Hilltop Middle

Summary:

Hilltop Middle is a public middle school in Chula Vista, California, serving 869 students in grades 7-8. The school faces several challenges, including low academic performance, high chronic absenteeism, and a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

Hilltop Middle's academic performance, as measured by state assessments, is significantly below the district and state averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 37.65% of Hilltop Middle students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 49.93% for the Sweetwater Union High School District and 47.04% for the state of California. In Mathematics, the proficiency rate was even lower at 18.96%, compared to 27.89% for the district and 35.54% for the state. Hilltop Middle's performance also lags behind nearby middle schools within the same district, such as Montgomery Middle, Rancho del Rey Middle, and Bonita Vista Middle.

Additionally, Hilltop Middle has experienced a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 7.2% in 2017-2018 to 20.6% in 2022-2023, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages. The school also has a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 70.54% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the district average of 62.4% and the state average of 55.3%. Addressing these challenges will require a comprehensive approach, including targeted interventions to improve academic achievement, strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism, and support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 44 East J St.
       Chula Vista, CA  91910-6115


(619) 498-2700

District: Sweetwater Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
1719th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,428 Help


Students who attend Hilltop Middle usually attend:

High:    Hilltop Senior High

Feeder schools for Hilltop Middle:

Elementary:    Cook (Hazel Goes) Elementary
    Halecrest Elementary
    Hilltop Drive Elementary
    Kellogg (Karl H.) Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  22.5 Help
Number of students:  885

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
82.9%
White:
8.8%
Two or more races:
3.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  53.7% Help


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 Compare Hilltop Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Hilltop Middle ranks worse than 61.9% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 5th among 11 ranked middle schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.55. (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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (82.9%), White (8.8%), two or more races (3.3%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 53.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hilltop Middle is 22.5. 6 middle schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Hilltop Middle employs 39.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hilltop Middle is $7,428. 8 middle schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hilltop Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Hilltop Middle 1719th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Hilltop 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:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Sweetwater Union High:

SchoolDigger ranks Sweetwater Union High 745th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Hilltop Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 64.25 533rd 1769 69.9%
2005 68.03 473rd 1777 73.4%
2006 58.20 667th 1804 63.0%
2007 63.05 619th 1999 69.0%
2008 58.83 723rd 2005 63.9%
2009 56.64 823rd 2063 60.1%
2010 51.81 990th 2179 54.6%
2011 56.81 910th 2236 59.3%
2012 45.13 1217th 2259 46.1%
2013 45.62 1274th 2379 46.4%
2015 40.64 1321st 2477 46.7%
2016 38.45 1410th 2497 43.5%
2017 31.24 1640th 2508 34.6%
2018 30.77 1639th 2480 33.9%
2019 35.76 1590th 2715 41.4%
2021 35.20 554th 894 38.0%
2022 36.32 1576th 2740 42.5%
2023 35.49 1617th 2802 42.3%
2024 32.55 1719th 2777 38.1%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.55 383rd 462 17.1%
2019 38.29 372nd 554 32.9%
2022 41.94 394th 665 40.8%
2024 34.29 465th 699 33.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.32 697th 1364 48.9%
2019 31.30 1049th 1442 27.3%
2021 46.05 135th 363 62.8%
2022 34.09 1014th 1540 34.2%
2023 32.74 1089th 1529 28.8%
2024 27.55 1355th 1477 8.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 29.73 1090th 1538 29.1%
2024 44.88 662nd 1550 57.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.02 1192nd 2230 46.5%
2019 40.69 1310th 2369 44.7%
2021 47.88 323rd 721 55.2%
2022 42.91 1236th 2458 49.7%
2023 40.85 1305th 2549 48.8%
2024 30.03 1774th 2575 31.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.98 1592nd 2262 29.6%
2019 37.12 1394th 2380 41.4%
2021 33.25 475th 738 35.6%
2022 38.24 1399th 2509 44.2%
2023 38.69 1368th 2547 46.3%
2024 30.02 1666th 2546 34.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.67 685th 1369 50.0%
2019 38.66 773rd 1491 48.2%
2021 39.30 190th 354 46.3%
2022 46.41 622nd 1531 59.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.15 1467th 2273 35.5%
2019 33.43 1509th 2407 37.3%
2021 37.10 444th 763 41.8%
2022 34.35 1498th 2527 40.7%
2023 32.94 1565th 2558 38.8%
2024 34.04 1519th 2547 40.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.32 1228th 2072 40.7%
2019 42.83 1165th 2213 47.4%
2022 48.21 1053rd 2359 55.4%
2023 42.20 1207th 2391 49.5%
2024 39.44 1321st 2383 44.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Hilltop Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.71 1180th 1496 21.1%
2019 27.13 1179th 1602 26.4%
2022 16.14 1340th 1555 13.8%
2023 33.46 1025th 1552 34.0%
2024 21.55 1222nd 1535 20.4%
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.

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





Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

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100%

  

