Gifford C. Cole Middle

Summary:

Gifford C. Cole Middle is a public middle school located in Lancaster, CA, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 703 students. The school is part of the Eastside Union Elementary District, which is ranked 1482 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Gifford C. Cole Middle faces significant challenges in providing a quality education to its students. The school has seen a sharp increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 19.4% in 2018-2019 to 39.0% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average of 14.3%. Academically, the school consistently underperforms compared to the state and its district average on standardized tests, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics significantly lower than the state averages. The school also struggles to support its diverse student population, with subgroup rankings in the bottom quartile of California middle schools.

Comparing Gifford C. Cole Middle to nearby schools, such as Joe Walker Middle and Hillview Middle, which are part of the Westside Union Elementary District, highlights the need for substantial improvements at Gifford C. Cole Middle. These nearby schools have higher academic proficiency rates, lower chronic absenteeism, and better overall performance. Additionally, the high-performing Fulton and Alsbury Academy of Arts and Engineering, a magnet school within the Lancaster Elementary District, stands out as a stark contrast, with significantly higher proficiency rates in both English Language Arts and Mathematics compared to Gifford C. Cole Middle and the district average.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 3126 East Avenue I
       Lancaster, CA  93535-7849


(661) 946-1041

District: Eastside Union Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
2415th of 2,777 California Middle Schools


Students who attend Gifford C. Cole Middle usually attend:

High:    Eastside High

Feeder schools for Gifford C. Cole Middle:

Elementary:    Columbia Elementary
    Eastside Elementary
    Enterprise Elementary
    Tierra Bonita Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  18.9 Help
Number of students:  687

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
67.4%
African American:
22.4%
White:
5.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  86.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Gifford C. Cole Middle ranks worse than 87% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.41. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (67.4%), African American (22.4%), White (5.1%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 86.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gifford C. Cole Middle is 18.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Gifford C. Cole Middle employs 36.2 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gifford C. Cole Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Gifford C. Cole Middle 2415th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Gifford C. Cole Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Eastside Union Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Eastside Union Elementary 1482nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Gifford C. Cole Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 19.95 1447th 1769 18.2%
2005 17.84 1506th 1777 15.3%
2006 28.64 1279th 1804 29.1%
2007 15.88 1753rd 1999 12.3%
2008 30.20 1426th 2005 28.9%
2009 33.10 1387th 2063 32.8%
2010 30.18 1566th 2179 28.1%
2011 21.74 1858th 2236 16.9%
2012 26.39 1752nd 2259 22.4%
2013 16.51 2093rd 2379 12.0%
2015 14.63 2202nd 2477 11.1%
2016 14.09 2229th 2497 10.7%
2017 12.28 2314th 2508 7.7%
2018 8.52 2383rd 2480 3.9%
2019 10.68 2532nd 2715 6.7%
2022 15.00 2446th 2740 10.7%
2023 14.64 2525th 2802 9.9%
2024 16.41 2415th 2777 13.0%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 11.14 632nd 699 9.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.84 1160th 1364 15.0%
2019 28.57 1192nd 1442 17.3%
2022 34.94 980th 1540 36.4%
2023 41.46 720th 1529 52.9%
2024 45.17 565th 1477 61.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 16.95 1535th 1538 0.2%
2024 17.12 1528th 1550 1.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.49 2135th 2230 4.3%
2019 12.27 2219th 2369 6.3%
2022 20.08 2092nd 2458 14.9%
2023 18.38 2242nd 2549 12.0%
2024 19.96 2185th 2575 15.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 21.77 295th 336 12.2%
2023 31.99 228th 321 29.0%
2024 48.70 167th 394 57.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.54 2225th 2262 1.6%
2019 10.63 2257th 2380 5.2%
2022 14.09 2298th 2509 8.4%
2023 17.55 2202nd 2547 13.5%
2024 16.63 2232nd 2546 12.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.62 1328th 1369 3.0%
2019 20.55 1383rd 1491 7.2%
2022 24.54 1278th 1531 16.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 22.37 2nd 3 33.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 6.55 188th 191 1.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.34 2171st 2273 4.5%
2019 10.52 2287th 2407 5.0%
2022 16.64 2229th 2527 11.8%
2023 12.92 2384th 2558 6.8%
2024 16.19 2229th 2547 12.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.98 573rd 600 4.5%
2019 11.72 633rd 643 1.6%
2022 15.65 597th 637 6.3%
2023 16.52 575th 614 6.4%
2024 21.39 531st 626 15.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.44 1960th 2072 5.4%
2019 16.84 1981st 2213 10.5%
2022 24.05 1850th 2359 21.6%
2023 22.39 1933rd 2391 19.2%
2024 23.68 1875th 2383 21.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Gifford C. Cole Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 3.66 1476th 1496 1.3%
2019 3.75 1578th 1602 1.5%
2022 8.78 1463rd 1555 5.9%
2023 5.01 1514th 1552 2.4%
2024 8.71 1431st 1535 6.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Gifford C. Cole Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Gifford C. Cole Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 286 19 9 70 0 n/a n/a 0 384
1991 371 36 14 124 3 n/a n/a 0 548
1992 453 66 29 163 5 n/a n/a 0 716
1993 506 82 31 206 4 n/a n/a 0 829
1994 476 101 30 228 3 n/a n/a 0 838
1995 426 109 25 212 3 n/a n/a 0 775
1996 426 109 25 212 3 n/a n/a 0 775
1997 394 112 17 224 6 n/a n/a 0 753
1998 304 108 14 201 1 n/a n/a 0 628
1999 303 132 16 221 2 n/a n/a 0 674
2000 309 159 17 250 1 n/a n/a 0 736
2001 324 207 23 279 4 n/a n/a 6 843
2002 322 236 25 359 3 n/a n/a 5 950
2003 322 236 25 359 3 n/a n/a 5 950
2004 291 267 7 426 8 n/a n/a 20 1019
2005 264 266 19 454 5 n/a n/a 6 1014
2006 245 294 25 428 3 n/a n/a 21 1016
2007 184 276 18 449 3 n/a n/a 23 953
2008 139 279 21 475 2 n/a n/a 0 916
2009 153 294 0 309 1 127 2 0 886
2010 137 278 14 385 4 20 4 0 842
2011 102 234 22 526 1 2 2 0 889
2012 99 250 23 535 2 2 7 0 918
2013 89 248 15 513 2 3 9 0 879
2014 78 213 15 512 3 4 5 0 830
2015 60 162 10 404 3 2 8 0 649
2016 51 186 13 398 2 1 11 0 662
2017 52 165 13 431 1 2 14 0 678
2018 59 159 8 463 3 2 21 0 715
2019 44 169 15 469 0 2 17 0 716
2020 29 199 11 495 2 1 18 0 755
2021 32 178 10 480 2 3 14 0 719
2022 36 147 13 445 0 2 18 0 661
2023 44 149 9 478 0 0 23 0 703
2024 35 154 8 463 1 2 24 0 687

