Cesar Chavez Middle School in Oceanside

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	5/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) data from California Department of Education, and using 2025 California Science Test data from California Department of Education.
Student Growth	7/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student growth data from California Department of Education.

Posted: July 8, 2026

The principal is determined to run the school into the ground with good intentions. Probably an okay elementary principal but terrible middle school; she willingly puts staff and students in danger.

Posted: July 8, 2026

Posted: April 1, 2026

Im extremely happy with my sons experience at this school. The teachers are dedicated, supportive, and truly committed to helping students succeed. The smaller enrollment creates a close-knit environment where administrators and staff know the students, so my son feels seen, supported, and never lost in the shuffle. The school also offers an excellent music program along with extracurricular activities, giving students great opportunities.

Posted: April 1, 2026

Posted: June 24, 2025

Greatly improved all around with new principal.

Posted: November 13, 2024

My experience at this school has been incredibly positive. All three of my kids attended and graduated from here, and I still have one child enrolled who absolutely loves it. The school community is supportive and welcoming, with teachers and staff who are dedicated and genuinely invested in each students success. They offer excellent programs, including early and after-school options, which are a huge help for working families. The classrooms are well-organized and create a productive learning environment where students feel comfortable and encouraged to do their best. It's a place where students thrive both academically and socially.

Posted: November 13, 2024

Posted: May 25, 2023

As a current 7th grader here, I like this school a lot, but there is a lot of bullying, and the staff is not doing much about it. The staff is very friendly, as well as MOST of the teachers (some are very strict and nobody likes them). Many of the students vape which is obviously not allowed. If they get caught, they only get a one to two-day suspension. Most of the rules in the student handbook are broken. There is an AVID program which is very helpful, but there is a lot of work. Overall, I recommend this school because there are great learning opportunities. Go Cougars!

Posted: May 25, 2023

Posted: January 12, 2023

My son, Billy goes here. He does not like it here.

Posted: January 12, 2023

Posted: December 12, 2022

School is safe and secured throughout the day. My son has been there for 2 years and has nothing but good things to say. A variety of clubs and sports available for students to participate. No problems with teachers or staff.

Posted: December 12, 2022

Posted: December 10, 2022

Horrible school for students that have an IEP. School aides will humiliate students that have learning disabilities and low test scores. Severe IEP students are kept indoors during lunch and most of the day. When it comes to signing an IEP, dont let the school principal rush you into signing. They cant harass you with phone calls either. If you have a one on one aide and they remove it, remember to request a written letter to why was the one on one removed. Please keep an eye if you child has an IEP in this school.

Posted: December 10, 2022

Posted: December 6, 2022

Fantastic ans safe learning environment, only middle school that offers Girls Who CODE program.

Posted: December 6, 2022

Posted: December 2, 2022

I have two students at Chavez and have had positive experiences to date! Students here are hard working, the teachers push students to do their best, and all students are offered the opportunity to excel! Academics and planning are at the fore front of what Chavez is offering students. Being the first AVID school, being goal oriented and self-motivated are built into the education experience. Students also have a full student body experience with unique field trips for class and excellence achieved! Any school is what you and your child put in to together! Family is important here, strong community relations, and development of a strong character are embodied by the Cougar spirit! Don't let past rumors sway you away from interest in this school!

Posted: December 2, 2022

The office staff is very warm and welcoming. The teachers work hard to meet the needs of students and support their families.

Posted: December 2, 2022

Posted: December 1, 2022

I like this school for my daughter, the staff and teacher are in good in teaching!

Posted: December 1, 2022

I love this school! They made 6th grade an amazing experience for my twins. The teachers are awesome! They are great at answering emails and they are understanding of what parents and their kids are going through during these years. My twins are soaring academically!

Posted: December 1, 2022

Cesar Chavez is a great Middle school. I love that support they bring to the students and their after school programs. One of my sons graduated from there and I still have one more that goes there and another one that will go there. My kids always tell me that the teaches are really great and they always support them with their homeworks etc. and each stuff are train to do their job and they always do helpful in any matter.. I really do recommend Cesar Chavez.

Posted: December 1, 2022

Cesar Chavez is a really great school. I thought my child would have struggles going there. However the school has showed me differently. Its great that the classrooms are not overcrowded in the teachers really care about their students. Not to mention that the faculty is awesome.

Posted: December 1, 2022

This is the easiest review I have ever written. Chavez can be summed up in two words. Stay away. There are so many better schools in the area.

Posted: December 1, 2022

Cesar Chavez is a good choice for our children, learning and behavior depends on each one of our children, the teachers do their job very well, as well as each one of the people who work in the school.

Posted: December 1, 2022

My son has straight As since he started chavez. He never complains about going to school and is involved in music and loves to participate in all the school fundraisers and activities I am very happy with the school so far. Its clean, Teachers are wonderful and parent teacher communication is great as well. My son also enjoys the afterschool program with ARC as well. I recommend this school and have zero issues since my 6th grader started.

