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Challenger Middle

Summary:

Challenger Middle is a public middle school located in San Diego, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 841 students. The school is part of the San Diego Unified School District, which is ranked 604 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Challenger Middle consistently ranks among the top 10% of middle schools in California, with a statewide ranking between 149 and 258 out of over 2,700 middle schools in recent years. The school's students perform significantly better than the district and state averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics, with proficiency rates often 10-20 percentage points higher. Challenger Middle's performance on the California Science Test (CAST) is also notably strong, with proficiency rates around 50% compared to the district and state averages of 35-38%. The school excels in supporting various student subgroups, with high rankings for female, Hispanic, white, special education, low socioeconomic status, and homeless students. Challenger Middle's performance for English Language Learners and students with disabilities is particularly impressive, ranking in the top 10-15% of California middle schools in these categories.

While Challenger Middle outperforms most of the nearby middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District, including Standley Middle, Innovation Middle, and Creative Performing and Media Arts, it does not dominate the high-performing schools in the neighboring San Dieguito Union High School District, such as Carmel Valley Middle and Pacific Trails Middle. Challenger Middle serves a more socioeconomically diverse student population, with around 47% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the nearby high-performing schools that have lower percentages of economically disadvantaged students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 10810 Parkdale Ave.
       San Diego, CA  92126-2599

(858) 586-7001

District: San Diego Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
258th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,394 Help


Students who attend Challenger Middle usually attend:

High:    Mira Mesa High

Feeder schools for Challenger Middle:

Elementary:    Hickman Elementary
    Jonas Salk Elementary
    Sandburg Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  24.0 Help
Number of students:  918

Racial breakdown:

Asian:
47.9%
Hispanic:
19.7%
Two or more races:
15.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  46.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Challenger Middle ranks better than 90.7% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 4th 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 90.86. (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 Challenger Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: Asian (47.9%), Hispanic (19.7%), two or more races (15.6%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 46.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Challenger Middle is 24. 18 middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Challenger Middle employs 38.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Challenger Middle is $7,394. 22 middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Challenger Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Challenger Middle 258th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Challenger 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:
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 Challenger Middle.

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Rank History for Challenger Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 61.82 564th 1769 68.1%
2005 66.03 503rd 1777 71.7%
2006 62.83 581st 1804 67.8%
2007 68.13 525th 1999 73.7%
2008 74.29 396th 2005 80.2%
2009 75.38 387th 2063 81.2%
2010 73.23 479th 2179 78.0%
2011 77.98 339th 2236 84.8%
2012 82.95 232nd 2259 89.7%
2013 83.39 238th 2379 90.0%
2015 91.26 194th 2477 92.2%
2016 92.08 181st 2497 92.8%
2017 91.36 214th 2508 91.5%
2018 93.95 149th 2480 94.0%
2019 90.85 242nd 2715 91.1%
2022 91.46 239th 2740 91.3%
2023 92.69 215th 2802 92.3%
2024 90.86 258th 2777 90.7%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.33 139th 462 69.9%
2019 67.15 191st 554 65.5%
2022 61.46 261st 665 60.8%
2023 54.31 324th 678 52.2%
2024 58.92 293rd 699 58.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.00 115th 1364 91.6%
2019 82.94 108th 1442 92.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 91.00 80th 1538 94.8%
2024 91.27 93rd 1550 94.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 96.99 43rd 2230 98.1%
2019 92.29 117th 2369 95.1%
2022 93.32 100th 2458 95.9%
2023 95.42 80th 2549 96.9%
2024 90.54 181st 2575 93.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 94.95 10th 336 97.0%
2023 96.82 8th 321 97.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 92.29 161st 2262 92.9%
2019 90.00 222nd 2380 90.7%
2022 93.46 162nd 2509 93.5%
2023 93.02 178th 2547 93.0%
2024 91.78 203rd 2546 92.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.84 156th 1369 88.6%
2019 70.43 275th 1491 81.6%
2022 91.32 79th 1531 94.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 91.76 8th 193 95.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.29 132nd 2273 94.2%
2019 90.44 228th 2407 90.5%
2022 87.62 307th 2527 87.9%
2023 90.45 241st 2558 90.6%
2024 87.69 295th 2547 88.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.81 214th 700 69.4%
2019 61.99 329th 745 55.8%
2022 60.11 338th 733 53.9%
2023 65.93 284th 718 60.4%
2024 59.83 347th 741 53.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 80.76 89th 643 86.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.85 140th 2072 93.2%
2019 83.73 233rd 2213 89.5%
2022 87.23 179th 2359 92.4%
2023 81.54 284th 2391 88.1%
2024 82.89 264th 2383 88.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Challenger Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.15 103rd 1496 93.1%
2019 77.73 307th 1602 80.8%
2022 81.38 223rd 1555 85.7%
2023 90.25 72nd 1552 95.4%
2024 85.47 145th 1535 90.6%
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.

