Balboa Middle

As a mid-sized middle-grades school in Ventura, California, Balboa Middle serves 845 students from grades 6 through 8, run under Ventura Unified. That puts it 28% above the typical public school in California, which averages around 659 students.

Ventura Unified runs 27 schools in total, collectively educating 14,346 students. Balboa Middle is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, Balboa Middle lists that Hispanic students make up the majority at 58%. Beyond that, the school shows 32% White, 5% Asian, 3% multiracial. That is meaningfully more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 44%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Balboa Middle has 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 24.3:1. The state averages around 20.7:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 59% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Balboa Middle sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 44.5%; this one delivers 38.3%.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (Ventura County) records that median household income runs about $109,797, about 36% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Ventura County's 238 public schools (combined enrollment of about 147,841 students), Balboa Middle is one campus in the mix.

Mound Elementary is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.2 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Balboa Middle at 6th of 7; the average score across the group is 50.4%.

Geographically, the school is in an urban area.

Five-year trend. Balboa Middle's enrollment has decreased 27% since 2018, when it stood at 1,155 (now 845). White enrollment moved from 42% to 32% across the same window. Class-load math has pulled in: from 28.2:1 in 2018 to 24.3:1 in 2025.

On the community side, members of the Balboa Middle community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.