Posted: December 1, 2022

Lots of great programs. Teachers care sbout the students and offer clubs snd extra help sessions.

Posted: December 1, 2022

Great School! Hardworking, Nice and Caring students. I love teaching here,

Posted: December 1, 2022

Posted: November 30, 2022

I have been working at César Chávez Middle School since it opened in 2007. Students at this school are genuinely kind and eager to learn and they love to be social and work with friends. Staff are welcoming and caring, and efforts to communicate continue to improve in a variety of ways. Every school, city, or experience can be 95% amazing, but somehow our reviews highlight the 5% of what was wrong or what went wrong. I encourage everyone to get to know a place, someone, and experience things for yourself before you make a judgement solely by what you hear. I'm not saying our school is perfect, but it's a place I enjoy working at, at least 95% of the time!

Posted: November 30, 2022

Chavez is an excellent school for the surrounding community. The staff are positive, upbeat and eager to support all types of learners. They offer many clubs and extracurricular activities during and after school. As a result, the students are very involved and have a positive place where they are safe and supported. The school is also an AVID Demonstration School and a Two Way Bilingual Pathway School. It is a beautiful campus inside and out!

Posted: November 30, 2022

Teachers at Chavez are very dedicated! It's a great place to be.

Posted: November 30, 2022

This is my first year as a staff member at Chavez, and I am extremely impressed with the professionalism, positive attitude, and caring for students and staff. Chavez has an amazing amount of resources that support academic and social-emotional growth in students. The ASB is very active and plays a strong role in creating a positive school spirit. The dual immersion program offers the option for 8th graders to take a Spanish AP test. AVID helps teach organizational skills. PASS and Transactional Consultants are mentoring programs that offer direct support to students. We have amazing lunchtime clubs, a Community Schools Coordinator and a Community Schools Advisor, additional Counseling support from Palomar and Lifeline. Our front office staff is amazing. They are always positive and welcoming. The staff really know the students, and care deeply about their well-being. I cannot say enough about how happy I am to be part of the Chavez Family!! Go Cougars!

Posted: November 30, 2022

Posted: March 13, 2022

I was hesitant for my daughter to go to Chavez because of the reviews on here. Take them with a grain of salt! We've been there two years now and are sad to leave. Mrs. Morgan is an incredible principal. We are a military family so have been to quite a few schools. She's one of the best we've had. She is very communicative via phone and email and is always outside at drop-off and pick-up. Even during Covid she was so on top of things. My daughter's teachers have also been amazing. They really care about the students and go above and beyond. My daughter is prepared for class, does her work, and studies. She has straight A's. She's also never been "bullied" or even spoken unkindly to by other kids. The campus is clean, pick up and drop off are smooth, the school offers great programs, and my daughter feels safe. We love it. There's not much more to ask for!

Posted: March 13, 2022

Posted: June 6, 2018

I was not sure about transferring my son to this school and now I am so glad I did. The principal does an amazing job, she goes above and beyond for the students.

This school offers an advanced math and Spanish classes for 7th graders and tutoring after school. These classes were not offered in his previous school. He learned so much here! The curriculum keeps the students engaged and challenged. I also love the friendly and helpful nature of the staff. Above all, our son loves it. Thank you Chavez MIddle!

Posted: May 15, 2018

The practice of this school's management is to send children who forget, lose, get stolen, or cannot understand/finish their homework to an hour plus detention after school same day. Of course they don't call it that but it's a lock-in the children are sentenced to. There's often no warning to parents because the school's texting system and phone system have a high fail rate. So if you are a parent picking your child up and have a schedule to keep you are gonna have nothing but problems. Lesson for the school employees to learn: You manage children. Children make mistakes. I know firsthand you have a huge population of kids here who don't do homework ever. And anyone who looks at your test scores will know that too. However, your draconian punishments for simple human mistakes are counter-productive in a myriad of ways.

Posted: May 15, 2018

There are some good teachers here who really care about kids and their future. But several are horrible. One, a woman who teaches 6th grade math and science is the sort of person who makes the general public hate teacher's unions for not policing their own. Every kid in our neighborhood came out of this woman's class hating math and science. One girls next door didn't want to pursue Science in college because of it! Well done Chavez! There are other teachers who are great. But if your child, like mine, gets the bad one(s), then that is all that matters. My other child goes to a nearby OCUSD school and all the teachers are good. She hasn't had a bad teacher yet. We have been told by a teacher at Chavez that the school is a bit of a place where bad teachers are sent and good teachers don't want to go. In fact, many of the friendly teahers at Chavez are forthright about the school's failings.

