Mar Vista Academy

Summary:

Mar Vista Academy is a public middle school in San Diego, California, serving 552 students in grades 7-8 and part of the Sweetwater Union High School District.

The data suggests Mar Vista Academy faces significant challenges, with a high chronic absenteeism rate ranging from 12.5% to 32.9% in recent years, well above the state average and nearby schools like National City Middle and Rancho del Rey Middle. The school's test scores are also consistently lower than the district and state averages across all subject areas and grade levels, with only 31.88% of students proficient in English Language Arts and 15.77% in Mathematics. Additionally, Mar Vista Academy has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 78.75% to 86.05%, indicating a high concentration of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

Interestingly, Mar Vista Academy's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, ranking relatively high for African American students but much lower for Hispanic and White students. Compared to nearby schools, Mar Vista Academy generally performs worse across key metrics, with the exception of Vista Del Mar, a middle school in the neighboring San Ysidro Elementary School District that outperforms Mar Vista Academy and the Sweetwater Union High School District on most academic measures, suggesting that high-performing schools can exist even in districts with lower overall performance.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 1267 Thermal Ave.
       San Diego, CA  92154-2802


(619) 628-5100

District: Sweetwater Union High

SchoolDigger Rank:
2051st of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,736 Help


Students who attend Mar Vista Academy usually attend:

High:    Mar Vista Senior High

Feeder schools for Mar Vista Academy:

Elementary:    Bayside STEAM Academy
    Central Elementary
    Emory Elementary
    Imperial Beach Charter
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  20.9 Help
Number of students:  552

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
71.2%
White:
10.9%
Asian:
7.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  86.1% Help


 See top rated California middle schools

 Compare Mar Vista Academy to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Mar Vista Academy ranks worse than 73.9% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 9th among 11 ranked middle schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.52. (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 (71.2%), White (10.9%), Asian (7.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 86.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mar Vista Academy is 20.9, which is the 2nd best among 11 middle schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Mar Vista Academy employs 26.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mar Vista Academy is $8,736, which is the 3rd highest among 11 middle schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mar Vista Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Mar Vista Academy 2051st of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Mar Vista Academy 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:


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 Mar Vista Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 32.11 1160th 1769 34.4%
2005 35.96 1087th 1777 38.8%
2006 39.55 1018th 1804 43.6%
2007 42.63 1067th 1999 46.6%
2008 30.71 1408th 2005 29.8%
2009 35.10 1327th 2063 35.7%
2010 34.84 1446th 2179 33.6%
2011 52.25 1026th 2236 54.1%
2012 31.46 1597th 2259 29.3%
2013 27.05 1801st 2379 24.3%
2015 14.22 2218th 2477 10.5%
2016 17.57 2119th 2497 15.1%
2017 23.89 1902nd 2508 24.2%
2018 22.81 1891st 2480 23.8%
2019 26.77 1931st 2715 28.9%
2021 21.10 731st 894 18.2%
2022 20.35 2207th 2740 19.5%
2023 19.12 2320th 2802 17.2%
2024 24.52 2051st 2777 26.1%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.45 410th 462 11.3%
2019 7.26 520th 554 6.1%
2022 7.79 626th 665 5.9%
2023 8.32 624th 678 8.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.59 362nd 1364 73.5%
2019 47.78 478th 1442 66.9%
2021 33.77 269th 363 25.9%
2022 36.27 924th 1540 40.0%
2023 39.93 779th 1529 49.1%
2024 34.84 955th 1477 35.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 24.10 1310th 1538 14.8%
2024 32.15 1020th 1550 34.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.93 1593rd 2230 28.6%
2019 32.15 1590th 2369 32.9%
2021 24.77 592nd 721 17.9%
2022 24.28 1930th 2458 21.5%
2023 24.72 1984th 2549 22.2%
2024 26.98 1899th 2575 26.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.11 1807th 2262 20.1%
2019 22.22 1880th 2380 21.0%
2021 22.02 593rd 738 19.6%
2022 20.43 2056th 2509 18.1%
2023 16.43 2250th 2547 11.7%
2024 24.28 1923rd 2546 24.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.60 1108th 1369 19.1%
2019 27.60 1105th 1491 25.9%
2021 29.64 263rd 354 25.7%
2022 27.02 1176th 1531 23.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.85 1726th 2273 24.1%
2019 29.85 1612th 2407 33.0%
2021 21.07 631st 763 17.3%
2022 20.97 2006th 2527 20.6%
2023 21.97 2003rd 2558 21.7%
2024 24.41 1890th 2547 25.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 34.58 400th 643 37.8%
2022 31.36 435th 637 31.7%
2024 78.01 96th 626 84.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.67 1661st 2072 19.8%
2019 30.66 1523rd 2213 31.2%
2022 19.09 2047th 2359 13.2%
2023 15.98 2168th 2391 9.3%
2024 21.63 1955th 2383 18.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Mar Vista Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.55 1312th 1496 12.3%
2019 15.76 1373rd 1602 14.3%
2022 20.90 1262nd 1555 18.8%
2023 12.22 1396th 1552 10.1%
2024 19.01 1267th 1535 17.5%
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.

