1
Enrollment
754
Middle
DISTRICT 576 · STATE 659
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·PORTERVILLE UNIFIED·NCES 060006404873
Pioneer Middle
225 East College Ave., Porterville, CA 93257 · (559) 782-7200 · Tulare County
GRADES 06–08MIDDLE23-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL754 STUDENTS
B+
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 69% of California public middle schools
- C+Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- A-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- AThree-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
19.5:1
39 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 19.5:1 · STATE 20.7:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
94%
708 students
DISTRICT 92% · 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 | 208 | 28% |
| Grade 7 | 285 | 38% |
| Grade 8 | 261 | 35% |
Student demographics
23%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 26% · 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
Based on grade levels within Porterville Unified. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
41.9%
CA avg 49.1% . +14.9pp since 2014
Math
24.7%
CA avg 37.7% . +7.7pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 42 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 25 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 15 points since 2014, while math scores are up about 8 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 11.8% | 30.1% | 27.6% | 30.4% |
| Math | 7.7% | 17.0% | 30.9% | 44.4% |
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 | 41.9% | 24.7% |
| 2023-24 | 40.8% | 22.6% |
| 2022-23 | 40.4% | 19.7% |
| 2021-22 | 35.5% | 14.5% |
| 2018-19 | 42.1% | 19.4% |
| 2017-18 | 37.6% | 18.4% |
| 2016-17 | 30.7% | 12.9% |
| 2015-16 | 30.0% | 13.0% |
| 2014-15 | 27.0% | 17.0% |
% 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
32.3%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
24.5%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+7.8pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 32% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 25% 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 Pioneer Middle
Pioneer Middle's state test result (32.3% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Middle this school | 754 | 93.9% | 32.3% |
| Hidden Valley Middle Escondido | 733 | 94.3% | 25.7% |
| Roy Romer Middle North Hollywood | 707 | 94.1% | 26.5% |
| Indio Middle Indio | 768 | 92.7% | 11.9% |
| Del Dios Academy of Arts and Sciences Escondido | 788 | 91.1% | 24.4% |
| Dr. Manuel M. Lopez Academy of Arts & Sciences Oxnard | 696 | 93.2% | 26.0% |
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 Pioneer Middle ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Tulare County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 32.3% | #683 of 1,224 | #8 of 23 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 24.7% | #727 of 1,227 ▼ 5 | #8 of 23 ▼ 1 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 41.9% | #663 of 1,227 ▼ 31 | #7 of 23 no change |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +8.3pp | #129 of 1,214 | #3 of 22 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 754 | #495 of 1,377 | #7 of 27 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 19.5:1 | #382 of 1,279 | #6 of 23 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 23.2% | #1,013 of 1,278 | #12 of 23 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 93.9% | #146 of 1,329 | #5 of 23 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -8.3% | #710 of 930 | #11 of 17 |
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
754
-13 (-2%) vs 2020
-11% since 2000-01, when it was 849
Student : Teacher
19.5:1
was 21.9:1
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 | 754 | 38.7 | 19.5:1 | 94% (708) |
| 2023-24 | 717 | 38.6 | 18.6:1 | 73% (521) |
| 2022-23 | 736 | 36.2 | 20.4:1 | 94% (692) |
| 2020-21 | 767 | 35 | 21.9:1 | 93% (713) |
| 2017-18 | 822 | 35.8 | 22.9:1 | 83% (682) |
| 2015-16 | 792 | 34 | 23.3:1 | 84% (665) |
| 2010-11 | 479 | N/A | N/A | 97% (467) |
| 2000-01 | 849 | 40 | 21.2:1 | 70% (595) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Pioneer Middle.
Since 2017-18: students down 8% (822 to 754); teachers up 8% (35.8 to 38.7).
About Pioneer Middle
In Porterville, California, Pioneer Middle is a medium-sized middle-grades school. The school's 754 students are in grades 6 through 8.
