Willard Intermediate, Santa Ana CA

Original Research by School Decision on Willard Intermediate

Willard Intermediate is a middle school in Santa Ana serving grades six through eight, located in Orange County's urban core. The school serves a student population that is predominantly Hispanic and low-income, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is small to mid-sized for the grade band it covers.

Academic performance at Willard is a significant concern. State assessment data from 2024-25 shows proficiency rates well below what would support strong college and career readiness. In math, the school's performance ranges from very low in sixth and eighth grade to slightly higher but still quite low in seventh grade. In English language arts, performance is similarly weak across all three grades, with seventh grade showing the highest results but still at a modest level. Science proficiency, tested only in eighth grade, is also very low. The school has only one data point for social studies, from 2012-13 using an older state test; that result was around the low end of typical performance. A parent may want to look into further with the school what instructional strategies and supports are in place to help students meet grade-level standards, particularly given how far current results fall from proficiency benchmarks. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Orange County.

Santa Ana, where the school is located, is the county seat and its most densely populated city. The community is a mix of dense residential neighborhoods, industrial zones holding much of Orange County's manufacturing and logistics base, and a downtown civic and commercial spine. The city has a strong Mexican-American population and a substantial Vietnamese community, with historic residential districts featuring early-1900s homes. Downtown Santa Ana centers on Fourth Street and has real street life with markets, restaurants, bars, galleries, and music venues, though the broader city is largely car-dependent. Government is the dominant employer because of the county seat function, alongside healthcare, education, finance, and logistics. The city is in an active growth phase, with substantial residential development approved or under construction, meeting state housing mandates and reshaping the real estate market. Housing values in the area are substantial, and rents are rising. A parent considering this school should weigh the urban setting and the community's economic and cultural character.

The Santa Ana Unified School District, which operates Willard, passed a major school facilities bond in November 2024, funded by increased property taxes, to repair and modernize aging schools. The district also underwent a significant curriculum transition regarding ethnic studies; it made ethnic studies a graduation requirement in 2020 but agreed in 2025 to discontinue three contested high school courses and rebuild them with public input following a legal settlement. These district-level decisions affect the teaching environment and the long-term trajectory of school improvement families would consider.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 64%

School 4% · District 20% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

Grade 711%

School 11% · District 20% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 39 pts below county median

Grade 85%

School 5% · District 21% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 43 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 612%

School 12% · District 30% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 49 pts below county median

Grade 717%

School 17% · District 33% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 47 pts below county median

Grade 812%

School 12% · District 31% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 49 pts below county median

Science

Grade 87%

School 7% · District 15% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 830%

School 30% · District 38% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

This schoolSanta Ana 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.