Challenger Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Sunday, September 2, 2018

Open Quote I was a former student here a few years ago. Most teachers here don't care about any of the students. I witnessed bullying and the teachers did not do anything about it. The school only cares about their reputation and not their students. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Open Quote My child has been the victim of multiple, racially motivated harrassments, assaults, and beatings at this school.

When concerns were expressed to the principal, the reply was that we can move out of the school.

STAY AWAY from this place. Under its current management, violent children are protected and the victims penalized. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Challenger Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 461 39 275 66 2 n/a n/a 0 843
1989 506 35 268 64 3 n/a n/a 0 876
1990 478 42 299 63 4 n/a n/a 0 886
1991 461 48 298 75 2 n/a n/a 0 884
1992 437 56 403 84 5 n/a n/a 0 985
1993 424 55 481 71 6 n/a n/a 0 1037
1994 395 62 458 72 6 n/a n/a 0 993
1995 414 78 510 79 6 n/a n/a 0 1087
1996 414 78 510 79 6 n/a n/a 0 1087
1997 530 85 674 99 3 n/a n/a 0 1391
1998 503 91 710 113 5 n/a n/a 0 1422
1999 430 65 651 121 5 n/a n/a 0 1272
2000 361 77 554 117 2 n/a n/a 0 1111
2001 347 68 601 117 3 n/a n/a 0 1136
2002 335 66 603 113 2 n/a n/a 0 1119
2003 335 66 603 113 2 n/a n/a 0 1119
2004 278 78 575 174 3 n/a n/a 0 1108
2005 260 100 574 232 7 n/a n/a 0 1173
2006 246 108 613 252 2 n/a n/a 0 1221
2007 240 95 579 254 1 n/a n/a 7 1176
2008 249 87 555 243 1 n/a n/a 0 1135
2009 239 96 517 260 2 16 0 0 1130
2010 217 74 482 250 4 9 56 0 1092
2011 188 85 513 264 5 9 73 0 1137
2012 185 63 518 217 5 11 73 0 1072
2013 173 56 484 211 3 11 98 0 1036
2014 182 50 467 209 3 7 121 0 1039
2015 173 38 476 192 2 7 102 0 990
2016 154 36 497 186 1 6 107 0 987
2017 153 38 497 164 2 8 122 0 984
2018 144 29 487 174 4 7 126 0 971
2019 140 34 459 161 2 7 142 0 945
2020 131 35 444 182 1 6 129 0 928
2021 124 27 445 174 1 5 118 0 894
2022 112 13 427 172 3 3 117 0 847
2023 123 15 420 165 1 1 116 0 841
2024 132 19 440 181 1 1 143 1 918

