Downey High

Summary:

Downey High is a public high school located in Downey, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 4,063 students. It is part of the Downey Unified School District, which is ranked 562 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Downey High consistently ranks in the top 30% of California high schools, with a current ranking of 636 out of 2,323 schools (2023-2024). The school's performance on Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST (California Science Test) is generally higher than the Downey Unified School District and the state of California averages. For example, in 2023-2024, 66.63% of Downey High's 11th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 64.21% for the Downey Unified School District and 55.73% for the state. Downey High has also maintained a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 95.8% to 97.6% over the past five years, and a low dropout rate, ranging from 0.8% to 2.3% during the same period.

While Downey High performs well compared to its neighboring schools within the Downey Unified School District, such as Warren (Earl) High, its performance is more mixed when compared to schools outside the district, such as Santa Fe High (Whittier Union High School District) and International Studies Learning Center at Legacy High School Complex (Los Angeles Unified School District). Additionally, Downey High has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 9.6% in 2018-2019 to 31.1% in 2021-2022, before declining to 23.3% in 2022-2023, which is a concern that the school should address.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 11040 Brookshire Ave.
       Downey, CA  90241-3816


(562) 869-7301

District: Downey Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
636th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,442 Help


Feeder schools for Downey High:

Elementary:    Alameda Elementary
    Carpenter (C. C.) Elementary
    Gauldin (A.L.) Elementary
    Lewis (Ed C.) Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Doty (Wendy Lopour) Middle
    Sussman (Edward A.) Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  23.7 Help
Number of students:  3,936

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
89.4%
White:
4.0%
Asian:
3.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  66.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Downey High ranks better than 72.6% of high schools in California. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked high schools in the Downey Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.96. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Downey High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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 Downey High has the largest high school student body size in the Downey Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (89.4%), White (4%), Asian (3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 66.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Downey Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Downey High is 23.7. 2 high schools in the Downey Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Downey High employs 165.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Downey High is $15,442. 2 high schools in the Downey Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Downey High:

SchoolDigger ranks Downey High 636th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Downey High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Downey Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Downey Unified 562nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Downey High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 43.53 619th 1653 62.6%
2005 46.02 670th 1901 64.8%
2006 42.57 786th 1968 60.1%
2007 47.73 709th 2063 65.6%
2008 48.85 706th 2117 66.7%
2009 53.92 623rd 2238 72.2%
2010 55.30 608th 2281 73.3%
2011 60.45 499th 2367 78.9%
2012 63.81 442nd 2354 81.2%
2013 61.82 492nd 2426 79.7%
2015 67.48 599th 1994 70.0%
2016 71.53 530th 2039 74.0%
2017 70.20 601st 2021 70.3%
2018 68.88 619th 2017 69.3%
2019 54.03 877th 2133 58.9%
2022 58.21 754th 2123 64.5%
2023 64.70 562nd 2348 76.1%
2024 59.96 636th 2323 72.6%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.02 593rd 938 36.8%
2019 44.21 383rd 941 59.3%
2022 46.48 378th 1044 63.8%
2023 32.06 720th 1323 45.6%
2024 46.02 336th 1350 75.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 41.30 671st 1547 56.6%
2024 43.47 624th 1534 59.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.45 423rd 1862 77.3%
2019 58.07 728th 1937 62.4%
2022 65.52 533rd 1943 72.6%
2023 68.09 450th 2247 80.0%
2024 64.16 520th 2235 76.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 59.69 157th 451 65.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.98 600th 1760 65.9%
2019 53.81 762nd 1833 58.4%
2022 55.87 698th 1858 62.4%
2023 63.40 549th 2118 74.1%
2024 61.26 575th 2098 72.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.30 550th 1052 47.7%
2019 34.18 657th 1117 41.2%
2022 35.49 676th 1161 41.8%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.50 599th 1834 67.3%
2019 48.88 890th 1880 52.7%
2022 56.72 709th 1916 63.0%
2023 63.19 557th 2207 74.8%
2024 55.25 690th 2172 68.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.78 298th 581 48.7%
2019 72.69 167th 582 71.3%
2022 33.81 417th 581 28.2%
2023 60.82 319th 731 56.4%
2024 43.91 432nd 712 39.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.84 168th 582 71.1%
2019 69.56 133rd 592 77.5%
2022 37.57 308th 522 41.0%
2023 34.13 440th 720 38.9%
2024 54.40 262nd 721 63.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.17 328th 1742 81.2%
2019 63.27 570th 1814 68.6%
2022 69.59 442nd 1861 76.2%
2023 77.78 286th 2142 86.6%
2024 71.65 362nd 2125 83.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Downey High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.92 605th 1173 48.4%
2019 35.21 813th 1222 33.5%
2022 51.11 577th 1204 52.1%
2023 62.86 397th 1434 72.3%
2024 45.13 677th 1406 51.8%
See the entire list of Best California High 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.

