Pinole Middle

Pinole Middle is a low-enrollment junior high in Pinole, California, operated by West Contra Costa Unified. The school works with 381 students in grades 7 through 8. Compared to the state average of about 659 students per school, that is 42% leaner than typical.

Across the 52 schools in West Contra Costa Unified (25,133 students total), Pinole Middle accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, Pinole Middle records that the most-represented group is Hispanic (52%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Beyond that, the school lists 20% Asian, 12% Black, 9% White, 5% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 28% Hispanic, putting the school's mix considerably more Hispanic than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Pinole Middle has 15 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 25.2:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 20.7:1, putting Pinole Middle higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 80% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is north of Contra Costa County's rate of about 45%.

After controlling for student poverty, Pinole Middle sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 31.8%; this one delivers 21.4%.

Across the wider county, census data for Contra Costa County shows median household income runs about $127,229, roughly 45% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 6%. Across Contra Costa County's 280 public schools (combined enrollment of about 167,423 students), Pinole Middle is one campus in the mix.

West County Mandarin is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Pinole Middle ranks 6th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 33.9%.

The school occupies a suburban site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count shrank 25%: 505 students in 2018 compared to 381 in 2025. The Black share of enrollment decreased from 22% to 12% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio grew from 20.4:1 in 2018 to 25.2:1 today.

On this page, members of the Pinole Middle community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.