William Sheppard Middle

As a low-enrollment junior high in San Jose, California, William Sheppard Middle caters to 451 students from grades 6 through 8, one of the schools within Alum Rock Union Elementary. Enrollment runs roughly 32% smaller than the state mean of about 659.

Across the 22 schools in Alum Rock Union Elementary (7,251 students total), William Sheppard Middle accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, William Sheppard Middle lists that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 60% of enrollment; the rest reads as 35% Asian, 2% White. The wider county runs roughly 25% Hispanic, putting the school's mix visibly more Hispanic than the area baseline.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, William Sheppard Middle has 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 17.3:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 20.7:1, putting William Sheppard Middle tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 71% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Santa Clara County runs at roughly 37%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully above the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, William Sheppard Middle falls in the UNDERPERFORMING tier of the BeatsExpectations residual. Given its student profile, a typical campus would land near 37.0%; this one comes in at 22.2%, -14.8 points off the demographic line.

In the surrounding community, Santa Clara County reports that median household income runs about $164,281, roughly 57% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 4%. William Sheppard Middle is one of 412 public schools in Santa Clara County (combined enrollment of about 230,059 students).

Nearest neighbor: Ben Painter Elementary, around 0.1 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around William Sheppard Middle. Among the 5 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), William Sheppard Middle ranks 5th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 38.1%.

The school occupies an urban site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged down 25%: 604 students in 2018 compared to 451 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share expanded from 54% to 60%. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 24.8:1 in 2018 to 17.3:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.