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Teachers: what resource would make the biggest difference at James B. Davidson Middle this year?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
1,052
Middle
DISTRICT 491 · STATE 659
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·SAN RAFAEL CITY ELEMENTARY·NCES 063509005936
James B. Davidson Middle
280 Woodland Ave., San Rafael, CA 94901 · (415) 485-2400 · Marin County
GRADES 06–08MIDDLE13-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL1,052 STUDENTS
B-
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 47% of California public middle schools
- B-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- B-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- C+Three-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public middle schools
Student : Teacher
17.1:1
61 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 21.6:1 · STATE 20.7:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
70%
735 students
DISTRICT 72% · STATE 65%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 342 | 33% |
| Grade 7 | 354 | 34% |
| Grade 8 | 356 | 34% |
Student demographics
43%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 44% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within San Rafael City Elementary. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
44.8%
CA avg 49.1% . +2.8pp since 2014
Math
31.0%
CA avg 37.7% . -1.0pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 45 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 31 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are up about 3 points since 2014, while math scores are down about 1 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 18.1% | 26.7% | 23.7% | 31.5% |
| Math | 17.3% | 13.7% | 20.6% | 48.4% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 44.8% | 31.0% |
| 2023-24 | 38.4% | 31.0% |
| 2022-23 | 35.3% | 27.7% |
| 2021-22 | 45.0% | 29.2% |
| 2020-21 | 39.8% | 25.2% |
| 2018-19 | 44.1% | 32.9% |
| 2017-18 | 44.4% | 31.7% |
| 2016-17 | 44.1% | 34.5% |
| 2015-16 | 47.0% | 35.0% |
| 2014-15 | 42.0% | 32.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
36.3%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
38.6%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-2.3pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 36% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 39% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among California's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like James B. Davidson Middle
James B. Davidson Middle's state test result (36.3% proficient) is higher than 1 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| James B. Davidson Middle this school | 1,052 | 69.9% | 36.3% |
| John Glenn Middle School of International Studies Indio | 1,099 | 67.1% | 40.3% |
| Madison Middle Oceanside | 1,158 | 68.7% | 28.5% |
| Vista Magnet Middle School of Technology Science and Math Vista | 836 | 70.8% | 48.1% |
| Marco Forster Middle San Juan Capistrano | 930 | 75.1% | 42.0% |
| Bear Valley Middle Escondido | 923 | 68.4% | 37.5% |
Matched among California middle schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where James B. Davidson Middle ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Marin County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 36.3% | #602 of 1,224 | #10 of 10 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 31.0% | #580 of 1,227 ▼ 36 | #10 of 10 no change |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 44.8% | #601 of 1,227 ▲ 96 | #10 of 10 no change |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +0.8pp | #771 of 1,214 | #8 of 10 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,052 | #158 of 1,377 | #1 of 10 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 17.1:1 | #118 of 1,279 | #4 of 9 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 42.6% | #786 of 1,278 | #9 of 9 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 69.9% | #726 of 1,329 | #2 of 10 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -12.6% | #579 of 930 | #8 of 9 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
1,052
-77 (-7%) vs 2020
+27% since 1990-91, when it was 831
Student : Teacher
17.1:1
was 18.8:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,052 | 61.4 | 17.1:1 | 70% (735) |
| 2023-24 | 1,040 | 55 | 18.9:1 | 73% (758) |
| 2022-23 | 1,063 | 53.1 | 20.0:1 | 73% (781) |
| 2020-21 | 1,129 | 60 | 18.8:1 | 68% (769) |
| 2017-18 | 1,203 | 58 | 20.7:1 | 65% (784) |
| 2015-16 | 1,148 | 53 | 21.7:1 | 62% (715) |
| 2010-11 | 846 | N/A | N/A | 59% (498) |
| 2000-01 | 821 | 38 | 21.6:1 | 40% (332) |
| 1990-91 | 831 | 39 | 21.3:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for James B. Davidson Middle.
