Is California Area Middle School a good school?

California Area Middle School ranks 519 th of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend California Area Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 147 students attended California Area Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of California Area Middle School?

Students at California Area Middle School are 83% White, 9% Two or more races, 4% African American, 2% Hispanic, 1% American Indian.

What high school do graduates of California Area Middle School attend?

Students who attend California Area Middle School usually go on to attend California Area Senior High School

California Area Middle School

Summary:

California Area Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 7-8 in Coal Center, PA, with 138 students. The school is part of the California Area School District, which is ranked 462 out of 610 school districts in Pennsylvania and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite increased per-student spending, from $9,429 in 2020-2021 to $17,215 in 2021-2022, California Area Middle School has consistently underperformed compared to the state and its own school district on PSSA assessments. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 20.2% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 25.6% for the district and 40.4% for the state. The school also struggles to serve its subgroups effectively, ranking in the bottom 25% of Pennsylvania middle schools for White students, low socioeconomic status students, and disabled students on PSSA assessments.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Laurel Highlands Middle School, Carmichaels Area Middle School, and Bentworth Middle School, California Area Middle School generally underperforms. The school's declining performance over time, with its statewide ranking dropping from 173 out of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools in 2018-2019 to 519 out of 891 in 2023-2024, and the increasing economic disadvantage among its student population, suggest the need for targeted interventions to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public 7-8

11 Trojan Way
Coal Center, PA 15423-1013

(724) 785-5800

District: California Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
519^th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,215

Students who attend California Area Middle School usually attend:

High:

California Area Senior High School

Feeder schools for California Area Middle School:

Elementary:

California Area Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.9

Number of students: 147

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.0%

Two or more races:

8.8%

African American:

4.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98%

See top rated Pennsylvania middle schools

Compare California Area Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details California Area Middle School ranks worse than 58.2% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.48. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (83%), two or more races (8.8%), African American (4.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 98% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at California Area Middle School is 12.9. (See more...)

Compare California Area Middle School employs 11.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at California Area Middle School is $17,215.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

California Area Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks California Area Middle School 519^th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See California Area Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

White students:

California Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks California Area School District 462^nd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for California Area Middle School?

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Rank History for California Area Middle School

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Rank History for all students at California Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	55.41	352^nd	643	45.3%
2004	26.30	542^nd	663	18.3%
2005	64.97	276^th	687	59.8%
2006	63.90	292^nd	736	60.3%
2007	69.32	245^th	749	67.3%
2008	65.35	289^th	753	61.6%
2009	65.99	281^st	770	63.5%
2010	53.42	470^th	805	41.6%
2011	62.27	376^th	825	54.4%
2012	61.60	396^th	834	52.5%
2013	57.78	402^nd	758	47.0%
2014	44.84	468^th	728	35.7%
2015	68.40	258^th	835	69.1%
2016	73.85	210^th	870	75.9%
2017	57.59	401^st	877	54.3%
2018	68.76	267^th	861	69.0%
2019	77.95	173^rd	891	80.6%
2021	72.29	182^nd	797	77.2%
2022	48.87	480^th	883	45.6%
2023	50.17	468^th	893	47.6%
2024	44.48	519^th	891	41.8%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at California Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	40.85	532^nd	874	39.1%
2024	38.13	559^th	877	36.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at California Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	47.23	482^nd	860	44.0%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at California Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	16.32	635^th	660	3.8%
2024	23.46	554^th	672	17.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at California Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	40.33	537^th	870	38.3%

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

Rank History for White students at California Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	33.14	476^th	681	30.1%
2024	30.09	499^th	673	25.9%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept 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: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for California Area Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	738	24	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	764
1989	829	28	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	860
1990	258	6	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	264
1991	776	29	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	806
1992	768	28	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	802
1993	304	10	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	315
1994	301	10	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	312
1995	257	14	1	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	275
1996	257	14	1	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	275
1997	251	11	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	264
1998	231	4	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	237
1999	675	34	11	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	720
2000	672	35	9	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	716
2001	649	31	7	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	688
2002	669	28	1	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	701
2003	669	28	1	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	701
2004	651	39	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	696
2005	231	15	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	250
2006	222	6	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	237
2007	219	10	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	231
2008	213	8	4	2	5	n/a	n/a	8	240
2009	217	5	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	9	234
2010	144	3	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	8	156
2011	144	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	144
2012	126	6	0	0	3	0	0	0	135
2013	166	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	176
2014	149	10	0	1	0	0	0	0	160
2015	125	9	0	1	1	0	0	0	136
2016	122	10	0	0	1	0	0	0	133
2017	123	7	0	1	2	0	0	0	133
2018	131	7	0	2	3	0	0	0	143
2019	123	13	0	0	1	0	3	0	140
2020	102	10	0	0	1	0	5	0	118
2021	120	11	0	1	1	0	1	0	134
2022	135	11	0	0	0	0	5	0	151
2023	121	6	1	2	0	0	8	0	138
2024	122	6	1	3	2	0	13	0	147

