85.1
2007 500 24.3 20.6 54.3
2008 554 32.0 17.3 66.1
2009 527 27.5 17.7 70.4
2010 537 32.0 16.7 90.7
2011 593 n/a n/a 90.4
2012 571 40.4 14.1 n/a
2013 499 27.3 18.2 91.6
2014 526 26.2 20.0 93
2015 513 29.0 17.6 89.9
2016 527 23.0 22.9 86.5
2017 531 17.0 31.2 82.9
2018 490 21.0 23.3 77.6
2019 454 17.0 26.7 81.5
2020 446 n/a n/a 88.6
2021 475 24.4 19.4 87.4
2022 520 27.7 18.7 83.5
2023 513 27.1 18.8 88.7

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 Octavia E. Butler Magnet

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $9,673

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Octavia E. Butler Magnet

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 2482nd of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2118th of 2802 Middle schools
 15.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Octavia E. Butler Magnet)21.224.7
 3.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pasadena Unified)38.235
 3.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Octavia E. Butler Magnet)18.319.3
 1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Pasadena Unified)32.627.3
 5.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Octavia E. Butler Magnet)24.726.6
 1.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pasadena Unified)42.842.6
 0.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Octavia E. Butler Magnet)13.617.3
 3.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Pasadena Unified)28.629.6
 1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Octavia E. Butler Magnet)16.226.4
 10.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pasadena Unified)40.543.7
 3.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Octavia E. Butler Magnet)9.114.3
 5.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Pasadena Unified)3029.8
 0.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Octavia E. Butler Magnet)8.418.9
 10.5%
   8th Grade Science (Pasadena Unified)23.131.3
 8.2%
   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 Students454513
 13%
African American6649
 25.8%
American Indian00
Asian512
 140%
Hispanic375409
 9.1%
Pacific Islander00
White635
 483.3%
Two or More Races25
 150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients81.5%88.7%
 7.2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Octavia E. Butler Magnet

In the 2022-23 school year, 513 students attended Octavia E. Butler Magnet.

Octavia E. Butler Magnet ranks in the bottom 20.8% of California middle schools.

Students who attend Octavia E. Butler Magnet usually go on to attend John Muir High

Students at Octavia E. Butler Magnet are 80% Hispanic, 10% African American, 7% White, 2% Asian.


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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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