1
What's the vibe like in the hallways at Sierra Middle right now?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
731
Middle
DISTRICT 731 · STATE 659
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BAKERSFIELD CITY·NCES 060363000318
Sierra Middle
3017 Center St., Bakersfield, CA 93306 · (661) 631-5470 · Kern County
GRADES 06–08MIDDLE21-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL731 STUDENTS
C-
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 16% of California public middle schools
- DTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- CBeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- BThree-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
20.7:1
35 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 21.3:1 · STATE 20.7:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
96%
705 students
DISTRICT 88% · 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 | 138 | 19% |
| Grade 7 | 284 | 39% |
| Grade 8 | 309 | 42% |
Student demographics
17%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 30% · 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
Test scores
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
27.4%
CA avg 49.1% . +5.4pp since 2014
Math
5.4%
CA avg 37.7% . -2.6pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 27 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 5 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 5 points since 2014, while math scores are down about 3 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 5.0% | 22.3% | 24.8% | 47.8% |
| Math | 1.1% | 4.3% | 21.1% | 73.5% |
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 | 27.4% | 5.4% |
| 2023-24 | 24.3% | 5.8% |
| 2022-23 | 18.2% | 5.8% |
| 2021-22 | 21.4% | 4.3% |
| 2018-19 | 28.0% | 11.9% |
| 2017-18 | 23.3% | 13.9% |
| 2016-17 | 19.5% | 9.2% |
| 2015-16 | 26.0% | 11.0% |
| 2014-15 | 22.0% | 8.0% |
% 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
15.3%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
23.0%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-7.7pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 15% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 23% 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 Sierra Middle
Sierra Middle's state test result (15.3% proficient) is higher than 2 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Middle this school | 731 | 96.4% | 15.3% |
| John H. Liechty Middle Los Angeles | 748 | 98.3% | 19.8% |
| Roy Romer Middle North Hollywood | 707 | 94.1% | 26.5% |
| John Adams Middle Los Angeles | 676 | 96.4% | 38.3% |
| Mulcahy Middle Tulare | 745 | 92.6% | 14.9% |
| Indio Middle Indio | 768 | 92.7% | 11.9% |
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 Sierra Middle ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Kern County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 15.3% | #1,140 of 1,224 | #40 of 46 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 5.4% | #1,216 of 1,227 ▼ 14 | #44 of 46 ▼ 1 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 27.4% | #1,053 of 1,227 ▲ 23 | #37 of 46 no change |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +3.6pp | #432 of 1,214 | #16 of 46 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 731 | #544 of 1,377 | #17 of 48 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 20.7:1 | #560 of 1,279 | #24 of 46 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 17.5% | #1,086 of 1,278 | #37 of 46 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 96.4% | #65 of 1,329 | #6 of 46 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -23.4% | #250 of 930 | #4 of 28 |
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
731
-105 (-13%) vs 2020
+16% since 1990-91, when it was 628
Student : Teacher
20.7:1
was 23.2:1
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 | 731 | 35.3 | 20.7:1 | 96% (705) |
| 2023-24 | 746 | 35 | 21.3:1 | 96% (717) |
| 2022-23 | 738 | 31.9 | 23.1:1 | 89% (660) |
| 2020-21 | 836 | 36 | 23.2:1 | 99% (825) |
| 2017-18 | 954 | 39.6 | 24.1:1 | 98% (931) |
| 2015-16 | 872 | 37 | 23.6:1 | 96% (837) |
| 2010-11 | 782 | N/A | N/A | 96% (748) |
| 2000-01 | 849 | 43 | 19.7:1 | 98% (835) |
| 1990-91 | 628 | 29 | 21.7:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Sierra Middle.
Since 2017-18: students down 23% (954 to 731); teachers down 11% (39.6 to 35.3).
About Sierra Middle
Among the schools in Bakersfield, California, is Sierra Middle, a mid-sized middle school. Federal data show 731 students enrolled in grades 6 through 8 in 2024-25.
