1. Home
  2. California
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego Unified
  5. Taft Middle

Taft Middle

Summary:

Taft Middle is a public middle school located in San Diego, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 384 students. The school faces challenges in academic performance, particularly in Mathematics, and has a higher chronic absenteeism rate compared to the district and state averages.

Taft Middle's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics are generally lower than the San Diego Unified and California state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, Taft Middle's ELA proficiency rate was 46.61%, compared to 54.22% for San Diego Unified and 47.04% for California. In Mathematics, Taft Middle's proficiency rate was 25.14%, significantly lower than the 43.89% for San Diego Unified and 35.54% for California. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with some groups, such as Asian and African American students, performing significantly lower than their peers.

Interestingly, Taft Middle's academic performance is generally lower than most of the nearby schools in the San Diego Unified District, such as Marston Middle, Lewis Middle, and De Portola Middle, which have higher proficiency rates and better statewide rankings. However, Taft Middle performs better than some other nearby schools, such as Montgomery Middle and Wilson Middle, which have significantly lower proficiency rates and statewide rankings. Additionally, the presence of a high-performing charter school, Magnolia Science Academy San Diego, in the vicinity highlights the potential for Taft Middle to improve its academic outcomes.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 9191 Gramercy Dr.
       San Diego, CA  92123-4015

(858) 935-2650

District: San Diego Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1252nd of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,631 Help


Students who attend Taft Middle usually attend:

High:    Kearny College Connections
    Kearny Digital Media & Design
    Kearny Eng Innov & Design
    Kearny School of Biomedical Science and Technology

Feeder schools for Taft Middle:

Elementary:    Angier Elementary
    Cubberley Elementary
    Jones Elementary
    Juarez Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  17.9 Help
Number of students:  384

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
37.5%
White:
17.2%
African American:
15.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  51.8% Help


 See top rated California middle schools

 Compare Taft Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Taft Middle ranks better than 54.9% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 15th among 23 ranked middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.76. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Student population at Taft Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (37.5%), White (17.2%), African American (15.6%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 51.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Taft Middle is 17.9, which is the lowest among 24 middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Taft Middle employs 21.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Taft Middle is $10,631, which is the highest among 24 middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Taft Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Taft Middle 1252nd of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Taft 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:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


San Diego Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks San Diego Unified 604th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Taft Middle.

What do you think?

Your rating for Taft Middle?

Rank History for Taft Middle

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 37.20 1032nd 1769 41.7%
2005 35.02 1106th 1777 37.8%
2006 38.23 1062nd 1804 41.1%
2007 40.63 1100th 1999 45.0%
2008 38.94 1190th 2005 40.6%
2009 46.22 1054th 2063 48.9%
2010 44.06 1198th 2179 45.0%
2011 36.76 1451st 2236 35.1%
2012 45.91 1198th 2259 47.0%
2013 38.50 1475th 2379 38.0%
2015 47.75 1151st 2477 53.5%
2016 47.59 1174th 2497 53.0%
2017 40.60 1382nd 2508 44.9%
2018 39.56 1379th 2480 44.4%
2019 45.61 1279th 2715 52.9%
2022 41.25 1427th 2740 47.9%
2023 50.33 1157th 2802 58.7%
2024 46.76 1252nd 2777 54.9%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.29 398th 462 13.9%
2019 20.07 456th 554 17.7%
2022 35.12 436th 665 34.4%
2023 31.16 476th 678 29.8%
2024 20.32 566th 699 19.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.06 516th 1364 62.2%
2019 44.58 555th 1442 61.5%
2022 39.79 772nd 1540 49.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 49.71 563rd 1538 63.4%
2024 37.01 862nd 1550 44.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.26 1043rd 2230 53.2%
2019 49.65 1025th 2369 56.7%
2022 45.99 1133rd 2458 53.9%
2023 47.33 1113th 2549 56.3%
2024 48.35 1094th 2575 57.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.13 1341st 2262 40.7%
2019 40.79 1297th 2380 45.5%
2022 33.18 1552nd 2509 38.1%
2023 50.56 1044th 2547 59.0%
2024 41.47 1293rd 2546 49.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.80 282nd 1369 79.4%
2019 75.73 226th 1491 84.8%
2022 35.19 889th 1531 41.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 39.47 120th 193 37.8%
2023 51.84 91st 197 53.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.92 1231st 2273 45.8%
2019 48.82 1050th 2407 56.4%
2022 48.76 1096th 2527 56.6%
2023 48.96 1097th 2558 57.1%
2024 50.66 1050th 2547 58.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.39 600th 700 14.3%
2019 29.71 561st 745 24.7%
2022 10.61 652nd 733 11.1%
2024 44.61 461st 741 37.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.32 238th 600 60.3%
2019 67.90 169th 643 73.7%
2022 38.94 363rd 637 43.0%
2023 43.28 314th 614 48.9%
2024 41.14 328th 626 47.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.08 1124th 2072 45.8%
2019 41.85 1197th 2213 45.9%
2022 53.82 889th 2359 62.3%
2023 51.01 964th 2391 59.7%
2024 43.60 1170th 2383 50.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Taft Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.67 1069th 1496 28.5%
2019 34.19 1065th 1602 33.5%
2022 21.62 1246th 1555 19.9%
2023 35.19 993rd 1552 36.0%
2024 49.41 754th 1535 50.9%
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.