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Enrollment information for Hilltop Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 569 29 139 618 9 n/a n/a 0 1364
1989 561 42 137 625 13 n/a n/a 0 1378
1990 610 41 137 687 7 n/a n/a 0 1482
1991 616 43 133 751 11 n/a n/a 0 1554
1992 612 42 134 773 12 n/a n/a 0 1573
1993 439 38 96 649 11 n/a n/a 0 1233
1994 382 41 91 584 13 n/a n/a 0 1111
1995 405 42 96 672 18 n/a n/a 0 1233
1996 405 42 96 672 18 n/a n/a 0 1233
1997 414 58 101 678 12 n/a n/a 0 1263
1998 403 58 101 711 13 n/a n/a 0 1286
1999 377 63 94 713 15 n/a n/a 0 1262
2000 349 48 73 754 19 n/a n/a 0 1243
2001 334 42 74 791 17 n/a n/a 0 1258
2002 296 43 73 763 9 n/a n/a 0 1184
2003 296 43 73 763 9 n/a n/a 0 1184
2004 266 57 68 750 14 n/a n/a 0 1155
2005 258 55 77 863 19 n/a n/a 0 1272
2006 225 50 78 944 12 n/a n/a 0 1309
2007 222 48 61 1019 8 n/a n/a 0 1358
2008 218 48 63 983 8 n/a n/a 0 1320
2009 170 38 66 960 2 10 3 0 1249
2010 130 24 51 948 2 8 26 0 1189
2011 119 20 31 903 0 6 50 0 1129
2012 99 16 26 881 2 5 42 0 1071
2013 88 12 25 941 2 7 40 0 1115
2014 86 15 24 997 1 5 43 0 1171
2015 76 19 30 960 2 2 43 0 1132
2016 73 13 33 868 1 1 36 0 1025
2017 62 13 23 846 2 2 29 0 977
2018 109 13 13 831 3 3 33 0 1005
2019 168 18 28 728 18 7 37 0 1004
2020 154 26 31 694 18 4 39 0 966
2021 144 25 32 667 9 2 35 0 914
2022 118 16 24 648 4 4 24 0 838
2023 121 14 22 684 2 1 25 0 869
2024 78 15 24 734 5 0 29 0 885

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 Hilltop Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1364 54.1 25.2 n/a
1989 1378 52.1 26.4 n/a
1990 1482 53.0 27.9 n/a
1991 1554 57.0 27.2 n/a
1992 1573 57.9 27.1 12.7
1993 1233 51.4 24.0 16.4
1994 1111 46.1 24.1 26.7
1995 1233 52.4 23.5 34
1996 1233 52.4 23.5 34
1997 1263 55.8 22.6 36.5
1998 1286 58.6 21.9 34.9
1999 1262 53.5 23.6 33.9
2000 1243 56.7 21.9 27.4
2001 1258 57.1 22.0 40.8
2002 1184 54.2 21.8 49.6
2003 1184 54.2 21.8 49.6
2004 1155 51.2 22.6 42.4
2005 1272 56.0 22.7 38.9
2006 1309 58.6 22.3 39
2007 1358 61.0 22.3 42
2008 1320 67.0 19.7 48
2009 1249 52.4 20.3 43.3
2010 1189 53.4 22.2 54
2011 1129 n/a n/a 57.5
2012 1071 45.2 23.6 n/a
2013 1115 44.2 25.2 60.8
2014 1171 44.5 26.2 69.7
2015 1132 45.0 25.1 64
2016 1025 39.0 26.2 64.8
2017 977 39.5 24.6 56.7
2018 1005 42.0 23.9 74.7
2019 1004 41.2 24.3 63
2020 966 n/a n/a 63.3
2021 914 39.1 23.3 62.5
2022 838 36.0 23.2 59.5
2023 869 34.2 25.3 70.5
2024 885 39.3 22.5 53.7

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 Hilltop Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1364 54.1 25.2 n/a
1989 1378 52.1 26.4 n/a
1990 1482 53.0 27.9 n/a
1991 1554 57.0 27.2 n/a
1992 1573 57.9 27.1 12.7
1993 1233 51.4 24.0 16.4
1994 1111 46.1 24.1 26.7
1995 1233 52.4 23.5 34
1996 1233 52.4 23.5 34
1997 1263 55.8 22.6 36.5
1998 1286 58.6 21.9 34.9
1999 1262 53.5 23.6 33.9
2000 1243 56.7 21.9 27.4
2001 1258 57.1 22.0 40.8
2002 1184 54.2 21.8 49.6
2003 1184 54.2 21.8 49.6
2004 1155 51.2 22.6 42.4
2005 1272 56.0 22.7 38.9
2006 1309 58.6 22.3 39
2007 1358 61.0 22.3 42
2008 1320 67.0 19.7 48
2009 1249 52.4 20.3 43.3
2010 1189 53.4 22.2 54
2011 1129 n/a n/a 57.5
2012 1071 45.2 23.6 n/a
2013 1115 44.2 25.2 60.8
2014 1171 44.5 26.2 69.7
2015 1132 45.0 25.1 64
2016 1025 39.0 26.2 64.8
2017 977 39.5 24.6 56.7
2018 1005 42.0 23.9 74.7
2019 1004 41.2 24.3 63
2020 966 n/a n/a 63.3
2021 914 39.1 23.3 62.5
2022 838 36.0 23.2 59.5
2023 869 34.2 25.3 70.5
2024 885 39.3 22.5 53.7

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 Hilltop Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,428

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Hilltop 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 1590th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1617th of 2802 Middle schools
 0.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Hilltop Middle)48.542.3
 6.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sweetwater Union High)53.747.9
 5.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Hilltop Middle)26.723.5
 3.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Sweetwater Union High)36.931.2
 5.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Hilltop Middle)43.737.3
 6.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sweetwater Union High)50.445
 5.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hilltop Middle)2015
 4.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Sweetwater Union High)33.325.8
 7.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Hilltop Middle)18.719.1
 0.5%
   8th Grade Science (Sweetwater Union High)29.424.2
 5.2%
   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 Students1004869
 13.4%
African American1814
 22.2%
American Indian182
 88.9%
Asian2822
 21.4%
Hispanic728684
 6%
Pacific Islander71
 85.7%
White168121
 28%
Two or More Races3725
 32.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients63%70.5%
 7.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Hilltop Middle

Hilltop Middle ranks 1719th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Hilltop Middle usually go on to attend Hilltop Senior High

In the 2023-24 school year, 885 students attended Hilltop Middle.

Students at Hilltop Middle are 83% Hispanic, 9% White, 3% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American.


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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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