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 California Area Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	764	42.9	17.8	n/a
1989	860	48.5	17.7	n/a
1990	264	18.0	14.6	0
1991	806	49.8	16.1	n/a
1992	802	48.2	16.6	n/a
1993	315	17.0	18.5	n/a
1994	312	18.0	17.3	n/a
1995	275	16.0	17.2	n/a
1996	275	16.0	17.2	n/a
1997	264	17.0	15.5	n/a
1998	237	15.4	15.4	n/a
1999	720	39.0	18.5	n/a
2000	716	39.0	18.4	12
2001	688	42.0	16.4	10.3
2002	701	43.6	16.1	36.9
2003	701	43.6	16.1	36.9
2004	696	43.0	16.2	0
2005	250	16.2	15.4	98.8
2006	237	16.1	14.7	98.7
2007	231	16.0	14.4	n/a
2008	240	17.7	13.6	n/a
2009	234	16.7	14.0	n/a
2010	156	15.4	10.1	36.5
2011	144	15.4	9.3	45.1
2012	135	14.6	9.2	40.7
2013	176	n/a	n/a	40.3
2014	160	10.4	15.3	38.1
2015	136	10.0	13.6	47.8
2016	133	9.0	14.7	46.6
2017	133	7.9	16.6	n/a
2018	143	9.0	15.8	n/a
2019	140	9.0	15.5	48.6
2020	118	7.6	15.4	n/a
2021	134	7.8	17.1	48.5
2022	151	9.0	16.7	43.7
2023	138	11.0	12.5	61.6
2024	147	11.3	12.9	98

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 California Area Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	764	42.9	17.8	n/a
1989	860	48.5	17.7	n/a
1990	264	18.0	14.6	0
1991	806	49.8	16.1	n/a
1992	802	48.2	16.6	n/a
1993	315	17.0	18.5	n/a
1994	312	18.0	17.3	n/a
1995	275	16.0	17.2	n/a
1996	275	16.0	17.2	n/a
1997	264	17.0	15.5	n/a
1998	237	15.4	15.4	n/a
1999	720	39.0	18.5	n/a
2000	716	39.0	18.4	12
2001	688	42.0	16.4	10.3
2002	701	43.6	16.1	36.9
2003	701	43.6	16.1	36.9
2004	696	43.0	16.2	0
2005	250	16.2	15.4	98.8
2006	237	16.1	14.7	98.7
2007	231	16.0	14.4	n/a
2008	240	17.7	13.6	n/a
2009	234	16.7	14.0	n/a
2010	156	15.4	10.1	36.5
2011	144	15.4	9.3	45.1
2012	135	14.6	9.2	40.7
2013	176	n/a	n/a	40.3
2014	160	10.4	15.3	38.1
2015	136	10.0	13.6	47.8
2016	133	9.0	14.7	46.6
2017	133	7.9	16.6	n/a
2018	143	9.0	15.8	n/a
2019	140	9.0	15.5	48.6
2020	118	7.6	15.4	n/a
2021	134	7.8	17.1	48.5
2022	151	9.0	16.7	43.7
2023	138	11.0	12.5	61.6
2024	147	11.3	12.9	98

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.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for California Area Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$199 (2.0%)	$9,775 (98.0%)	$9,975
2020	$194 (2.0%)	$9,525 (98.0%)	$9,720
2021	$188 (2.0%)	$9,240 (98.0%)	$9,429
2022	$428 (2.5%)	$16,787 (97.5%)	$17,215

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on California Area Middle School

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 173^rd of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 468^th of 893 Middle schools	33%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Math (California Area Middle School)	50	23.7	26.3%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (California Area Middle School)	74.5	55	19.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (California Area Middle School)	39.2	17.9	21.3%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (California Area Middle School)	68.6	56	12.6%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (California Area Middle School)	66.7	50	16.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (California Area Middle School)	44.8	20.7	24.1%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (California Area Middle School)	68.6	56	12.6%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (California Area Middle School)	70.8	52.4	18.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	140	138	1.4%
African American	13	6	53.8%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	0	2
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	123	121	1.6%
Two or More Races	3	8	166.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48.6%	61.6%	13%

