First Avenue Middle

Summary:

First Avenue Middle is a highly-regarded public middle school in Arcadia, California, serving 679 students in grades 6-8 and part of the Arcadia Unified School District. This exceptional school consistently outperforms state and district averages in academic achievement, with 75.82% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy and 65.91% proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 47.04% and 35.54% statewide, respectively.

First Avenue Middle's performance is particularly noteworthy for specific student subgroups. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school ranked 119th out of 2,547 California middle schools for male students and 70th out of 1,477 for English Language Learner students, both with a 5-star rating. Additionally, the school maintains relatively low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 0.0% to 8.5%, which is lower than the state average. Even with a significant percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (34.17% in 2022-2023), First Avenue Middle continues to excel academically, demonstrating its ability to support students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

Compared to nearby schools in the Arcadia Unified School District, such as Richard Henry Dana Middle and Foothills Middle, First Avenue Middle consistently outperforms in academic achievement. This consistent high performance, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years, makes First Avenue Middle a standout educational institution in the Arcadia community and the state of California.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 301 South First Ave.
       Arcadia, CA  91006-3802


(626) 821-8362

District: Arcadia Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
160th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,512 Help


Students who attend First Avenue Middle usually attend:

High:    Arcadia High

Feeder schools for First Avenue Middle:

Elementary:    Baldwin Stocker Elementary
    Holly Avenue Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  25.2 Help
Number of students:  707

Racial breakdown:

Asian:
71.3%
Hispanic:
14.9%
White:
6.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  35.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details First Avenue Middle ranks better than 94.2% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked middle schools in the Arcadia Unified School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.76. (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 First Avenue Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Arcadia Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Asian (71.3%), Hispanic (14.9%), White (6.8%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 35.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Arcadia Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at First Avenue Middle is 25.2, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Arcadia Unified School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare First Avenue Middle employs 28 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at First Avenue Middle is $10,512, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Arcadia Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

First Avenue Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks First Avenue Middle 160th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See First Avenue Middle 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:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Arcadia Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Arcadia Unified 169th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for First Avenue Middle.

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Rank History for First Avenue Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 90.83 106th 1769 94.0%
2005 91.01 105th 1777 94.1%
2006 92.28 83rd 1804 95.4%
2007 91.64 88th 1999 95.6%
2008 90.85 92nd 2005 95.4%
2009 90.60 95th 2063 95.4%
2010 91.97 64th 2179 97.1%
2011 91.26 66th 2236 97.0%
2012 90.15 77th 2259 96.6%
2013 91.74 55th 2379 97.7%
2015 95.31 97th 2477 96.1%
2016 93.07 141st 2497 94.4%
2017 95.87 98th 2508 96.1%
2018 95.23 117th 2480 95.3%
2019 95.38 119th 2715 95.6%
2022 94.50 154th 2740 94.4%
2023 95.67 130th 2802 95.4%
2024 94.76 160th 2777 94.2%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 99.09 21st 1364 98.5%
2019 80.52 120th 1442 91.7%
2022 81.70 100th 1540 93.5%
2023 91.94 46th 1529 97.0%
2024 82.41 70th 1477 95.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 76.88 197th 1538 87.2%
2024 66.95 311th 1550 79.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 96.03 53rd 2230 97.6%
2019 94.90 70th 2369 97.0%
2022 91.09 134th 2458 94.5%
2023 97.80 34th 2549 98.7%
2024 97.33 55th 2575 97.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.72 135th 2262 94.0%
2019 95.34 89th 2380 96.3%
2022 92.20 184th 2509 92.7%
2023 93.22 174th 2547 93.2%
2024 91.81 201st 2546 92.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.31 1075th 1369 21.5%
2019 59.78 402nd 1491 73.0%
2022 56.44 452nd 1531 70.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.75 118th 2273 94.8%
2019 94.23 151st 2407 93.7%
2022 95.10 131st 2527 94.8%
2023 96.31 95th 2558 96.3%
2024 95.60 119th 2547 95.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.20 172nd 700 75.4%
2019 74.28 198th 745 73.4%
2022 67.84 262nd 733 64.3%
2023 69.83 239th 718 66.7%
2024 67.03 280th 741 62.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.63 655th 2072 68.4%
2019 60.52 679th 2213 69.3%
2022 78.78 315th 2359 86.6%
2023 79.82 321st 2391 86.6%
2024 75.94 397th 2383 83.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at First Avenue Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.53 307th 1496 79.5%
2019 73.58 385th 1602 76.0%
2022 66.76 478th 1555 69.3%
2023 74.64 334th 1552 78.5%
2024 62.43 542nd 1535 64.7%
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.