Downey High 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 Downey High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1204 49 252 807 14 n/a n/a 0 2326
1989 1066 54 247 830 15 n/a n/a 0 2212
1990 940 76 278 915 22 n/a n/a 0 2231
1991 962 94 283 997 27 n/a n/a 0 2363
1992 909 113 286 1054 24 n/a n/a 0 2386
1993 862 133 286 1118 19 n/a n/a 0 2418
1994 820 170 302 1250 22 n/a n/a 0 2564
1995 774 169 309 1409 23 n/a n/a 0 2684
1996 774 169 309 1409 23 n/a n/a 0 2684
1997 758 171 295 1474 25 n/a n/a 0 2723
1998 728 182 296 1591 22 n/a n/a 0 2819
1999 725 187 284 1728 25 n/a n/a 0 2949
2000 702 186 256 1923 22 n/a n/a 9 3098
2001 680 175 255 2049 19 n/a n/a 0 3178
2002 638 156 251 2391 17 n/a n/a 0 3453
2003 638 156 251 2391 17 n/a n/a 0 3453
2004 623 204 246 2523 13 n/a n/a 1 3610
2005 577 228 243 2705 16 n/a n/a 0 3769
2006 545 217 232 2771 16 n/a n/a 11 3792
2007 485 209 205 2880 15 n/a n/a 20 3814
2008 434 204 201 3065 19 n/a n/a 0 3923
2009 433 194 185 3122 18 7 24 0 3983
2010 413 166 173 3238 19 2 5 0 4016
2011 365 151 149 3468 20 6 4 0 4163
2012 329 145 145 3600 21 9 6 0 4255
2013 308 151 135 3701 18 12 7 0 4332
2014 283 156 135 3751 13 13 12 0 4363
2015 251 145 144 3654 10 11 15 0 4230
2016 234 152 138 3706 9 18 17 0 4274
2017 229 139 131 3682 7 12 21 0 4221
2018 216 130 134 3530 6 11 15 0 4042
2019 207 132 135 3609 5 9 20 0 4117
2020 204 126 137 3666 5 15 26 0 4179
2021 185 135 126 3804 5 11 33 4 4303
2022 171 138 115 3837 4 8 38 3 4314
2023 167 113 120 3610 1 14 35 3 4063
2024 157 99 118 3518 3 7 31 3 3936

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 Downey High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2326 92.8 25.0 n/a
1989 2212 88.4 25.0 n/a
1990 2231 87.6 25.4 n/a
1991 2363 90.9 25.9 n/a
1992 2386 92.4 25.8 24.1
1993 2418 94.8 25.5 25.2
1994 2564 98.0 26.2 27
1995 2684 103.1 26.0 30.3
1996 2684 103.1 26.0 30.3
1997 2723 105.3 25.9 36
1998 2819 110.2 25.6 34.9
1999 2949 109.4 27.0 36
2000 3098 117.0 26.5 34.2
2001 3178 122.6 25.9 38.3
2002 3453 136.0 25.4 37.2
2003 3453 136.0 25.4 37.2
2004 3610 142.3 25.4 38.4
2005 3769 148.6 25.4 41.2
2006 3792 151.8 25.0 42.4
2007 3814 154.5 24.7 46.4
2008 3923 172.2 22.8 52.6
2009 3983 157.1 23.1 58.2
2010 4016 152.8 26.2 58.4
2011 4163 n/a n/a 65.9
2012 4255 155.5 27.3 n/a
2013 4332 157.0 27.5 68.8
2014 4363 166.9 26.1 70.6
2015 4230 167.0 25.3 61.1
2016 4274 168.0 25.4 64.5
2017 4221 169.0 24.9 65.1
2018 4042 169.6 23.8 63.4
2019 4117 170.1 24.2 63.7
2020 4179 n/a n/a 64.5
2021 4303 177.0 24.3 58.7
2022 4314 171.9 25.0 65.3
2023 4063 174.5 23.2 68.3
2024 3936 165.8 23.7 66.5

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 Downey High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2326 92.8 25.0 n/a
1989 2212 88.4 25.0 n/a
1990 2231 87.6 25.4 n/a
1991 2363 90.9 25.9 n/a
1992 2386 92.4 25.8 24.1
1993 2418 94.8 25.5 25.2
1994 2564 98.0 26.2 27
1995 2684 103.1 26.0 30.3
1996 2684 103.1 26.0 30.3
1997 2723 105.3 25.9 36
1998 2819 110.2 25.6 34.9
1999 2949 109.4 27.0 36
2000 3098 117.0 26.5 34.2
2001 3178 122.6 25.9 38.3
2002 3453 136.0 25.4 37.2
2003 3453 136.0 25.4 37.2
2004 3610 142.3 25.4 38.4
2005 3769 148.6 25.4 41.2
2006 3792 151.8 25.0 42.4
2007 3814 154.5 24.7 46.4
2008 3923 172.2 22.8 52.6
2009 3983 157.1 23.1 58.2
2010 4016 152.8 26.2 58.4
2011 4163 n/a n/a 65.9
2012 4255 155.5 27.3 n/a
2013 4332 157.0 27.5 68.8
2014 4363 166.9 26.1 70.6
2015 4230 167.0 25.3 61.1
2016 4274 168.0 25.4 64.5
2017 4221 169.0 24.9 65.1
2018 4042 169.6 23.8 63.4
2019 4117 170.1 24.2 63.7
2020 4179 n/a n/a 64.5
2021 4303 177.0 24.3 58.7
2022 4314 171.9 25.0 65.3
2023 4063 174.5 23.2 68.3
2024 3936 165.8 23.7 66.5

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 Downey High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $15,442

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Downey High

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 877th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 562nd of 2348 High schools
 17.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Downey High)60.465.3
 5%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Downey Unified)5462.2
 8.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Downey High)28.732.3
 3.6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Downey Unified)26.125.1
 1%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Downey High)24.527.9
 3.3%
   11th Grade Science (Downey Unified)21.326.8
 5.5%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Downey High)13.321.1
 7.7%
   12th Grade Science (Downey Unified)4.816.5
 11.7%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.9
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students41174063
 1.3%
African American132113
 14.4%
American Indian51
 80%
Asian135120
 11.1%
Hispanic36093610
 0%
Pacific Islander914
 55.6%
White207167
 19.3%
Two or More Races2035
 75%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients63.7%68.3%
 4.6%


Schools Near Downey High









Frequently Asked Questions about Downey High

Students at Downey High are 89% Hispanic, 4% White, 3% Asian, 3% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 3,936 students attended Downey High.

Downey High ranks 636th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars 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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