Enrollment
464
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · San Diego, CA
Magnolia Science Academy San Diego
Federal NCES profile for Magnolia Science Academy San Diego, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 060238711393Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Magnolia Science Academy San Diego earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #29 of 37
- middle schools in San Diego · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 29:1
- large classes for California
- 30.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Magnolia Science Academy San Diego has class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Magnolia Science Academy San Diego ranks #29 of 37 middle schools in San Diego, CA.
School address
NCES ID 060238711393 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
29:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.6%
vs 55.5% California avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Magnolia Science Academy San Diego compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Magnolia Science Academy San Diego
Magnolia Science Academy San Diego is a mid-sized charter middle school in San Diego, California, enrolling 464 students.
Class loads run heavy: 29:1 is larger than about 94% of California schools and 35% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 464 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,252 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #966, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Magnolia Science Academy San Diego District spends $11,480 per pupil, 30% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among San Diego's middle schools, it stands alongside Oak Valley Middle (1,503 students): Magnolia Science Academy San Diego is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (29:1 vs 24.6:1).
Magnolia Science Academy San Diego District is a single-school charter district, so Magnolia Science Academy San Diego operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Magnolia Science Academy San Diego compares
Magnolia Science Academy San Diego on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 29:1 | ▲ 35% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.6% | ▼ 45% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 464 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
29:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
464
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
29:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 94% in California - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
22.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,480
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 36.9%
Hispanic or Latino 33.8%
Two or More 13.4%
Asian 11.4%
African American 3.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: White at 36.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.7, Magnolia Science Academy San Diego is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Magnolia Science Academy San Diego District, which includes Magnolia Science Academy San Diego.
$11,480
Per student
-30%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.0%
State 23.0%
Federal 13.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
Similar middle schools in San Diego
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Oak Valley Middle
Standard public school
1,503 students 24.6:1 students per teacher
Bernardo Heights Middle
Standard public school
1,487 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Marshall Middle
Standard public school
1,390 students 27.3:1 students per teacher
Mesa Verde Middle
Standard public school
1,178 students 28.7:1 students per teacher
Black Mountain Middle
Standard public school
1,077 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Lewis Middle
Standard public school
1,013 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~464 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~29:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Magnolia Science Academy San Diego's federal record.
- Compare Magnolia Science Academy San Diego against another school. Compare schools
- Magnolia Science Academy San Diego District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Magnolia Science Academy San Diego
How many students attend Magnolia Science Academy San Diego?
Magnolia Science Academy San Diego has 464 students enrolled. It is a middle school in San Diego, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Magnolia Science Academy San Diego?
The student-teacher ratio at Magnolia Science Academy San Diego is 29:1, which is 35% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 85% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Magnolia Science Academy San Diego?
30.6% of students at Magnolia Science Academy San Diego are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Magnolia Science Academy San Diego?
The largest demographic group at Magnolia Science Academy San Diego is White at 36.9% of enrollment, in San Diego, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Magnolia Science Academy San Diego?
Magnolia Science Academy San Diego has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Magnolia Science Academy San Diego rank among middle schools in San Diego?
By Resource Investment Index, Magnolia Science Academy San Diego ranks #29 of 37 middle schools in San Diego, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in San Diego on the city page.
Is Magnolia Science Academy San Diego a good school?
Magnolia Science Academy San Diego earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Magnolia Science Academy San Diego District?
None; Magnolia Science Academy San Diego District is a single-school charter district, and Magnolia Science Academy San Diego is its only campus.
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Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.