Innovation Middle

Summary:

Innovation Middle is a public middle school in San Diego, California, serving 349 students in grades 6-8 and part of the San Diego Unified School District. While the school has some strengths, it faces several academic challenges compared to nearby high-performing middle schools.

Academically, Innovation Middle's performance on standardized tests lags behind both district and state averages across subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 22% of 6th graders and 62.59% of 7th graders scored proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to district averages of 53.33% to 54.02% and state averages of 45.82% to 47.19%. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 13.1% to 28.5% in recent years, significantly higher than district and state norms. Student subgroup performance varies, with White and Multi-racial students generally outperforming Hispanic and English Language Learner students.

Innovation Middle's challenges are particularly notable given its proximity to several high-performing middle schools, such as Pacific Beach Middle, Standley Middle, and Marston Middle, which consistently outperform Innovation Middle in academic measures. Additionally, the school serves a relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, which may contribute to its academic struggles. Addressing these issues, particularly in 6th grade English Language Arts and Mathematics, as well as the high chronic absenteeism rates, could be crucial for improving educational outcomes at Innovation Middle.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 5095 Arvinels Ave.
       San Diego, CA  92117-2303


(858) 278-5948

District: San Diego Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1005th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,563 Help


Students who attend Innovation Middle usually attend:

High:    Madison High

Feeder schools for Innovation Middle:

Elementary:    Clairemont Canyons Academy
    Field Elementary
    Hawthorne Elementary
    Lafayette Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  18.3 Help
Number of students:  349

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
58.5%
White:
17.8%
Two or more races:
9.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  71.6% Help


 See top rated California middle schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Innovation Middle ranks better than 63.8% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 12th among 23 ranked middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.26. (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 Innovation Middle has the smallest middle school student body size in the San Diego Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (58.5%), White (17.8%), two or more races (9.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 71.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Innovation Middle is 18.3, which is the 2nd best among 23 middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Innovation Middle employs 18.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Innovation Middle is $8,563, which is the 7th highest among 23 middle schools in the San Diego Unified School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Innovation Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Innovation Middle 1005th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Innovation Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male 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 Innovation Middle.

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Rank History for Innovation Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 38.43 1353rd 2179 37.9%
2011 56.56 918th 2236 58.9%
2012 51.53 1061st 2259 53.0%
2013 48.78 1182nd 2379 50.3%
2015 72.09 605th 2477 75.6%
2016 63.50 789th 2497 68.4%
2017 46.04 1219th 2508 51.4%
2018 42.01 1307th 2480 47.3%
2019 32.78 1688th 2715 37.8%
2022 46.56 1266th 2740 53.8%
2023 46.24 1281st 2802 54.3%
2024 55.26 1005th 2777 63.8%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.84 242nd 462 47.6%
2019 25.00 443rd 554 20.0%
2022 54.72 303rd 665 54.4%
2023 11.96 590th 678 13.0%
2024 31.48 488th 699 30.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.04 1043rd 1364 23.5%
2019 29.74 1135th 1442 21.3%
2022 44.27 618th 1540 59.9%
2023 34.96 980th 1529 35.9%
2024 40.02 731st 1477 50.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 52.72 503rd 1538 67.3%
2024 62.65 372nd 1550 76.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.34 1375th 2230 38.3%
2019 31.98 1598th 2369 32.5%
2022 51.66 964th 2458 60.8%
2023 54.63 889th 2549 65.1%
2024 61.75 712th 2575 72.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 51.85 128th 336 61.9%
2023 73.36 49th 321 84.7%
2024 57.93 113th 394 71.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.86 1301st 2262 42.5%
2019 27.51 1704th 2380 28.4%
2022 41.63 1291st 2509 48.5%
2023 42.28 1268th 2547 50.2%
2024 54.17 956th 2546 62.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.92 252nd 1369 81.6%
2019 47.23 594th 1491 60.2%
2022 56.16 455th 1531 70.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.16 1124th 2273 50.5%
2019 36.67 1416th 2407 41.2%
2022 50.41 1048th 2527 58.5%
2023 48.89 1098th 2558 57.1%
2024 55.08 928th 2547 63.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.24 594th 700 15.1%
2019 15.39 649th 745 12.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.76 1567th 2072 24.4%
2019 25.62 1691st 2213 23.6%
2022 51.40 955th 2359 59.5%
2023 49.89 988th 2391 58.7%
2024 53.50 894th 2383 62.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Innovation Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.94 728th 1496 51.3%
2019 40.12 949th 1602 40.8%
2022 32.18 1063rd 1555 31.6%
2023 36.99 965th 1552 37.8%
2024 61.81 556th 1535 63.8%
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.