Schools Near California Area Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSSA Math (2024)					PSSA Science (2024)		PSSA English Language Arts (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
California Area Middle School	Public	7-8	11 Trojan Way	Coal Center	15423	Washington County	California Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 785-5800	147	11	12.9	98.0%	122 (83.0%)	6 (4.1%)	3 (2.0%)	1 (0.7%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (8.8%)	44.5	519^th of 891 public middle schools	41.8%		50.2	468^th of 893 public middle schools	47.6%	51			23.9	15.9	20.2	38.7	38.7			56.4	49.2	52.9	$17,215	$428	$16,787
Brownsville Area Middle School	Public	6-8	Three Falcon Drive	Brownsville	15417	Fayette County	Brownsville Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 785-2155	349	24	14.3	100.0%	284 (81.4%)	27 (7.7%)	8 (2.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.0%)	25.7	646^th of 891 public middle schools	27.5%		20.9	679^th of 893 public middle schools	24.0%	33		22.1	22.7	10.8	18.3	36.3	36.3		29.6	36.6	32.4	32.7	$16,907	$1,936	$14,971
Belle Vernon Area Middle School	Public	7-8	500 Perry Ave	Belle Vernon	15012	Fayette County	Belle Vernon Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 808-2500	347	26	13.2	99.1%	305 (87.9%)	11 (3.2%)	7 (2.0%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.2%)	64.2	321^st of 891 public middle schools	64.0%		71.7	227^th of 893 public middle schools	74.6%	94			25.0	33.3	29.1	60.4	60.4			57.1	61.1	59.0	$13,539	$752	$12,787
Monessen Middle School	Public	6-8	1245 State Rd	Monessen	15062	Westmoreland County	Monessen City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 684-7100	152	15	9.8	78.3%	61 (40.1%)	63 (41.4%)	4 (2.6%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (15.1%)	11.5	774^th of 891 public middle schools	13.1%		10.9	783^rd of 893 public middle schools	12.3%	9		4.5	7.1	2.0	4.1	15.7	15.7		29.6	21.4	29.4	27.6	$127	$13	$114
Charleroi Area Middle School	Public	6-8	100 Fecsen Dr	Charleroi	15022	Washington County	Charleroi School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 483-3600	310	23	13.4	58.7%	223 (71.9%)	32 (10.3%)	10 (3.2%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (13.5%)	49.2	469^th of 891 public middle schools	47.4%		47.9	494^th of 893 public middle schools	44.7%	25		30.2	23.6	18.6	23.9	49.0	49.0		49.4	52.8	55.6	52.8	$17,191	$1,466	$15,725
Bentworth Middle School	Public	5-8	563 Lincoln Avenue	Bentleyville	15314	Washington County	Bentworth School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 239-4431	315	28	11.3	100.0%	288 (91.4%)	7 (2.2%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.4%)	52.1	438^th of 891 public middle schools	50.8%		61.7	332^nd of 893 public middle schools	62.8%	106	19.4	35.7	13.1	25.0	23.2	55.1	55.1	42.4	62.9	40.8	57.5	51.0	$12,028	$505	$11,523
Frazier Middle School	Public	6-8	142 Constitution St	Perryopolis	15473	Fayette County	Frazier School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 736-9507	234	19	12.1	53.0%	223 (95.3%)	2 (0.9%)	3 (1.3%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	45.6	507^th of 891 public middle schools	43.1%		55.3	410^th of 893 public middle schools	54.1%	97		27.6	26.7	11.1	22.4	57.1	57.1		55.2	48.6	39.7	48.4	$19,122	$904	$18,217
Carmichaels Area Middle School	Public	6-8	215 North Vine Street	Carmichaels	15320	Greene County	Carmichaels Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 966-5045	236	15	15.2	98.7%	223 (94.5%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	7 (3.0%)	40.7	549^th of 891 public middle schools	38.4%		46.4	505^th of 893 public middle schools	43.4%	44		8.3	15.5	18.1	14.0	57.0	57.0		52.8	42.2	50.0	48.4	$33,826	$2,465	$31,362
Ringgold Middle School	Public	5-8	2 Ram Dr	Monongahela	15063	Washington County	Ringgold School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 348-7154	743	56	13.1	49.4%	605 (81.4%)	41 (5.5%)	34 (4.6%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (8.1%)	32.1	605^th of 891 public middle schools	32.1%		33.9	600^th of 893 public middle schools	32.8%	5	33.5	20.7	21.3	11.6	22.2	37.6	37.6	40.1	44.5	43.8	36.7	41.3	$12,946	$882	$12,064
Albert Gallatin North Middle School	Public	6-8	113 College Avenue	Mc Clellandtown	15458	Fayette County	Albert Gallatin Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 737-5423	371	26	14.2	100.0%	328 (88.4%)	18 (4.9%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.4%)	45.8	504^th of 891 public middle schools	43.4%		41.3	541^st of 893 public middle schools	39.4%	37		43.6	22.2	34.9	32.5	46.1	46.1		36.2	38.8	47.1	40.8	$16,502	$2,085	$14,417

California Area Middle School

California Area Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

California Area School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for California Area Middle School

Rank History for all students at California Area Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at California Area Middle School

Rank History for Female students at California Area Middle School

Rank History for Disabled students at California Area Middle School

Rank History for Male students at California Area Middle School

Rank History for White students at California Area Middle School

Enrollment information for California Area Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at California Area Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio California Area Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for California Area Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on California Area Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near California Area Middle School