Finney (myrtle S.) Elementary, San Diego CA

Original Research by School Decision on Finney (myrtle S.) Elementary

Myrtle S. Finney Elementary is a small public elementary school in San Diego serving kindergarten through sixth grade. The enrollment sits at a modest level, with a student body that is predominantly Hispanic. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting economic need in the school's neighborhood. The school is part of the Chula Vista Elementary School District, which recently passed two general obligation bond measures funded by property taxes: Measure M in 2020 and Measure AA in 2024. These bring visible improvements to campuses, including security upgrades, technology, a solar installation now complete across all district sites, and expanded STEAM labs and counseling spaces. The district also adopted a new History-Social Science curriculum aligned with California standards and operates dual-language immersion programs across more than 20 campuses.

State testing results from spring 2025 show that Finney faces meaningful academic headwinds. In mathematics, proficiency rates are low across tested grades, ranging from the low teens in upper elementary to about a third in sixth grade. English language arts performance is stronger but still below state benchmarks, with proficiency rates ranging from roughly a third in fourth grade to about half in sixth grade. In science, tested only at the fifth-grade level, proficiency sits in the low-to-mid range. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among elementary schools in San Diego County. No prior-year test data was available to track whether performance is improving or declining.

The demographic profile shows the school serves a community facing economic constraints. About three-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Hispanic students make up the vast majority of enrollment, with small numbers of Asian, white, and mixed-race students. Data on the share of English learners and students with disabilities was not available in the current record.

The school's academic profile suggests families should think carefully about what supports exist within the school and the district for students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards in core subjects, particularly math. The district's curriculum changes and recent infrastructure investments may create momentum, but reading the current test results straight, this school is serving a population with substantial academic need. A parent might want to ask the school directly about intervention programs, small-group instruction, and the approach to early literacy and numeracy, especially in the primary grades where foundational skills take root. The school's location in a neighborhood with housing costs that remain significant relative to household income suggests families choosing this school are weighing access, community ties, and what the district offers alongside test performance.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 49% · ▼ 24 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 424%

School 24% · District 47% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 43% · ▼ 29 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 634%

School 34% · District 45% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 343%

School 43% · District 51% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 437%

School 37% · District 53% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 60% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 62% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Science

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 39% · ▼ 11 pts below district

even with state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

This schoolChula Vista Elementary, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income33%Higher-income71%39 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income44%11 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income33%Higher-income81%48 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income16%Higher-income50%34 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income12%Higher-income47%35 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income5%Higher-income38%33 pp gap