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 Challenger Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 843 33.9 24.8 n/a
1989 876 30.6 28.6 n/a
1990 886 36.4 24.3 n/a
1991 884 36.3 24.3 n/a
1992 985 36.9 26.6 21.7
1993 1037 41.3 25.1 23.3
1994 993 39.3 25.3 34.3
1995 1087 39.4 27.6 35.3
1996 1087 39.4 27.6 35.3
1997 1391 56.2 24.8 38.1
1998 1422 57.7 24.6 33.1
1999 1272 51.5 24.7 32.4
2000 1111 50.0 22.2 29.3
2001 1136 50.6 22.5 25.1
2002 1119 48.6 23.0 32.6
2003 1119 48.6 23.0 32.6
2004 1108 49.2 22.5 33.7
2005 1173 47.4 24.7 37.7
2006 1221 50.2 24.3 39.2
2007 1176 48.0 24.5 41.4
2008 1135 52.1 21.8 45
2009 1130 45.7 22.6 49
2010 1092 43.0 25.4 51.4
2011 1137 n/a n/a 54.4
2012 1072 42.3 25.3 n/a
2013 1036 43.1 24.0 46.7
2014 1039 38.0 27.3 45.4
2015 990 39.0 25.3 44.3
2016 987 39.0 25.3 44.3
2017 984 40.8 24.1 42.6
2018 971 38.4 25.2 42.2
2019 945 40.2 23.5 42.6
2020 928 n/a n/a 42.5
2021 894 36.4 24.5 50.7
2022 847 37.4 22.6 46.9
2023 841 36.0 23.3 47.2
2024 918 38.2 24.0 46.8

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 Challenger Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 843 33.9 24.8 n/a
1989 876 30.6 28.6 n/a
1990 886 36.4 24.3 n/a
1991 884 36.3 24.3 n/a
1992 985 36.9 26.6 21.7
1993 1037 41.3 25.1 23.3
1994 993 39.3 25.3 34.3
1995 1087 39.4 27.6 35.3
1996 1087 39.4 27.6 35.3
1997 1391 56.2 24.8 38.1
1998 1422 57.7 24.6 33.1
1999 1272 51.5 24.7 32.4
2000 1111 50.0 22.2 29.3
2001 1136 50.6 22.5 25.1
2002 1119 48.6 23.0 32.6
2003 1119 48.6 23.0 32.6
2004 1108 49.2 22.5 33.7
2005 1173 47.4 24.7 37.7
2006 1221 50.2 24.3 39.2
2007 1176 48.0 24.5 41.4
2008 1135 52.1 21.8 45
2009 1130 45.7 22.6 49
2010 1092 43.0 25.4 51.4
2011 1137 n/a n/a 54.4
2012 1072 42.3 25.3 n/a
2013 1036 43.1 24.0 46.7
2014 1039 38.0 27.3 45.4
2015 990 39.0 25.3 44.3
2016 987 39.0 25.3 44.3
2017 984 40.8 24.1 42.6
2018 971 38.4 25.2 42.2
2019 945 40.2 23.5 42.6
2020 928 n/a n/a 42.5
2021 894 36.4 24.5 50.7
2022 847 37.4 22.6 46.9
2023 841 36.0 23.3 47.2
2024 918 38.2 24.0 46.8

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 Challenger Middle

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,394

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Challenger 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 242nd of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 215th of 2802 Middle schools
 1.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Challenger Middle)68.769.1
 0.3%
   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 (Challenger Middle)55.858.2
 2.4%
   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 (Challenger Middle)7568.4
 6.6%
   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 (Challenger Middle)71.563.5
 8%
   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 (Challenger Middle)76.976.6
 0.3%
   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 (Challenger Middle)68.466
 2.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (San Diego Unified)41.336.9
 4.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Challenger Middle)56.753.1
 3.7%
   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 Students945841
 11%
African American3415
 55.9%
American Indian21
 50%
Asian459420
 8.5%
Hispanic161165
 2.5%
Pacific Islander71
 85.7%
White140123
 12.1%
Two or More Races142116
 18.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients42.6%47.2%
 4.6%

Schools Near Challenger Middle








Frequently Asked Questions about Challenger Middle

Students who attend Challenger Middle usually go on to attend Mira Mesa High

In the 2023-24 school year, 918 students attended Challenger Middle.

Students at Challenger Middle are 48% Asian, 20% Hispanic, 16% Two or more races, 14% White, 2% African American.

Yes. Challenger Middle ranks in the top 9.3% of California middle schools.


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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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