The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 13% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Simons Middle
Simons Middle is a public middle school serving grades six through eight in Pomona, a densely populated Los Angeles County city with a vibrant downtown arts district and strong transit access, including a newly opened Metro light rail connection. The school's academic performance shows significant challenges that a parent should evaluate carefully in light of the school's context.
On state assessments in English language arts and math, proficiency rates are quite low across all grades. In sixth-grade English, proficiency stands in the low twenties; in seventh grade it rises slightly to the upper twenties; and in eighth grade it reaches about thirty percent. Math proficiency is weaker, hovering in the mid-teens for sixth and seventh grades and climbing to roughly twenty percent by eighth grade. Eighth-grade science proficiency is in the low teens. These scores place Simons substantially below the midpoint among Los Angeles County school districts. A parent may want to look into what academic support structures the school has in place, what learning materials and instructional approaches are being used, and what the school's trajectory has been over time; the data provided here covers only the most recent school year, so multi-year trends are not available.
The student body is almost entirely low-income. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The enrollment is predominantly Hispanic, with a very small number of Asian, Black, and White students. About half the enrollment sits in seventh grade, with smaller cohorts in sixth and eighth. The school serves roughly between five hundred and seven hundred students, a typical size for a middle school. Data on the share of English learners and students with individualized education plans was not available, though these are significant student populations in many California middle schools and may be relevant to understanding the school's academic profile.
Pomona itself is experiencing active growth and redevelopment, anchored by its historically significant downtown Arts Colony, live-work lofts, galleries, and vibrant street life. The city has major institutional anchors in Cal Poly Pomona, Western University of Health Sciences, and teaching hospitals, along with regional employment in manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and food production. Housing costs in the zip code are substantial relative to the national average, though the affordability calculation based on median income suggests rent as a share of income remains manageable. The Metro A Line light rail extension to Pomona opened in September 2025, connecting residents by rail to Pasadena and downtown Los Angeles and creating growth momentum throughout the city.
Pomona Unified, the parent district, passed Measure UU in November 2024, a bond measure authorizing property-tax increases to fund classroom upgrades, facility repairs, and removal of asbestos, mold, and lead paint across district schools. This is a long-term change that will affect families who own property in the district. In March 2024, the district and its teachers union reached a salary agreement including an ongoing percentage increase plus a one-time boost, both retroactive to mid-2023, and increased health benefits, intended to improve the district's competitiveness in attracting and retaining teachers.
Simons Middle's low proficiency rates reflect real academic challenge. Whether this school is the right fit depends on what additional academic interventions, tutoring, or specialized programs the school offers, how the school engages families in the learning process, and what resources or flexibility a family has to supplement classroom instruction. The locale offers genuine neighborhood character, transit access, and community anchors, but the academic performance is an important factor to weigh alongside those strengths.
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