Mar Vista Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

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0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Mar Vista Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 419 38 205 448 12 n/a n/a 0 1122
1989 412 61 185 553 13 n/a n/a 0 1224
1990 364 56 180 549 7 n/a n/a 0 1156
1991 351 56 158 530 11 n/a n/a 0 1106
1992 366 59 145 546 10 n/a n/a 0 1126
1993 408 61 167 598 11 n/a n/a 0 1245
1994 371 67 185 616 10 n/a n/a 0 1249
1995 360 69 152 636 11 n/a n/a 0 1228
1996 360 69 152 636 11 n/a n/a 0 1228
1997 345 90 149 673 14 n/a n/a 0 1271
1998 366 69 150 693 17 n/a n/a 0 1295
1999 371 69 156 741 16 n/a n/a 0 1353
2000 335 66 167 818 9 n/a n/a 0 1395
2001 334 75 144 843 8 n/a n/a 0 1404
2002 239 68 169 853 11 n/a n/a 0 1340
2003 239 68 169 853 11 n/a n/a 0 1340
2004 251 57 136 887 8 n/a n/a 0 1339
2005 214 69 105 904 10 n/a n/a 0 1302
2006 178 69 111 849 12 n/a n/a 0 1219
2007 155 63 115 788 8 n/a n/a 1 1130
2008 164 64 98 780 10 n/a n/a 0 1116
2009 159 55 88 776 11 9 2 0 1100
2010 117 34 66 818 0 5 41 0 1081
2011 115 37 66 788 2 0 53 0 1061
2012 99 43 63 798 2 2 56 0 1063
2013 84 34 50 787 4 4 48 0 1011
2014 65 19 35 751 7 3 39 0 919
2015 45 25 43 714 4 0 37 0 868
2016 59 28 57 695 5 2 42 0 888
2017 62 21 54 669 3 3 49 0 861
2018 70 23 59 603 3 4 35 0 797
2019 104 24 53 522 3 5 25 0 736
2020 117 27 47 479 5 1 20 0 696
2021 97 28 41 396 4 3 24 0 593
2022 73 19 36 363 2 9 28 0 530
2023 60 23 41 393 2 7 25 1 552