Since 2017-18: students down 13% (1,203 to 1,052); teachers up 6% (58 to 61.4).
About James B. Davidson Middle
James B. Davidson Middle is a large middle school in San Rafael, California, administered by San Rafael City Elementary. Its grade span covers grades 6 through 8, with 1,052 students on the rolls. That compares with an average of about 659 students for middle schools in California.
A total of 9 schools make up San Rafael City Elementary, with 4,415 students enrolled.
Federal enrollment data show James B. Davidson Middle is 73% Hispanic. Other groups include 21% White and 3% multiracial. The county population is about 20% Hispanic. On the diversity index, which measures the chance that two random students are from different groups, James B. Davidson Middle scores 43%.
James B. Davidson Middle has a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.1:1, with 61.4 full-time-equivalent teachers. Middle schools in California average 20.7:1, 3.6 more students per teacher than here. Income data for the school show 70% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Across public schools in Marin County, the average is 35%.
Among California public middle schools, James B. Davidson Middle outscored 47%, which works out to a B- on the allk12 Grade.
The school's average proficiency rate across its state test results is 36.3%. For its free or reduced-price lunch share, the predicted value is 38.6%.
In Marin County, home to about 257,969 people, the median household earns about $149,091 a year, roughly 61% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and about 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Public schools in Marin County number 75, with about 29,867 students.
James B. Davidson Middle's nearest public school is Laurel Dell Elementary (about 0.1 miles). There are at least 8 more public schools inside five miles. On state test proficiency, James B. Davidson Middle ranks 6th in a group of 7 nearby schools.
The school's federal locale classification is City: Small.
A 7% decline took enrollment from 1,129 in 2020-21 to 1,052 in 2024-25. There were fewer students per teacher in 2024-25 (17.1:1) than in 2020-21 (18.8:1).
James B. Davidson Middle has a community page on allk12 for topics such as athletics, class schedules, and weather closures. Teachers and staff are welcome to share updates too.
Marin County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
257,969
Census ACS
Median income
$149,091
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
61%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
4%
Below federal line
Schools in county
75
29,867 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in San Rafael City Elementary
- Venetia Valley K-8Elementary · 748 students
- Bahia Vista ElementaryElementary · 552 students
- Sun Valley ElementaryElementary · 523 students
- San Pedro ElementaryElementary · 469 students
- Coleman ElementaryElementary · 378 students
- Glenwood ElementaryElementary · 315 students
Other schools in San Rafael
- San Rafael HighHigh · 1,332 students
- Terra Linda HighHigh · 1,248 students
- Venetia Valley K-8Elementary · 748 students
- Miller Creek MiddleMiddle · 620 students
- Bahia Vista ElementaryElementary · 552 students
- Sun Valley ElementaryElementary · 523 students
Nearby schools
- Laurel Dell Elementary0.1 mi · 287
- Short Elementary0.5 mi · 91
- Madrone High Continuation0.7 mi · 96
- San Rafael High0.8 mi · 1,332
- Coleman Elementary0.9 mi · 378
- Anthony G. Bacich Elementary1.2 mi · 526
Frequently asked questions
About James B. Davidson MiddleWhat is the total enrollment at James B. Davidson Middle?
James B. Davidson Middle enrolls approximately 1,052 students in grades 06-08.
What grades does James B. Davidson Middle serve?
James B. Davidson Middle serves grades 06-08.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James B. Davidson Middle?
The student-to-teacher ratio at James B. Davidson Middle is approximately 17.1:1 (61 FTE teachers).
How diverse is James B. Davidson Middle?
James B. Davidson Middle reports a student body of 21% White, 73% Hispanic, 1% Black, 2% Asian, 3% Two or more.
Who oversees James B. Davidson Middle?
James B. Davidson Middle is overseen by San Rafael City Elementary in Marin County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.