Surfside Academy, Oceanside CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Surfside Academy

Surfside Academy is a small alternative school in Oceanside serving kindergarten through twelfth grade, with a student population spread thinly across all grade bands. The school operates within Oceanside Unified, a district managing significant enrollment and budget pressures that have driven cuts and staffing reductions across the system.

The school's academic performance shows a mixed picture that reflects its alternative designation and small size. State testing data from the most recent year reveals weak proficiency across math, with the exception of eighth grade where the rate improved. English language arts proficiency varies considerably by grade: fifth grade performs well, while seventh grade lags. Science results are limited to two grades tested, and proficiency in science is particularly low overall. Several grade levels have suppressed results, a statistical indicator tied to small cohort sizes, making it difficult to assess performance at those points. A parent considering this school should understand that proficiency rates across the board fall below what would be typical for many district schools, and should discuss with Surfside staff what educational model and student supports account for these patterns and what outcomes the school targets for its population.

The student body reflects Oceanside's demographics: roughly a third white, about half Hispanic, with smaller representations of Asian, Pacific Islander, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, consistent with the school's likely role as an alternative program serving economically vulnerable families. Special education and English learner enrollment data were not available, limiting a fuller picture of the student population's needs.

Surfside Academy sits in a coastal city shaped by its beach identity and proximity to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where housing costs are high and the community is stable but experiencing modest population decline. Oceanside Unified recently approved facility improvements affecting Surfside through a voter-backed bond measure, with named renovation and modernization funding. The district has also launched a distinctive dual-enrollment partnership with MiraCosta College offering free college credit and an associate degree in biomanufacturing for high school students, beginning in fall 2025, a pathway that creates a concrete career option for students capable of pursuing it.

In the county's peer comparison, Surfside's overall proficiency index places it above the median among tested county schools, a position that reflects the school's particular enrollment and mission rather than broad academic strength. A family should view this school as an alternative setting, likely appropriate for students whose needs or circumstances differ from conventional district schools. The low proficiency results and suppressed data are noteworthy, and a parent may want to look into further with the school what student population it serves, what its educational approach is designed to accomplish, and how it measures success beyond state testing.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

60-69%Cohort of 57 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 59%

School 9% · District 32% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 722%

School 22% · District 28% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 30% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 47% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 735%

School 35% · District 38% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 44% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Science

Grade 536%

School 36% · District 31% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 850%

School 50% · District 28% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

This schoolOceanside Unified, 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.