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 Mar Vista Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1122 45.2 24.8 n/a
1989 1224 48.0 25.5 n/a
1990 1156 48.4 23.8 n/a
1991 1106 47.9 23.0 n/a
1992 1126 48.7 23.1 45.3
1993 1245 54.4 22.9 48.6
1994 1249 54.7 22.8 55
1995 1228 54.1 22.7 69.5
1996 1228 54.1 22.7 69.5
1997 1271 52.6 24.2 68.5
1998 1295 59.2 21.9 68
1999 1353 61.8 21.9 63.3
2000 1395 61.2 22.8 54.4
2001 1404 62.8 22.4 65.5
2002 1340 62.6 21.4 43.8
2003 1340 62.6 21.4 43.8
2004 1339 60.0 22.3 71.5
2005 1302 62.6 20.8 64
2006 1219 54.6 22.3 64.1
2007 1130 53.4 21.2 64.7
2008 1116 60.6 18.4 56.7
2009 1100 47.8 19.4 71.5
2010 1081 48.8 22.1 75.1
2011 1061 n/a n/a 75.5
2012 1063 44.6 23.8 n/a
2013 1011 44.0 22.9 76.2
2014 919 37.6 24.4 82.3
2015 868 37.0 23.4 78.2
2016 888 36.0 24.6 78.9
2017 861 42.1 20.4 78.9
2018 797 37.1 21.4 84.4
2019 736 38.1 19.2 82.1
2020 696 n/a n/a 84.9
2021 593 29.0 20.4 78.8
2022 530 24.8 21.3 82.6
2023 552 26.4 20.9 86.1

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 Mar Vista Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1122 45.2 24.8 n/a
1989 1224 48.0 25.5 n/a
1990 1156 48.4 23.8 n/a
1991 1106 47.9 23.0 n/a
1992 1126 48.7 23.1 45.3
1993 1245 54.4 22.9 48.6
1994 1249 54.7 22.8 55
1995 1228 54.1 22.7 69.5
1996 1228 54.1 22.7 69.5
1997 1271 52.6 24.2 68.5
1998 1295 59.2 21.9 68
1999 1353 61.8 21.9 63.3
2000 1395 61.2 22.8 54.4
2001 1404 62.8 22.4 65.5
2002 1340 62.6 21.4 43.8
2003 1340 62.6 21.4 43.8
2004 1339 60.0 22.3 71.5
2005 1302 62.6 20.8 64
2006 1219 54.6 22.3 64.1
2007 1130 53.4 21.2 64.7
2008 1116 60.6 18.4 56.7
2009 1100 47.8 19.4 71.5
2010 1081 48.8 22.1 75.1
2011 1061 n/a n/a 75.5
2012 1063 44.6 23.8 n/a
2013 1011 44.0 22.9 76.2
2014 919 37.6 24.4 82.3
2015 868 37.0 23.4 78.2
2016 888 36.0 24.6 78.9
2017 861 42.1 20.4 78.9
2018 797 37.1 21.4 84.4
2019 736 38.1 19.2 82.1
2020 696 n/a n/a 84.9
2021 593 29.0 20.4 78.8
2022 530 24.8 21.3 82.6
2023 552 26.4 20.9 86.1

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 Mar Vista Academy

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $8,736

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Mar Vista Academy

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 1931st of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2320th of 2802 Middle schools
 11.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Mar Vista Academy)3425.6
 8.4%
   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 (Mar Vista Academy)24.914.2
 10.8%
   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 (Mar Vista Academy)34.128
 6.1%
   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 (Mar Vista Academy)21.511.9
 9.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Sweetwater Union High)33.325.8
 7.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Mar Vista Academy)18.19.1
 9%
   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 Students736552
 25%
African American2423
 4.2%
American Indian32
 33.3%
Asian5341
 22.6%
Hispanic522393
 24.7%
Pacific Islander57
 40%
White10460
 42.3%
Two or More Races2525
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients82.1%86.1%
 4%


Schools Near Mar Vista Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Mar Vista Academy

In the 2022-23 school year, 552 students attended Mar Vista Academy.

Students at Mar Vista Academy are 71% Hispanic, 11% White, 7% Asian, 5% Two or more races, 4% African American, 1% Pacific Islander.

Students who attend Mar Vista Academy usually go on to attend Mar Vista Senior High

Mar Vista Academy ranks 2051st of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.


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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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