Jefferson Middle

Summary:

Jefferson Middle is a public middle school located in Torrance, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 638 students. It is part of the Torrance Unified School District, which is ranked 191 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Jefferson Middle consistently performs above the Torrance Unified and California state averages in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics. For the 2023-2024 school year, Jefferson Middle's proficiency rates range from 69.57% to 71.43% in ELA and 59.33% to 61.62% in Math, compared to Torrance Unified's 62.12% to 63.66% in ELA and 52.61% to 57.25% in Math, and the state's 45.82% to 47.19% in ELA and 31.57% to 34.31% in Math. Additionally, Jefferson Middle has maintained a high statewide ranking, placing in the top 10% of California middle schools for the past several years, and it ranks in the top 5% of California middle schools for African American students and in the top 3% for English Language Learners and Special Education students.

While Jefferson Middle outperforms the Torrance Unified district and the state in academic measures, some nearby schools within the same district, such as Calle Mayor Middle and Bert M. Lynn Middle, also demonstrate strong academic performance, with proficiency rates comparable to or even exceeding those of Jefferson Middle. Additionally, when comparing Jefferson Middle to schools in the neighboring Hermosa Beach City Elementary and Redondo Beach Unified districts, the academic performance of schools like Hermosa Valley Elementary and Parras (Nick G.) Middle is notably higher than Jefferson Middle.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 21717 Talisman St.
       Torrance, CA  90503-6441


(310) 533-4794

District: Torrance Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
223rd of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $4,778 Help


Students who attend Jefferson Middle usually attend:

High:    West High

Feeder schools for Jefferson Middle:

Elementary:    Anza Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  24.4 Help
Number of students:  638

Racial breakdown:

Asian:
34.0%
Hispanic:
26.2%
White:
20.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  24.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Jefferson Middle ranks better than 92% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 3rd among 8 ranked middle schools in the Torrance Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.21. (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
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Compare Details Student population at Jefferson Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: Asian (34%), Hispanic (26.2%), White (20.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 24.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Jefferson Middle is 24.4, which is the highest among 8 middle schools in the Torrance Unified School District! (See more...)
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Compare Jefferson Middle employs 26 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Jefferson Middle is $4,778. 5 middle schools in the Torrance Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Jefferson Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson Middle 223rd of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Jefferson 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:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Torrance Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Torrance Unified 191st of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Jefferson Middle

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Rank History for all students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 74.93 352nd 1769 80.1%
2005 69.60 449th 1777 74.7%
2006 67.06 500th 1804 72.3%
2007 68.05 526th 1999 73.7%
2008 64.94 601st 2005 70.0%
2009 70.51 499th 2063 75.8%
2010 79.49 313th 2179 85.6%
2011 74.91 418th 2236 81.3%
2012 78.33 348th 2259 84.6%
2013 76.20 422nd 2379 82.3%
2015 83.48 362nd 2477 85.4%
2016 88.77 257th 2497 89.7%
2017 91.30 216th 2508 91.4%
2018 90.44 230th 2480 90.7%
2019 89.20 284th 2715 89.5%
2022 91.17 248th 2740 90.9%
2023 91.68 247th 2802 91.2%
2024 92.21 223rd 2777 92.0%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.98 164th 462 64.5%
2019 66.64 195th 554 64.8%
2022 74.45 156th 665 76.5%
2023 74.55 166th 678 75.5%
2024 82.07 97th 699 86.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 97.34 32nd 1364 97.7%
2019 90.15 66th 1442 95.4%
2022 94.62 38th 1540 97.5%
2023 97.83 24th 1529 98.4%
2024 90.31 53rd 1477 96.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 90.06 93rd 1538 94.0%
2024 94.64 54th 1550 96.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.37 169th 2230 92.4%
2019 76.76 357th 2369 84.9%
2022 90.84 136th 2458 94.5%
2023 87.14 210th 2549 91.8%
2024 95.25 97th 2575 96.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 92.08 165th 2262 92.7%
2019 88.60 257th 2380 89.2%
2022 88.76 259th 2509 89.7%
2023 90.90 235th 2547 90.8%
2024 91.78 202nd 2546 92.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.49 83rd 1369 93.9%
2019 88.10 101st 1491 93.2%
2022 97.95 30th 1531 98.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.31 298th 2273 86.9%
2019 87.75 286th 2407 88.1%
2022 91.76 203rd 2527 92.0%
2023 90.56 238th 2558 90.7%
2024 90.61 235th 2547 90.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.67 241st 700 65.6%
2019 72.31 227th 745 69.5%
2022 71.92 218th 733 70.3%
2023 76.85 142nd 718 80.2%
2024 71.67 213th 741 71.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 96.66 14th 637 97.8%
2023 91.84 27th 614 95.6%
2024 87.03 52nd 626 91.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.57 145th 2072 93.0%
2019 83.40 241st 2213 89.1%
2022 82.04 263rd 2359 88.9%
2023 73.43 440th 2391 81.6%
2024 79.85 329th 2383 86.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Jefferson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.35 348th 1496 76.7%
2019 66.73 514th 1602 67.9%
2022 71.77 386th 1555 75.2%
2023 80.95 226th 1552 85.4%
2024 80.83 214th 1535 86.1%
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.

