Pioneer Middle

Summary:

Pioneer Middle is a public middle school located in Porterville, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 736 students. The school is part of the Porterville Unified School District, which is ranked 974 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pioneer Middle faces several key challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates, consistently low academic performance across core subject areas, and significant disparities in the performance of different student subgroups. The school's chronic absenteeism rates have risen significantly, from 7.4% in 2018-2019 to 37.2% in 2021-2022, which is notably higher than nearby Sequoia Middle (15.8%) and Bartlett Middle (18.2%). Academically, Pioneer Middle's proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are consistently lower than the Porterville Unified and California state averages.

While Pioneer Middle's Hispanic students and English Language Learners perform relatively better than the overall school, the school's special education students perform poorly, ranking 1,086 out of 1,550 California middle schools in 2023-2024, with a 1-star rating. This suggests the need for targeted interventions and support to address these disparities. Additionally, with over 94% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, Pioneer Middle serves a predominantly low-income student population, which may contribute to the school's academic challenges and high chronic absenteeism rates.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 225 East College Ave.
       Porterville, CA  93257-6062


(559) 782-7200

District: Porterville Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1466th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,707 Help


Students who attend Pioneer Middle usually attend:

High:    Porterville High

Feeder schools for Pioneer Middle:

Elementary:    John J. Doyle Elementary
    Santa Fe Elementary
    Vandalia Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  18.5 Help
Number of students:  717

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
84.2%
American Indian:
8.4%
White:
3.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  72.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Pioneer Middle ranks worse than 52.8% of middle schools in California. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked middle schools in the Porterville Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.83. (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
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Compare Details Pioneer Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Porterville Unified School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (84.2%), American Indian (8.4%), White (3.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 72.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pioneer Middle is 18.5. 1 middle schools in the Porterville Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Pioneer Middle employs 38.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pioneer Middle is $6,707, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Porterville Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pioneer Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Pioneer Middle 1466th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Pioneer 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:
Migrant students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
White students:


Porterville Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Porterville Unified 974th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Pioneer Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 32.56 1144th 1769 35.3%
2005 36.25 1084th 1777 39.0%
2006 20.56 1473rd 1804 18.3%
2007 15.12 1772nd 1999 11.4%
2008 30.51 1415th 2005 29.4%
2009 31.64 1428th 2063 30.8%
2010 31.46 1530th 2179 29.8%
2011 30.03 1642nd 2236 26.6%
2012 30.68 1612th 2259 28.6%
2013 29.07 1743rd 2379 26.7%
2015 20.66 1999th 2477 19.3%
2016 18.49 2079th 2497 16.7%
2017 18.60 2084th 2508 16.9%
2018 26.37 1778th 2480 28.3%
2019 28.59 1845th 2715 32.0%
2022 25.66 1967th 2740 28.2%
2023 36.99 1562nd 2802 44.3%
2024 39.83 1466th 2777 47.2%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.55 765th 1364 43.9%
2019 49.62 432nd 1442 70.0%
2022 50.53 460th 1540 70.1%
2023 51.53 419th 1529 72.6%
2024 63.29 229th 1477 84.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.07 1047th 1538 31.9%
2024 30.36 1086th 1550 29.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.86 1565th 2230 29.8%
2019 38.29 1386th 2369 41.5%
2022 33.54 1557th 2458 36.7%
2023 48.93 1063rd 2549 58.3%
2024 50.46 1022nd 2575 60.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 80.18 10th 86 88.4%
2024 84.50 6th 94 93.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.50 1630th 2262 27.9%
2019 28.42 1664th 2380 30.1%
2022 26.83 1767th 2509 29.6%
2023 38.88 1366th 2547 46.4%
2024 41.00 1306th 2546 48.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.62 1194th 1369 12.8%
2019 26.90 1125th 1491 24.5%
2022 32.97 959th 1531 37.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.23 1716th 2273 24.5%
2019 26.59 1737th 2407 27.8%
2022 25.02 1847th 2527 26.9%
2023 34.54 1520th 2558 40.6%
2024 37.81 1417th 2547 44.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.83 1268th 2072 38.8%
2019 39.21 1277th 2213 42.3%
2022 37.45 1377th 2359 41.6%
2023 54.00 868th 2391 63.7%
2024 57.54 788th 2383 66.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.07 12th 18 33.3%
2019 44.07 9th 19 52.6%
2022 33.49 11th 15 26.7%
2023 35.98 11th 16 31.3%
2024 39.93 6th 10 40.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Pioneer Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.07 1289th 1496 13.8%
2019 21.01 1283rd 1602 19.9%
2022 13.08 1396th 1555 10.2%
2024 35.90 962nd 1535 37.3%
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.

