Is James Monroe Middle a good school?

James Monroe Middle ranks 1872 nd of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend James Monroe Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 542 students attended James Monroe Middle.

What is the racial makeup of James Monroe Middle?

Students at James Monroe Middle are 50% White, 29% Hispanic, 10% African American, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What high school do graduates of James Monroe Middle attend?

Students who attend James Monroe Middle usually go on to attend Burroughs High

James Monroe Middle

Summary:

James Monroe Middle is a public middle school located in Ridgecrest, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 548 students. The school is part of the Sierra Sands Unified School District, which is ranked 893 out of 1,568 districts in California and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

James Monroe Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom half of California middle schools, ranging from 1,410 to 2,023 out of around 2,500 schools over the past decade. The school's performance is particularly weak in 8th-grade Math, with only 9.83% of students proficient or better, compared to 17.28% in the district and 31.57% statewide. Additionally, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.5% in 2018-2019 to 39.4% in 2021-2022, well above the district and state averages.

While the only nearby middle school, Murray Middle, performs slightly better than James Monroe Middle across most metrics, including higher proficiency rates in ELA, Math, and Science, as well as a lower chronic absenteeism rate, both schools face similar challenges in terms of academic achievement and overall performance, with both ranked in the bottom half of California middle schools.

Detail:

Public 6-8

340 West Church St.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555-4605

(760) 499-1830

District: Sierra Sands Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1872^nd of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Students who attend James Monroe Middle usually attend:

High:

Burroughs High

Feeder schools for James Monroe Middle:

Elementary:

Las Flores Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 20.0

Number of students: 542

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.4%

Hispanic:

29.0%

African American:

9.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 57.2%

See top rated California middle schools

Compare James Monroe Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details James Monroe Middle ranks worse than 67.4% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.55. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (50.4%), Hispanic (29%), African American (9.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 57.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Monroe Middle is 20. (See more...)

Compare James Monroe Middle employs 26.9 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James Monroe Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks James Monroe Middle 1872^nd of 2777 California public middle schools. (See James Monroe Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Sierra Sands Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Sierra Sands Unified 893^rd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for James Monroe Middle?

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Rank History for James Monroe Middle

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Rank History for all students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	39.44	999^th	1769	43.5%
2005	35.94	1090^th	1777	38.7%
2006	44.29	915^th	1804	49.3%
2007	48.98	918^th	1999	54.1%
2008	45.18	1030^th	2005	48.6%
2009	46.85	1035^th	2063	49.8%
2010	42.91	1231^st	2179	43.5%
2011	37.48	1428^th	2236	36.1%
2012	39.55	1371^st	2259	39.3%
2013	46.72	1246^th	2379	47.6%
2015	37.25	1410^th	2477	43.1%
2016	36.45	1448^th	2497	42.0%
2017	30.65	1658^th	2508	33.9%
2018	23.66	1867^th	2480	24.7%
2019	30.60	1769^th	2715	34.8%
2021	23.34	697^th	894	22.0%
2022	24.32	2023^rd	2740	26.2%
2023	27.37	1938^th	2802	30.8%
2024	28.55	1872^nd	2777	32.6%

See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	48.14	463^rd	1442	67.9%
2023	81.09	103^rd	1529	93.3%
2024	30.70	1192^nd	1477	19.3%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	27.62	1161^st	1538	24.5%
2024	45.44	653^rd	1550	57.9%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	18.68	1943^rd	2230	12.9%
2019	28.31	1751^st	2369	26.1%
2021	29.77	532^nd	721	26.2%
2022	19.70	2105^th	2458	14.4%
2023	20.50	2151^st	2549	15.6%
2024	21.66	2112^th	2575	18.0%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	26.67	1620^th	2262	28.4%
2019	34.30	1474^th	2380	38.1%
2021	21.79	597^th	738	19.1%
2022	20.79	2043^rd	2509	18.6%
2023	27.74	1759^th	2547	30.9%
2024	29.09	1713^th	2546	32.7%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	25.03	1136^th	1369	17.0%
2019	38.52	780^th	1491	47.7%
2021	38.41	196^th	354	44.6%
2022	28.61	1112^th	1531	27.4%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	20.63	1842^nd	2273	19.0%
2019	25.26	1784^th	2407	25.9%
2021	26.48	555^th	763	27.3%
2022	28.11	1731^st	2527	31.5%
2023	26.83	1798^th	2558	29.7%
2024	27.58	1769^th	2547	30.5%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2022	40.41	344^th	637	46.0%
2023	28.65	454^th	614	26.1%
2024	35.18	389^th	626	37.9%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	19.04	1788^th	2072	13.7%
2019	27.11	1634^th	2213	26.2%
2022	20.41	1992^nd	2359	15.6%
2023	24.97	1839^th	2391	23.1%
2024	21.75	1946^th	2383	18.3%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at James Monroe Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	13.74	1330^th	1496	11.1%
2019	18.47	1330^th	1602	17.0%
2022	13.06	1398^th	1555	10.1%
2023	13.58	1370^th	1552	11.7%
2024	17.07	1297^th	1535	15.5%