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






Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Jefferson Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1994 86 4 56 14 0 n/a n/a 0 160
1995 326 15 166 54 1 n/a n/a 0 562
1996 326 15 166 54 1 n/a n/a 0 562
1997 345 19 166 54 1 n/a n/a 0 585
1998 324 23 177 65 3 n/a n/a 0 592
1999 343 21 187 64 2 n/a n/a 0 617
2000 333 22 213 55 1 n/a n/a 0 624
2001 318 23 235 71 1 n/a n/a 0 648
2002 292 22 257 84 8 n/a n/a 0 663
2003 292 22 257 84 8 n/a n/a 0 663
2004 289 24 244 105 11 n/a n/a 0 673
2005 263 35 260 109 11 n/a n/a 1 679
2006 257 26 251 115 8 n/a n/a 1 658
2007 254 22 241 98 4 n/a n/a 41 660
2008 238 29 261 108 4 n/a n/a 0 640
2009 210 27 226 112 7 2 36 0 620
2010 212 25 221 118 7 4 24 0 611
2011 215 25 220 104 6 4 39 0 613
2012 215 30 209 104 3 6 51 0 618
2013 183 31 191 131 2 4 62 0 604
2014 173 31 199 128 3 4 54 0 592
2015 178 23 187 137 2 1 57 0 585
2016 175 20 227 145 2 2 68 0 639
2017 180 19 229 155 1 2 67 0 653
2018 166 17 220 154 1 2 67 0 627
2019 165 25 224 152 0 2 68 0 636
2020 150 26 220 170 0 2 78 0 646
2021 152 40 218 172 0 1 84 0 667
2022 146 36 226 178 0 3 80 0 669
2023 132 38 217 167 1 1 82 0 638

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 Jefferson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 160 5.0 32.0 11.9
1995 562 27.0 20.8 13.5
1996 562 27.0 20.8 13.5
1997 585 24.0 24.4 15.2
1998 592 23.2 25.5 16.2
1999 617 25.2 24.5 12.6
2000 624 27.0 23.1 14.9
2001 648 29.0 22.3 15.1
2002 663 30.3 21.9 14.8
2003 663 30.3 21.9 14.8
2004 673 29.3 23.0 15.9
2005 679 26.3 25.8 13.4
2006 658 25.0 26.3 16.7
2007 660 26.3 25.1 13.9
2008 640 28.8 22.2 21.6
2009 620 23.3 22.6 19
2010 611 23.4 26.0 20.8
2011 613 n/a n/a 21.2
2012 618 20.0 30.9 n/a
2013 604 20.6 29.2 30.3
2014 592 20.5 28.8 27.4
2015 585 22.0 26.5 27.7
2016 639 26.0 24.5 25
2017 653 25.7 25.3 22.8
2018 627 24.6 25.4 22.5
2019 636 24.6 25.7 20.4
2020 646 n/a n/a 21.4
2021 667 25.2 26.4 26.7
2022 669 26.7 25.0 21.5
2023 638 26.0 24.4 24.9

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 Jefferson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 160 5.0 32.0 11.9
1995 562 27.0 20.8 13.5
1996 562 27.0 20.8 13.5
1997 585 24.0 24.4 15.2
1998 592 23.2 25.5 16.2
1999 617 25.2 24.5 12.6
2000 624 27.0 23.1 14.9
2001 648 29.0 22.3 15.1
2002 663 30.3 21.9 14.8
2003 663 30.3 21.9 14.8
2004 673 29.3 23.0 15.9
2005 679 26.3 25.8 13.4
2006 658 25.0 26.3 16.7
2007 660 26.3 25.1 13.9
2008 640 28.8 22.2 21.6
2009 620 23.3 22.6 19
2010 611 23.4 26.0 20.8
2011 613 n/a n/a 21.2
2012 618 20.0 30.9 n/a
2013 604 20.6 29.2 30.3
2014 592 20.5 28.8 27.4
2015 585 22.0 26.5 27.7
2016 639 26.0 24.5 25
2017 653 25.7 25.3 22.8
2018 627 24.6 25.4 22.5
2019 636 24.6 25.7 20.4
2020 646 n/a n/a 21.4
2021 667 25.2 26.4 26.7
2022 669 26.7 25.0 21.5
2023 638 26.0 24.4 24.9

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 Jefferson Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $4,778

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Jefferson 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 284th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 247th of 2802 Middle schools
 1.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Jefferson Middle)69.967.3
 2.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Torrance Unified)64.360.6
 3.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson Middle)63.962.5
 1.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Torrance Unified)60.254.3
 5.9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Jefferson Middle)78.977
 1.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Torrance Unified)68.668.2
 0.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson Middle)69.760.1
 9.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Torrance Unified)59.956.3
 3.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Jefferson Middle)7071.6
 1.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Torrance Unified)66.464.9
 1.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson Middle)51.749.5
 2.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Torrance Unified)55.249.8
 5.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Jefferson Middle)53.353.1
 0.3%
   8th Grade Science (Torrance Unified)47.146.1
 1%
   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 Students636638
 0.3%
African American2538
 52%
American Indian01
Asian224217
 3.1%
Hispanic152167
 9.9%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White165132
 20%
Two or More Races6882
 20.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients20.4%24.9%
 4.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Jefferson Middle

Yes. Jefferson Middle ranks in the top 8.0% of California middle schools.

Students at Jefferson Middle are 34% Asian, 26% Hispanic, 21% White, 13% Two or more races, 6% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 638 students attended Jefferson Middle.

Students who attend Jefferson Middle usually go on to attend West High


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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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