Balboa Middle, Ventura CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Balboa Middle

Balboa Middle is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Ventura, California. The school enrolls a student body with substantial economic need, a majority of whom are Hispanic, reflecting Ventura's broader demographics.

On state assessments, Balboa's proficiency rates sit above the midpoint among Ventura County districts when measured across tested subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, the school shows some strength in eighth grade, where about half of students meet proficiency standards. Sixth and seventh grade ELA proficiency runs somewhat lower. In mathematics, the pattern is weaker across all three grades, with proficiency rates in the low-to-mid range; seventh grade in particular shows the softest results. Science proficiency, measured only in eighth grade, runs below ELA. A parent should note that these results reflect the 2024-25 school year, and only one year of data is currently available, so trend is not yet visible.

The school is economically mixed but tilted toward challenge. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, signaling concentrated poverty within the enrollment. This is typical for schools in neighborhoods with lower median family income and higher housing costs relative to income; Ventura County housing has remained high and rents continue to rise.

Balboa serves a neighborhood composition that is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial white population and smaller Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Black, and multiracial shares. Demographic data on English learners and special education were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the prevalence of these populations and the related support services.

The school is located in Ventura, a coastal city experiencing rapid downtown redevelopment and building growth. The historic downtown core along Main Street has been pedestrian-focused since 2020 and hosts civic anchors including City Hall, the Mission, and mixed-use retail and residential spaces. Outside Old Town, however, the city remains car-dependent. Ventura's largest employers include healthcare systems, the naval base, and county government, shaping the economic context families navigate.

The school's parent district, Ventura Unified, is navigating structural challenges that may affect school stability. Enrollment has declined year over year, and the district is evaluating potential school closures as early as the 2027-28 school year as part of a formal advisory process. A parcel tax that had funded academic enrichment, music and arts, technology, and mental health services expired after failing renewal in late 2024, removing a source of locally controlled funding families had relied on. The district did approve a large bond in 2022 to modernize aging facilities, which is funding long-term building improvements across the system. The academic calendar shifted in 2024-25 to start in early August and end in early June, with first-semester finals before winter break.

For a family considering Ventura and this school, the picture is one of a mid-sized middle school serving a student population with real economic barriers, delivering academic results that are solid relative to peers in the county but with notable gaps in math. The district context is one of contraction and budget pressure, though facility improvements are underway.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 635%

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

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

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 35% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 837%

School 37% · District 36% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 643%

School 43% · District 47% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 50% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 850%

School 50% · District 49% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 832%

School 32% · District 33% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

Social studies

Grade 855%

School 55% · District 57% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

This schoolVentura 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income33%Higher-income57%24 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income35%Higher-income61%26 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income41%Higher-income61%20 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income26%Higher-income47%21 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income16%Higher-income53%37 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income23%Higher-income53%29 pp gap