Posted: May 15, 2018

This is a school that is 70% Hispanic and 10% White with all White management. Can you imagine how that goes over with the majority Hispanic population? If your kids are White they will likely suffer for this. Every White kid in our neighborhood did...

Posted: May 15, 2018

My child was in a 6th Grade Math and Science class. Classroom control was non-existent. The female teacher berated the kids so naturally the kids berated each other. My child was sick one day and not doing well in the chaos and mayhem. She told the teacher she was struggling to learn in all the yelling and throwing of objects and the teacher who replied that she should "Go home and take a Xanax." Nice. When my child struggled with some Math the teacher called us to say our child was ADD and ADHD because she wasn't getting the work. That is when we learned from our neighbors that this teacher has a history of this sort of toxic interaction with kids. We took our child to five doctors and all tested her and everyone told us she was fine and reminded us that no one likes trying to learn Geometry in the middle of a train wreck. We later saw the teacher at a charity event. We noticed her because she was screaming at another volunteer for incompetence. It was then we decided our child wasn't exaggerating. Our child had nightmares for months about this teacher trying to kill her. There were other teachers who did great work, were very kind, and who really motivated my child by their very good example. But, one bad apple...

Posted: May 15, 2018

This is probably the worst school in North County San Diego. We have a close friend in Mental Health Services for a San Diego County children's hospital and it's well known that Oceanside Unified is one of the worst Districts in the County for caring about kids' well emotional being. The Doctors and Therapists and the rest all counsel parents to get their kids out of OUSD if the child is having a bad experience. It won't get better there and the District doesn't seem demonstrate an appreciation of these problems nor any tactics or strategies for making the schools safer and smarter. Look at the proficiency scores above and you can see that your child will go to a failing school. It may look clean and new but it's a mess inside in my experience. If you want your child watching 13 Reasons Why at lunch with no adults apparently noticing then this is the school for you.

Posted: October 2, 2015

I currently go to this school,and I love it!Sometimes on Wendesdays they do lunchtime activites and play music!Also every Friday they play music during lunch,then about 10 minutes before the 5th period bell rings,they play,the Cha Cha Slide,the Macarena,the Wobble,and the Cupid Shuffle,and many peopla join in and dance!!I totally recommend this school for your child.(p.s. this school is 6-8 grade)

Posted: August 21, 2013

I was nervous to take my daughter out of private school and enroll her into public school but I did and she has thrived and had a 3.7 gpa in this school and has a lot of programs that I haven't seen in any other public school, the principle is very visible and runs the school well!

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Montecito village apartments	Apartment Complex	Oceanside	CA	1.5 mi
2	St. Cloud	Condominium/Townhouse	Oceanside	CA	1.6 mi
3	Mira Costa Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Oceanside	CA	3.3 mi
4	Shadowridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Vista	CA	5.8 mi
5	Palisades Pointe	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Carlsbad	CA	6.1 mi
6	Windsor at Aviara	Apartment Complex	Carlsbad	CA	9.2 mi
7	Rancho Carrillo	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Carlsbad	CA	9.3 mi
8	La Costa	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Carlsbad	CA	9.9 mi
9	Redhawk	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Temecula	CA	19.6 mi
10	Torrey Highlands	Neighborhood/Subdivision	San Diego	CA	20.6 mi
11	Whispering Winds Apartments	Apartment Complex	San Clemente	CA	22 mi
12	Amberwalk Townhomes	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Murrieta	CA	22.3 mi
13	The Ranchos	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Murrieta	CA	22.9 mi
14	Copper Canyon	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Murrieta	CA	23.1 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Downtown Oceanside	Oceanside	CA	5.4 mi
2	Carlsbad	Carlsbad	CA	6.5 mi
3	Lake Rancho Viejo	Fallbrook	CA	10.5 mi
4	Encinitas	Encinitas	CA	14.1 mi
5	Torrey Highlands	San Diego	CA	20.6 mi
6	Temecula, California	Temecula	CA	20.8 mi
7	Downtown	San Clemente	CA	22.1 mi
8	West Side	murrieta	CA	22.5 mi
9	Murrieta, California	Murrieta	CA	24.1 mi
10	Mira Mesa	San Diego	CA	24.3 mi
11	Murrieta	Murrieta	CA	24.5 mi

Base	Distance
Camp Pendleton	9.6 mi.
Miramar MCAS	27.2 mi.
MCRD San Diego	35.2 mi.
San Diego Naval Medical Center	36.6 mi.
North Island NAS	37.9 mi.
Naval Base Point Loma	38.6 mi.
Coronado Naval Amphibious Base	40 mi.
San Diego Naval Base	40 mi.
March Air Reserve Base	44.9 mi.

Cesar Chavez Middle School

Oceanside, CA 92057

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Cesar Chavez Middle School

Oceanside, CA 92057

School Ratings

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