First Avenue 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: 3.7)
67%

0%

0%

0%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Saturday, August 31, 2013

Open Quote This is a great environment to live and grow... I am submerged in the music program which is headed by the amazing Mr. D and I just love everything. I don't want to leave!!! Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Open Quote all the students learn so much from the teachers who work there and have an opportunity to take two electives. I <3 First Avenue Middle School!!!!!!!!! Close Quote



Enrollment information for First Avenue Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 369 5 212 54 0 n/a n/a 0 640
1989 344 4 214 66 0 n/a n/a 0 628
1990 311 6 256 82 0 n/a n/a 0 655
1991 318 9 290 94 0 n/a n/a 0 711
1992 250 7 300 80 0 n/a n/a 0 637
1993 237 5 328 69 0 n/a n/a 0 639
1994 191 3 377 70 0 n/a n/a 0 641
1995 264 11 376 73 0 n/a n/a 0 724
1996 264 11 376 73 0 n/a n/a 0 724
1997 205 17 399 73 0 n/a n/a 0 694
1998 185 15 396 77 0 n/a n/a 0 673
1999 162 10 399 83 3 n/a n/a 17 674
2000 154 6 438 80 2 n/a n/a 31 711
2001 146 6 478 86 0 n/a n/a 18 734
2002 154 10 582 74 2 n/a n/a 0 822
2003 154 10 582 74 2 n/a n/a 0 822
2004 134 5 572 68 3 n/a n/a 0 782
2005 142 7 557 68 0 n/a n/a 0 774
2006 135 12 533 89 0 n/a n/a 6 775
2007 119 12 583 101 0 n/a n/a 5 820
2008 95 9 600 102 n/a n/a n/a 0 806
2009 100 9 630 95 0 1 4 0 839
2010 96 11 627 91 0 1 4 0 830
2011 94 9 610 87 0 2 4 0 806
2012 101 10 585 100 1 2 0 0 799
2013 86 11 597 92 1 2 0 0 789
2014 81 15 583 105 0 1 1 0 786
2015 84 19 572 111 0 1 0 0 787
2016 83 17 541 110 0 1 2 0 754
2017 90 18 554 112 1 1 10 0 786
2018 92 18 586 100 1 0 3 0 800
2019 80 19 607 97 1 0 5 0 809
2020 78 15 596 105 0 0 8 0 802
2021 75 15 539 113 1 1 12 0 756
2022 57 17 454 108 0 2 19 0 657
2023 53 14 473 106 0 2 31 0 679
2024 48 18 504 105 0 1 31 0 707