Taft Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
Help






Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

by a parent
Friday, May 10, 2019

Open Quote The teachers and staff do not communicate with parents unless the problem has become so out of hand that they have no other options. I feel there are very few faculty members who want to see the students succeed. My experience has been that they micromanage the children and use positions of authority to intimidate anyone who questions them. Communication is nonexistent, so be sure to check your child's grades frequently if you are concerned. Do not expect email responses back from administration or teachers it is the exception, not the rule.

Also, if your child has an IEP, 504, or has been behaviorally "problematic" in the past, do not send them here. They will walk around with a target on their back and a label on their forehead, marking them as a "bad kid." Do not expect the administration to go out of their way to help your child. They will only do that if THEY feel the different has potential Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Open Quote THIS SCHOOL IS HORRIBLE!!! The staff and Teacher there do not care about education for the children..." No Child Left Behind Act" ahahA! Your child will get left behind. There not encouraging,They don't interact with the parents whatsoever,and they treat the children like failures....TERRIBLE SCHOOL!!!!!! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Taft Middle

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 299 69 119 63 2 n/a n/a 0 552
1989 294 74 126 77 2 n/a n/a 0 573
1990 273 89 126 93 6 n/a n/a 0 587
1991 292 85 124 113 7 n/a n/a 0 621
1992 274 94 133 111 3 n/a n/a 0 615
1993 253 109 138 98 11 n/a n/a 0 609
1994 285 133 192 120 7 n/a n/a 0 737
1995 213 137 199 183 9 n/a n/a 0 741
1996 213 137 199 183 9 n/a n/a 0 741
1997 298 191 228 238 12 n/a n/a 0 967
1998 286 188 192 237 10 n/a n/a 0 913
1999 278 204 167 260 14 n/a n/a 0 923
2000 264 192 172 272 9 n/a n/a 0 909
2001 280 218 164 264 7 n/a n/a 0 933
2002 247 194 159 274 9 n/a n/a 0 883
2003 247 194 159 274 9 n/a n/a 0 883
2004 199 158 130 264 7 n/a n/a 0 758
2005 196 159 128 291 5 n/a n/a 0 779
2006 185 155 123 297 6 n/a n/a 0 766
2007 194 165 123 286 5 n/a n/a 5 778
2008 181 151 104 286 9 n/a n/a 0 731
2009 146 127 112 273 4 8 0 0 670
2010 109 119 99 249 2 7 21 0 606
2011 102 123 87 275 3 6 29 0 625
2012 102 94 76 228 2 4 38 0 544
2013 87 89 67 203 1 2 42 0 491
2014 92 93 80 196 1 5 46 0 513
2015 83 72 80 186 0 7 61 0 489
2016 96 76 97 184 0 6 49 0 508
2017 108 89 71 180 0 6 55 0 509
2018 83 83 49 145 1 4 58 0 423
2019 90 91 53 149 4 3 72 0 462
2020 97 74 56 167 4 3 64 0 465
2021 76 74 50 160 4 2 64 0 430
2022 62 66 46 137 1 2 43 0 357
2023 66 60 53 144 3 6 52 0 384