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.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for James Monroe Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	541	17	31	23	7	n/a	n/a	0	619
1989	540	17	28	31	3	n/a	n/a	0	619
1990	584	17	42	42	6	n/a	n/a	0	691
1991	606	27	16	48	1	n/a	n/a	0	698
1992	607	26	20	44	1	n/a	n/a	0	698
1993	631	28	21	49	2	n/a	n/a	0	731
1994	629	21	22	54	3	n/a	n/a	0	729
1995	614	23	23	68	14	n/a	n/a	0	742
1996	614	23	23	68	14	n/a	n/a	0	742
1997	523	27	21	66	9	n/a	n/a	0	646
1998	490	33	29	70	6	n/a	n/a	0	628
1999	429	39	19	60	6	n/a	n/a	0	553
2000	449	30	19	51	6	n/a	n/a	0	555
2001	446	35	24	67	7	n/a	n/a	0	579
2002	382	32	32	80	4	n/a	n/a	13	543
2003	382	32	32	80	4	n/a	n/a	13	543
2004	411	30	21	85	10	n/a	n/a	16	573
2005	392	26	17	91	13	n/a	n/a	27	566
2006	400	34	24	100	14	n/a	n/a	36	608
2007	351	41	31	101	16	n/a	n/a	27	567
2008	326	41	33	107	12	n/a	n/a	0	519
2009	318	36	25	117	11	12	26	0	545
2010	283	41	24	145	8	12	3	0	516
2011	326	30	19	136	6	9	10	0	536
2012	289	30	12	144	6	9	5	0	495
2013	299	33	8	134	5	9	6	0	494
2014	287	34	10	135	4	6	5	0	481
2015	291	29	16	138	4	5	2	0	485
2016	293	31	17	156	6	5	10	0	518
2017	283	38	16	143	10	5	13	0	508
2018	274	26	16	137	4	4	18	0	479
2019	257	27	17	154	6	5	19	0	485
2020	266	26	22	156	2	4	20	0	496
2021	252	31	24	159	3	3	18	0	490
2022	270	39	17	150	3	6	27	1	513
2023	279	42	18	171	3	4	29	2	548
2024	273	53	11	157	5	5	37	1	542

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 James Monroe Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	619	29.7	20.8	n/a
1989	619	27.9	22.1	n/a
1990	691	28.7	24.0	n/a
1991	698	32.5	21.4	n/a
1992	698	33.0	21.1	14
1993	731	31.4	23.3	19.3
1994	729	32.1	22.7	19.6
1995	742	34.3	21.6	27.5
1996	742	34.3	21.6	27.5
1997	646	30.5	21.2	29.3
1998	628	28.3	22.2	34.4
1999	553	27.3	20.3	37.1
2000	555	26.9	20.6	38
2001	579	26.4	21.9	36.3
2002	543	27.1	20.0	36.6
2003	543	27.1	20.0	36.6
2004	573	25.6	22.4	46
2005	566	25.1	22.5	47.5
2006	608	26.8	22.7	52.4
2007	567	26.2	21.6	51.1
2008	519	30.1	17.2	48
2009	545	25.2	18.4	47.2
2010	516	24.6	20.9	50.8
2011	536	n/a	n/a	45.9
2012	495	23.0	21.4	n/a
2013	494	22.8	21.6	56.5
2014	481	23.8	20.1	60.7
2015	485	22.0	22.0	62.3
2016	518	24.0	21.5	59.5
2017	508	24.5	20.7	53
2018	479	23.8	20.0	55.7
2019	485	24.0	20.1	73.6
2020	496	n/a	n/a	58.5
2021	490	25.7	19.0	65.7
2022	513	24.8	20.6	55.2
2023	548	26.1	20.9	48.7
2024	542	26.9	20.0	57.2

