Lemon Grove Academy for the Sciences and Humanities, Lemon Grove CA

Original Research by School Decision on Lemon Grove Academy for the Sciences and Humanities

Lemon Grove Academy for the Sciences and Humanities is a public middle school serving grades seven and eight in the city of Lemon Grove, a small, unpretentious residential suburb in eastern San Diego County. The school sits in a community organized around the Broadway and Lemon Grove Avenue commercial district, anchored by the trolley depot, and bordered by established residential neighborhoods. The city is in the midst of a transition toward denser development, with recent mixed-use construction bringing new housing to the downtown area alongside the low-rise streetscape that has long defined the place.

The school's enrollment is small for a middle school and skews toward economic need. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, Asian, and white students. Data on English learners and students with Individualized Education Plans were not available.

Academically, the school's proficiency results are substantially below midpoint among districts in San Diego County. In English language arts, proficiency across both grades hovers near the midpoint of overall performance; in math, proficiency is notably low. Science proficiency in grade eight sits in a similar range to math. These results are real weaknesses. A parent considering this school would want to ask directly about what interventions or instructional approaches the school has in place in math and science, and what progress the school is tracking year to year, because one year of data alone does not show trend.

The school is part of the Lemon Grove School District, which has made recent commitments to capital investment. In November 2024 the district's voters approved two bond measures, one for science and technology facilities and one for broader infrastructure. Two years earlier, voters approved a classroom and infrastructure bond designed partly to draw state matching funds. These investments suggest facility improvements ahead, though they will also increase local property tax burden. The district offers a Spanish/English dual language immersion pathway that runs from preschool through middle school, including a dedicated pathway at the middle school level, a feature that shapes enrollment patterns and pedagogy for families who choose it.

The housing market in the school's zip code shows median values and rents that position ownership and renting as significant parts of the household budget in relation to local incomes, a context families should factor when considering the area. Employment centers locally on healthcare, education, retail, and construction, though many residents commute to nearby San Diego for work.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 722%

School 22% · District 24% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 821%

School 21% · District 21%

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 737%

School 37% · District 38% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 838%

School 38% · District 37% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Science

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 23% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 832%

School 32% · District 37% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

This schoolLemon Grove, 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-income29%Higher-income30%1 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income22%Higher-income36%15 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income38%Higher-income48%9 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income30%Higher-income28%3 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income35%Higher-income47%11 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income37%Higher-income41%4 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income22%Higher-income25%3 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income20%Higher-income16%4 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income27%Higher-income30%3 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income22%Higher-income11%11 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income18%Higher-income44%26 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income21%Higher-income21%0 pp gap