Bakersfield City enrolls 28,365 students, and its 44 schools include Sierra Middle.
A large majority of enrollment at Sierra Middle is Hispanic, at 91%. Other reported shares: 4% White and 3% Black. Kern County's residents are about 57% Hispanic, 34 points below the school's share. On the diversity index, which measures the chance that two random students are from different groups, Sierra Middle scores 17%.
Classroom staffing at Sierra Middle totals 35.3 full-time-equivalent teachers, and the student-to-teacher ratio is 20.7:1. The average for middle schools in California is about 20.7:1. Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility at Sierra Middle is about 96%. Public schools in Kern County average 76%.
Sierra Middle earns a C- on the allk12 Grade, which blends test scores, results against poverty-based expectations, and the three-year trend. It scored higher than 16% of California public middle schools.
Test results at Sierra Middle are 7.7 points below what its free or reduced-price lunch share predicts (15.3% actual, 23.0% predicted).
American Community Survey estimates for Kern County show that the median household earns about $70,210 a year, about 19% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 15% of residents are in poverty. Kern County has 279 public schools with about 197,431 students, including Sierra Middle.
A public school about 0.1 miles away, Ramon Garza Elementary, is the closest to Sierra Middle. The count of other public schools within five miles is at least 8. Of 9 schools in the immediate area with test results, Sierra Middle ranks 8th on average proficiency.
Federal records code the school's setting as Suburb: Large.
By 2024-25, enrollment had dropped to 731, from 836 in 2020-21. The school's ratio dropped from 23.2:1 to 20.7:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
This page collects posts and questions about Sierra Middle, such as fundraisers, report cards, and school supplies. Current and former families are welcome to add their experience.
Kern County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
915,075
Census ACS
Median income
$70,210
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
19%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
15%
Below federal line
Schools in county
279
197,431 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Bakersfield City
- Curran MiddleMiddle · 973 students
- Colonel Howard Nichols ElementaryElementary · 960 students
- Voorhies ElementaryElementary · 915 students
- Walter Stiern MiddleMiddle · 891 students
- Horace Mann ElementaryElementary · 870 students
- Bessie E. Owens ElementaryElementary · 867 students
Other schools in Bakersfield
- Bakersfield HighHigh · 3,069 students
- Ridgeview HighHigh · 2,575 students
- Highland HighHigh · 2,530 students
- Stockdale HighHigh · 2,398 students
- Liberty HighHigh · 2,369 students
- East Bakersfield HighHigh · 2,331 students
Other Sierra Middle schools
5 other US public schools in 3 states are named Sierra Middle. Sierra Middle is the 3rd largest of the 6.
- Sierra MiddleRiverside, CA · 829 students
- Sierra MiddleStockton, CA · 591 students
- Sierra Middle SchoolPARKER, CO · 805 students
- SIERRA MIDDLELAS CRUCES, NM · 698 students
- SIERRA MIDDLEROSWELL, NM · 557 students
Nearby schools
- Ramon Garza Elementary0.1 mi · 658
- Horace Mann Elementary0.5 mi · 870
- Virginia Avenue Elementary0.7 mi · 644
- Pioneer Drive Elementary0.9 mi · 562
- East Bakersfield High1.0 mi · 2,331
- Mt. Vernon Elementary1.1 mi · 614
Frequently asked questions
About Sierra MiddleHow large is Sierra Middle?
Sierra Middle enrolls approximately 731 students in grades 06-08.
What age range does Sierra Middle serve?
Sierra Middle serves students from grade 06 through grade 08.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sierra Middle?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Sierra Middle is approximately 20.7:1 (35 FTE teachers).
What is the student diversity at Sierra Middle?
Student demographics at Sierra Middle are roughly 4% White, 91% Hispanic, 3% Black, 0% Asian, 1% Two or more.
Who oversees Sierra Middle?
Sierra Middle is overseen by Bakersfield City in Kern County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.