Pioneer 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 Pioneer Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1999 255 7 39 526 22 n/a n/a 1 850
2000 249 9 37 481 26 n/a n/a 1 803
2001 244 9 43 513 39 n/a n/a 1 849
2002 234 5 29 499 40 n/a n/a 15 822
2003 234 5 29 499 40 n/a n/a 15 822
2004 209 2 17 493 30 n/a n/a 125 876
2005 186 1 13 500 31 n/a n/a 75 806
2006 154 2 9 509 37 n/a n/a 62 773
2007 80 1 8 354 39 n/a n/a 27 509
2008 60 n/a 10 367 35 n/a n/a 0 472
2009 50 4 6 368 32 1 29 0 490
2010 53 3 8 370 42 2 5 0 483
2011 44 1 8 376 44 0 6 0 479
2012 33 2 7 410 48 1 4 0 505
2013 43 2 9 431 44 2 3 0 534
2014 42 1 11 487 35 2 6 0 584
2015 34 1 7 643 62 2 4 0 753
2016 42 1 14 665 64 2 4 0 792
2017 49 1 15 700 45 2 7 0 819
2018 57 1 19 689 44 2 10 0 822
2019 47 2 14 657 46 1 9 0 776
2020 46 1 9 661 52 1 15 0 785
2021 35 1 10 660 52 1 8 0 767
2022 33 3 9 641 59 2 10 0 757
2023 33 2 8 618 61 2 12 0 736
2024 26 1 12 604 60 2 12 0 717

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 Pioneer Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 850 40.0 21.3 64.2
2000 803 38.6 20.8 68
2001 849 40.6 20.9 70.2
2002 822 40.6 20.2 66.5
2003 822 40.6 20.2 66.5
2004 876 39.8 22.0 92.9
2005 806 41.8 19.3 90.4
2006 773 39.5 19.6 90.4
2007 509 26.8 19.0 91.1
2008 472 31.4 15.0 94.5
2009 490 26.6 16.6 94.5
2010 483 25.5 18.9 91.3
2011 479 n/a n/a 97.5
2012 505 23.6 21.3 n/a
2013 534 24.7 21.6 97.4
2014 584 25.6 22.8 96.6
2015 753 32.0 23.5 91
2016 792 35.0 22.6 84
2017 819 34.5 23.7 86.4
2018 822 35.8 22.9 83
2019 776 34.9 22.1 80.4
2020 785 n/a n/a 91.8
2021 767 35.0 21.9 93
2022 757 36.0 21.0 92.1
2023 736 36.1 20.3 94
2024 717 38.5 18.5 72.7

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 Pioneer Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 850 40.0 21.3 64.2
2000 803 38.6 20.8 68
2001 849 40.6 20.9 70.2
2002 822 40.6 20.2 66.5
2003 822 40.6 20.2 66.5
2004 876 39.8 22.0 92.9
2005 806 41.8 19.3 90.4
2006 773 39.5 19.6 90.4
2007 509 26.8 19.0 91.1
2008 472 31.4 15.0 94.5
2009 490 26.6 16.6 94.5
2010 483 25.5 18.9 91.3
2011 479 n/a n/a 97.5
2012 505 23.6 21.3 n/a
2013 534 24.7 21.6 97.4
2014 584 25.6 22.8 96.6
2015 753 32.0 23.5 91
2016 792 35.0 22.6 84
2017 819 34.5 23.7 86.4
2018 822 35.8 22.9 83
2019 776 34.9 22.1 80.4
2020 785 n/a n/a 91.8
2021 767 35.0 21.9 93
2022 757 36.0 21.0 92.1
2023 736 36.1 20.3 94
2024 717 38.5 18.5 72.7

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 Pioneer Middle

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $6,707

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pioneer 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 1845th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1562nd of 2802 Middle schools
 12.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pioneer Middle)43.124.6
 18.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Porterville Unified)37.933
 4.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Middle)20.819.4
 1.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Porterville Unified)25.426.9
 1.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
6th Grade Reading/Language Arts (Pioneer Middle)19.76.5
 13.3%
   6th Grade Reading/Language Arts (Porterville Unified)19.26.5
 12.8%
   6th Grade Reading/Language Arts (California)17.217.8
 0.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pioneer Middle)44.449.3
 4.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Porterville Unified)42.743.6
 0.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Middle)22.624.6
 2.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Porterville Unified)23.626.3
 2.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
7th Grade Reading/Language Arts (Pioneer Middle)2.98.2
 5.3%
   7th Grade Reading/Language Arts (Porterville Unified)2.98.2
 5.3%
   7th Grade Reading/Language Arts (California)4.53.5
 1.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pioneer Middle)38.542.6
 4.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Porterville Unified)35.639.1
 3.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Middle)15.314.7
 0.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Porterville Unified)19.218.1
 1.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Pioneer Middle)13.319.7
 6.4%
   8th Grade Science (Porterville Unified)17.522
 4.4%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%
8th Grade Reading/Language Arts (Pioneer Middle)1814
 4%
   8th Grade Reading/Language Arts (Porterville Unified)1814
 4%
   8th Grade Reading/Language Arts (California)9.19.5
 0.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students776736
 5.2%
African American22
American Indian4661
 32.6%
Asian148
 42.9%
Hispanic657618
 5.9%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White4733
 29.8%
Two or More Races912
 33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients80.4%94%
 13.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Pioneer Middle

In the 2023-24 school year, 717 students attended Pioneer Middle.

Pioneer Middle ranks 1466th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Pioneer Middle are 84% Hispanic, 8% American Indian, 4% White, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

Students who attend Pioneer Middle usually go on to attend Porterville High


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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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