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 James Monroe Middle

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	619	29.7	20.8	n/a
1989	619	27.9	22.1	n/a
1990	691	28.7	24.0	n/a
1991	698	32.5	21.4	n/a
1992	698	33.0	21.1	14
1993	731	31.4	23.3	19.3
1994	729	32.1	22.7	19.6
1995	742	34.3	21.6	27.5
1996	742	34.3	21.6	27.5
1997	646	30.5	21.2	29.3
1998	628	28.3	22.2	34.4
1999	553	27.3	20.3	37.1
2000	555	26.9	20.6	38
2001	579	26.4	21.9	36.3
2002	543	27.1	20.0	36.6
2003	543	27.1	20.0	36.6
2004	573	25.6	22.4	46
2005	566	25.1	22.5	47.5
2006	608	26.8	22.7	52.4
2007	567	26.2	21.6	51.1
2008	519	30.1	17.2	48
2009	545	25.2	18.4	47.2
2010	516	24.6	20.9	50.8
2011	536	n/a	n/a	45.9
2012	495	23.0	21.4	n/a
2013	494	22.8	21.6	56.5
2014	481	23.8	20.1	60.7
2015	485	22.0	22.0	62.3
2016	518	24.0	21.5	59.5
2017	508	24.5	20.7	53
2018	479	23.8	20.0	55.7
2019	485	24.0	20.1	73.6
2020	496	n/a	n/a	58.5
2021	490	25.7	19.0	65.7
2022	513	24.8	20.6	55.2
2023	548	26.1	20.9	48.7
2024	542	26.9	20.0	57.2

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 James Monroe 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 1769^th of 2715 Middle schools	Ranks 1938^th of 2802 Middle schools	4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (James Monroe Middle)	36.4	34.2	2.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Sands Unified)	38.2	30	8.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	48.5	44.2	4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (James Monroe Middle)	23.9	18.1	5.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Sierra Sands Unified)	27.8	19.1	8.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (California)	38.5	33.2	5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (James Monroe Middle)	35.6	29.4	6.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Sands Unified)	48.2	30.3	17.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	51.4	47.4	3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (James Monroe Middle)	22.2	13	9.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sierra Sands Unified)	32.4	18.6	13.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (California)	37.9	33.2	4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (James Monroe Middle)	42.1	36.7	5.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Sands Unified)	51.5	36	15.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	49.4	45.7	3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (James Monroe Middle)	14.6	13	1.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sierra Sands Unified)	27.9	14.4	13.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (California)	36.6	29.9	6.7%
8th Grade Science (James Monroe Middle)	29	19.2	9.8%
8th Grade Science (Sierra Sands Unified)	35.4	19.9	15.5%
8th Grade Science (California)	30.8	28.8	2.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	485	548	13%
African American	27	42	55.6%
American Indian	6	3	50%
Asian	17	18	5.9%
Hispanic	154	171	11%
Pacific Islander	5	4	20%
White	257	279	8.6%
Two or More Races	19	29	52.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	73.6%	48.7%	24.9%

Schools Near James Monroe Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CAST Science (2024)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2024)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2018)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics End of Course	Total
James Monroe Middle	Public	6-8	340 West Church St.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1830	542	27	20.0	57.2%	273 (50.4%)	53 (9.8%)	157 (29.0%)	11 (2.0%)	5 (0.9%)	5 (0.9%)	37 (6.8%)	28.6	1872^nd of 2777 public middle schools	32.6%		27.4	1938^th of 2802 public middle schools	30.8%	66	18.0	18.0	33.9	31.7	40.5	35.5	16.2	20.9	9.8	15.5
Murray Middle	Public	6-8	200 East Drummond Ave.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1820	686	30	22.6	51.0%	338 (49.3%)	38 (5.5%)	224 (32.7%)	31 (4.5%)	8 (1.2%)	6 (0.9%)	41 (6.0%)	33.8	1673^rd of 2777 public middle schools	39.8%		29.5	1836^th of 2802 public middle schools	34.5%	163	18.9	18.9	38.7	28.6	37.6	34.8	28.5	18.0	23.4	23.2

James Monroe Middle

James Monroe Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Sierra Sands Unified:

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Rank History for James Monroe Middle

Rank History for all students at James Monroe Middle

Rank History for English Language Learner students at James Monroe Middle

Rank History for Special Education students at James Monroe Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James Monroe Middle

Rank History for Female students at James Monroe Middle

Rank History for Disabled students at James Monroe Middle

Rank History for Male students at James Monroe Middle

Rank History for African American students at James Monroe Middle

Rank History for Hispanic students at James Monroe Middle

Rank History for White students at James Monroe Middle

Enrollment information for James Monroe Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at James Monroe Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio James Monroe Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on James Monroe Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near James Monroe Middle