Pioneer Middle belongs to Porterville Unified, a district of 22 schools and 13,893 students.
Federal enrollment data show Pioneer Middle is 87% Hispanic. It is also 7% Native American and 3% White. Tulare County's residents are about 67% Hispanic, 21 points below the school's share. Pioneer Middle's diversity index is 23%, against a US figure of 70%.
Staffing totals 38.7 full-time-equivalent teachers, and the student-to-teacher ratio is 19.5:1. That is lower than the 20.7:1 average for middle schools in California. A measure often used for student poverty, free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, stands at 94%. The 77% average for public schools in Tulare County is 17 points lower.
Measured against California public middle schools, Pioneer Middle receives a B+. The grade weighs proficiency most heavily, then how results compare with what the school's low-income share predicts, then the three-year change.
BeatsExpectations compares each school's average proficiency rate on state tests with a prediction based on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility. For Pioneer Middle, the prediction is 24.5% and the result is 32.3%.
According to the American Community Survey, in Tulare County, the median household income is $71,300, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 17% of adults, and the poverty rate is about 15%. There are 196 public schools in Tulare County, enrolling about 101,494 students in all.
Of nearby public schools, Vandalia Elementary is the closest, at less than a tenth of a mile. In all, at least 8 other public schools sit within five miles of Pioneer Middle. On proficiency, Pioneer Middle is behind the 34.8% nearby average, ranking 5th of 9.
The school is in a suburban area outside a principal city, within an urbanized area with a population under 100,000, according to its NCES locale (Suburb: Small).
Pioneer Middle had 767 students in 2020-21 and 754 in 2024-25, nearly the same. The school's ratio fell from 21.9:1 to 19.5:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
To ask about school events, clubs, and volunteer needs, start a discussion on this page. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
Tulare County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
478,693
Census ACS
Median income
$71,300
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
17%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
15%
Below federal line
Schools in county
196
101,494 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Porterville Unified
- Porterville HighHigh · 2,125 students
- Monache HighHigh · 1,855 students
- Granite Hills HighHigh · 1,206 students
- Santa Fe ElementaryElementary · 809 students
- Westfield ElementaryElementary · 661 students
- Olive Street ElementaryElementary · 624 students
Other schools in Porterville
- Summit Charter AcademyCombined · 2,423 students
- Porterville HighHigh · 2,125 students
- Monache HighHigh · 1,855 students
- Monarch River AcademyCombined · 1,338 students
- Granite Hills HighHigh · 1,206 students
- Santa Fe ElementaryElementary · 809 students
Other Pioneer Middle schools
9 other US public schools in 5 states are named Pioneer Middle. Pioneer Middle is the 5th largest of the 10.
- Pioneer MiddleTustin, CA · 971 students
- Pioneer MiddleHanford, CA · 550 students
- PIONEER MIDDLE SCHOOLCOOPER CITY, FL · 1,453 students
- Pioneer Middle SchoolPLYMOUTH, MI · 827 students
- Pioneer MiddleDuPont, WA · 758 students
Nearby schools
- Vandalia Elementary0.1 mi · 556
- Santa Fe Elementary0.9 mi · 809
- Olive Street Elementary1.3 mi · 624
- John J. Doyle Elementary1.3 mi · 552
- Porterville High1.5 mi · 2,125
- Roche Elementary1.7 mi · 334
Frequently asked questions
About Pioneer MiddleHow many students attend Pioneer Middle?
Pioneer Middle enrolls approximately 754 students in grades 06-08.
Is Pioneer Middle an elementary, middle, or high school?
Pioneer Middle is a middle school covering grades 06-08.
How many students per teacher at Pioneer Middle?
Approximately 19.5:1 students per teacher at Pioneer Middle.
How diverse is Pioneer Middle?
Pioneer Middle reports a student body of 3% White, 87% Hispanic, 1% Asian, 1% Two or more.
Who oversees Pioneer Middle?
Pioneer Middle is overseen by Porterville Unified in Tulare County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.