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 Taft Middle

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 552 25.8 21.3 n/a
1989 573 24.1 23.7 n/a
1990 587 26.9 21.8 n/a
1991 621 24.4 25.4 n/a
1992 615 24.8 24.7 46.3
1993 609 27.3 22.3 48.6
1994 737 29.5 25.0 60.1
1995 741 30.0 24.7 73.3
1996 741 30.0 24.7 73.3
1997 967 40.8 23.7 74
1998 913 41.2 22.2 72.6
1999 923 39.8 23.2 74.2
2000 909 40.0 22.7 69.3
2001 933 41.8 22.3 62.3
2002 883 44.2 20.0 67.5
2003 883 44.2 20.0 67.5
2004 758 38.0 19.9 65.2
2005 779 35.7 21.8 71
2006 766 41.1 18.6 71.7
2007 778 49.0 15.9 71.7
2008 731 46.3 15.8 72.5
2009 670 36.7 15.7 77.3
2010 606 37.4 16.2 78.5
2011 625 n/a n/a 78.2
2012 544 35.5 15.3 n/a
2013 491 31.5 15.5 73.1
2014 513 24.2 21.1 66.3
2015 489 27.0 18.1 66.7
2016 508 27.0 18.8 66.5
2017 509 27.6 18.4 63.9
2018 423 23.8 17.7 63.1
2019 462 23.8 19.4 63.6
2020 465 n/a n/a 62.4
2021 430 24.1 17.8 59.3
2022 357 19.7 18.1 53.5
2023 384 21.3 17.9 51.8

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 Taft Middle

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 552 25.8 21.3 n/a
1989 573 24.1 23.7 n/a
1990 587 26.9 21.8 n/a
1991 621 24.4 25.4 n/a
1992 615 24.8 24.7 46.3
1993 609 27.3 22.3 48.6
1994 737 29.5 25.0 60.1
1995 741 30.0 24.7 73.3
1996 741 30.0 24.7 73.3
1997 967 40.8 23.7 74
1998 913 41.2 22.2 72.6
1999 923 39.8 23.2 74.2
2000 909 40.0 22.7 69.3
2001 933 41.8 22.3 62.3
2002 883 44.2 20.0 67.5
2003 883 44.2 20.0 67.5
2004 758 38.0 19.9 65.2
2005 779 35.7 21.8 71
2006 766 41.1 18.6 71.7
2007 778 49.0 15.9 71.7
2008 731 46.3 15.8 72.5
2009 670 36.7 15.7 77.3
2010 606 37.4 16.2 78.5
2011 625 n/a n/a 78.2
2012 544 35.5 15.3 n/a
2013 491 31.5 15.5 73.1
2014 513 24.2 21.1 66.3
2015 489 27.0 18.1 66.7
2016 508 27.0 18.8 66.5
2017 509 27.6 18.4 63.9
2018 423 23.8 17.7 63.1
2019 462 23.8 19.4 63.6
2020 465 n/a n/a 62.4
2021 430 24.1 17.8 59.3
2022 357 19.7 18.1 53.5
2023 384 21.3 17.9 51.8

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 Taft Middle

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $10,631

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Taft 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 1279th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1157th of 2802 Middle schools
 5.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Taft Middle)32.334.7
 2.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (San Diego Unified)5450.6
 3.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Taft Middle)36.125.2
 10.9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (San Diego Unified)46.240.8
 5.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Taft Middle)48.145.6
 2.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (San Diego Unified)57.152.5
 4.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Taft Middle)38.229.2
 9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (San Diego Unified)4640.9
 5.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Taft Middle)47.154.7
 7.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (San Diego Unified)53.152.4
 0.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Taft Middle)35.236.8
 1.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (San Diego Unified)41.336.9
 4.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Taft Middle)27.925.7
 2.2%
   8th Grade Science (San Diego Unified)36.434.8
 1.6%
   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 Students462384
 16.9%
African American9160
 34.1%
American Indian43
 25%
Asian5353
Hispanic149144
 3.4%
Pacific Islander36
 100%
White9066
 26.7%
Two or More Races7252
 27.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients63.6%51.8%
 11.8%

Schools Near Taft Middle








Frequently Asked Questions about Taft Middle

Students at Taft Middle are 38% Hispanic, 17% White, 16% African American, 14% Asian, 14% Two or more races, 2% Pacific Islander.

Students who attend Taft Middle usually go on to attend Kearny College Connections

In the 2022-23 school year, 384 students attended Taft Middle.

Taft Middle ranks 1252nd of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


Rate Taft Middle!



Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...


Compare to nearby schools

CACalifornia Middle School Rankings

CACalifornia District Rankings

Schools in San Diego, CA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Taft Middle!




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.




Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 222 milliseconds.