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gifford C. Cole Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 384 15.7 24.4 n/a
1991 548 21.0 26.0 n/a
1992 716 21.3 33.6 33.2
1993 829 31.0 26.7 42.7
1994 838 34.3 24.4 42
1995 775 30.6 25.3 45.7
1996 775 30.6 25.3 45.7
1997 753 31.6 23.8 52.2
1998 628 27.0 23.3 68.5
1999 674 28.0 24.1 53.3
2000 736 31.0 23.7 56.1
2001 843 35.0 24.1 43
2002 950 39.2 24.2 66
2003 950 39.2 24.2 66
2004 1019 42.8 23.8 49.7
2005 1014 42.2 24.0 73.6
2006 1016 53.1 19.1 75.7
2007 953 41.4 23.0 80.9
2008 916 40.0 22.9 86.9
2009 886 38.1 18.6 93
2010 842 39.0 21.5 79.6
2011 889 n/a n/a 84
2012 918 39.0 23.5 n/a
2013 879 37.0 23.7 81.2
2014 830 35.0 23.7 93.5
2015 649 30.0 21.6 90.4
2016 662 28.0 23.6 86.1
2017 678 27.6 24.5 83.2
2018 715 29.6 24.1 88.4
2019 716 31.0 23.0 87.8
2020 755 n/a n/a 94.6
2021 719 36.8 19.5 95.5
2022 661 36.0 18.3 89.1
2023 703 34.2 20.5 92.3
2024 687 36.2 18.9 86.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Gifford C. Cole Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 384 15.7 24.4 n/a
1991 548 21.0 26.0 n/a
1992 716 21.3 33.6 33.2
1993 829 31.0 26.7 42.7
1994 838 34.3 24.4 42
1995 775 30.6 25.3 45.7
1996 775 30.6 25.3 45.7
1997 753 31.6 23.8 52.2
1998 628 27.0 23.3 68.5
1999 674 28.0 24.1 53.3
2000 736 31.0 23.7 56.1
2001 843 35.0 24.1 43
2002 950 39.2 24.2 66
2003 950 39.2 24.2 66
2004 1019 42.8 23.8 49.7
2005 1014 42.2 24.0 73.6
2006 1016 53.1 19.1 75.7
2007 953 41.4 23.0 80.9
2008 916 40.0 22.9 86.9
2009 886 38.1 18.6 93
2010 842 39.0 21.5 79.6
2011 889 n/a n/a 84
2012 918 39.0 23.5 n/a
2013 879 37.0 23.7 81.2
2014 830 35.0 23.7 93.5
2015 649 30.0 21.6 90.4
2016 662 28.0 23.6 86.1
2017 678 27.6 24.5 83.2
2018 715 29.6 24.1 88.4
2019 716 31.0 23.0 87.8
2020 755 n/a n/a 94.6
2021 719 36.8 19.5 95.5
2022 661 36.0 18.3 89.1
2023 703 34.2 20.5 92.3
2024 687 36.2 18.9 86.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gifford C. Cole Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 2532nd of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2525th of 2802 Middle schools
 3.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Gifford C. Cole Middle)27.323.1
 4.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Eastside Union Elementary)2723
 4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Gifford C. Cole Middle)9.511.3
 1.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Eastside Union Elementary)9.411.6
 2.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Gifford C. Cole Middle)20.524.3
 3.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Eastside Union Elementary)20.324
 3.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Gifford C. Cole Middle)5.44.3
 1.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Eastside Union Elementary)5.44.3
 1.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Gifford C. Cole Middle)6.68.2
 1.6%
   8th Grade Science (Eastside Union Elementary)6.68.1
 1.5%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students716703
 1.8%
African American169149
 11.8%
American Indian00
Asian159
 40%
Hispanic469478
 1.9%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White4444
Two or More Races1723
 35.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients87.8%92.3%
 4.5%


Schools Near Gifford C. Cole Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Gifford C. Cole Middle

In the 2023-24 school year, 687 students attended Gifford C. Cole Middle.

Gifford C. Cole Middle ranks in the bottom 13.0% of California middle schools.

Students who attend Gifford C. Cole Middle usually go on to attend Eastside High

Students at Gifford C. Cole Middle are 67% Hispanic, 22% African American, 5% White, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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