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 First Avenue Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 640 27.4 23.3 n/a
1989 628 27.2 23.0 n/a
1990 655 27.8 23.5 n/a
1991 711 30.0 23.7 n/a
1992 637 30.5 20.8 7.4
1993 639 26.4 24.2 8
1994 641 26.0 24.7 10.5
1995 724 27.8 26.0 9.7
1996 724 27.8 26.0 9.7
1997 694 28.7 24.2 11.4
1998 673 29.6 22.7 9.7
1999 674 28.6 23.6 11.6
2000 711 30.2 23.5 13.7
2001 734 31.1 23.6 10.6
2002 822 34.2 24.0 11.3
2003 822 34.2 24.0 11.3
2004 782 33.1 23.6 10.4
2005 774 30.8 25.1 11.5
2006 775 31.5 24.6 15
2007 820 31.8 25.8 15.7
2008 806 34.7 23.2 15.4
2009 839 32.8 22.6 19.1
2010 830 34.4 24.1 20.6
2011 806 n/a n/a 23.2
2012 799 31.4 25.4 n/a
2013 789 31.7 24.8 22.2
2014 786 30.7 25.5 25.3
2015 787 28.0 28.1 22.9
2016 754 29.0 26.0 23.9
2017 786 29.4 26.7 21
2018 800 32.7 24.4 26
2019 809 33.2 24.3 26.7
2020 802 n/a n/a 29.1
2021 756 32.5 23.2 31.1
2022 657 29.9 21.9 30.9
2023 679 28.9 23.4 34.2
2024 707 28.0 25.2 35.9

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 First Avenue Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 640 27.4 23.3 n/a
1989 628 27.2 23.0 n/a
1990 655 27.8 23.5 n/a
1991 711 30.0 23.7 n/a
1992 637 30.5 20.8 7.4
1993 639 26.4 24.2 8
1994 641 26.0 24.7 10.5
1995 724 27.8 26.0 9.7
1996 724 27.8 26.0 9.7
1997 694 28.7 24.2 11.4
1998 673 29.6 22.7 9.7
1999 674 28.6 23.6 11.6
2000 711 30.2 23.5 13.7
2001 734 31.1 23.6 10.6
2002 822 34.2 24.0 11.3
2003 822 34.2 24.0 11.3
2004 782 33.1 23.6 10.4
2005 774 30.8 25.1 11.5
2006 775 31.5 24.6 15
2007 820 31.8 25.8 15.7
2008 806 34.7 23.2 15.4
2009 839 32.8 22.6 19.1
2010 830 34.4 24.1 20.6
2011 806 n/a n/a 23.2
2012 799 31.4 25.4 n/a
2013 789 31.7 24.8 22.2
2014 786 30.7 25.5 25.3
2015 787 28.0 28.1 22.9
2016 754 29.0 26.0 23.9
2017 786 29.4 26.7 21
2018 800 32.7 24.4 26
2019 809 33.2 24.3 26.7
2020 802 n/a n/a 29.1
2021 756 32.5 23.2 31.1
2022 657 29.9 21.9 30.9
2023 679 28.9 23.4 34.2
2024 707 28.0 25.2 35.9

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 First Avenue Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $10,512

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

Impact of COVID-19 on First Avenue 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 119th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 130th of 2802 Middle schools
 0.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (First Avenue Middle)77.979.7
 1.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Arcadia Unified)77.274
 3.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (First Avenue Middle)74.168.8
 5.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Arcadia Unified)74.169.9
 4.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (First Avenue Middle)77.480.4
 3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Arcadia Unified)77.277.4
 0.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (First Avenue Middle)73.663.3
 10.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Arcadia Unified)75.568.2
 7.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (First Avenue Middle)79.973.9
 6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Arcadia Unified)79.771.1
 8.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (First Avenue Middle)7563.8
 11.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Arcadia Unified)81.367.3
 14%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (First Avenue Middle)61.356.3
 5.1%
   8th Grade Science (Arcadia Unified)62.854.3
 8.6%
   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 Students809679
 16.1%
African American1914
 26.3%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian607473
 22.1%
Hispanic97106
 9.3%
Pacific Islander02
White8053
 33.8%
Two or More Races531
 520%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients26.7%34.2%
 7.5%


Schools Near First Avenue Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about First Avenue Middle

In the 2023-24 school year, 707 students attended First Avenue Middle.

Yes. First Avenue Middle ranks in the top 5.8% of California middle schools.

Students at First Avenue Middle are 71% Asian, 15% Hispanic, 7% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Students who attend First Avenue Middle usually go on to attend Arcadia 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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