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






Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

by a parent
Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Open Quote Really good teachers that meet the kids where they are at academically. Patient, caring and really good communicators. Glad we picked this school and our younger will follow. Close Quote


by a student
Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Open Quote not good Close Quote



Enrollment information for Innovation Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2009 121 47 48 162 5 10 0 0 393
2010 155 54 62 210 3 14 12 0 510
2011 177 39 67 222 4 10 10 0 529
2012 166 41 46 205 1 6 27 0 492
2013 155 40 48 214 1 5 31 0 494
2014 139 29 55 197 2 5 44 0 471
2015 124 21 40 211 3 2 33 0 434
2016 140 25 53 271 2 4 34 0 529
2017 115 33 52 263 1 6 41 0 511
2018 127 28 51 244 1 6 38 0 495
2019 106 22 40 273 0 10 38 0 489
2020 91 20 32 275 1 5 52 0 476
2021 69 20 27 268 0 5 45 0 434
2022 52 20 24 206 0 1 36 0 339
2023 62 18 31 204 0 2 32 0 349

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 Innovation Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 393 19.7 17.2 67.2
2010 510 24.0 21.2 67.3
2011 529 n/a n/a 68.2
2012 492 24.2 20.3 n/a
2013 494 22.0 22.4 63.2
2014 471 22.0 21.4 63.3
2015 434 20.0 21.7 62.7
2016 529 24.0 22.0 63.9
2017 511 23.5 21.7 65.8
2018 495 22.9 21.6 64.2
2019 489 25.6 19.0 70.3
2020 476 n/a n/a 73.3
2021 434 21.0 20.6 69.4
2022 339 21.5 15.7 73.7
2023 349 18.9 18.3 71.6

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 Innovation Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 393 19.7 17.2 67.2
2010 510 24.0 21.2 67.3
2011 529 n/a n/a 68.2
2012 492 24.2 20.3 n/a
2013 494 22.0 22.4 63.2
2014 471 22.0 21.4 63.3
2015 434 20.0 21.7 62.7
2016 529 24.0 22.0 63.9
2017 511 23.5 21.7 65.8
2018 495 22.9 21.6 64.2
2019 489 25.6 19.0 70.3
2020 476 n/a n/a 73.3
2021 434 21.0 20.6 69.4
2022 339 21.5 15.7 73.7
2023 349 18.9 18.3 71.6

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 Innovation Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $8,563

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Innovation 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 1688th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1281st of 2802 Middle schools
 16.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Innovation Middle)37.543.3
 5.8%
   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 (Innovation Middle)32.927
 5.9%
   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 (Innovation Middle)39.353.3
 14%
   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 (Innovation Middle)28.329.2
 0.9%
   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 (Innovation Middle)3342.6
 9.6%
   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 (Innovation Middle)1815.7
 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 (Innovation Middle)25.724.5
 1.2%
   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 Students489349
 28.6%
African American2218
 18.2%
American Indian00
Asian4031
 22.5%
Hispanic273204
 25.3%
Pacific Islander102
 80%
White10662
 41.5%
Two or More Races3832
 15.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients70.3%71.6%
 1.3%


Schools Near Innovation Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Innovation Middle

Students who attend Innovation Middle usually go on to attend Madison High

In the 2022-23 school year, 349 students attended Innovation Middle.

Innovation Middle ranks 1005th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Innovation Middle are 58% Hispanic, 18% White, 9% Two or more races, 9% Asian, 5% African American.


Rate Innovation Middle!



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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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