Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Summary:

Sherman Thomas STEM Academy is a public charter middle school located in Madera, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 75 students. This standout school has consistently ranked highly in the state, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranking in the top 5% of California middle schools in recent years.

The school's academic performance is truly exceptional, significantly outperforming the state averages in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics on the Smarter Balanced Assessments. For example, in 2023-2024, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy had 81.58% of students proficient or better in ELA End of Course, compared to the state average of 47.04%. In Mathematics End of Course, the school had 73.68% proficient or better, compared to the state's 35.54%. The school also excels in serving various student subgroups, ranking in the top 5% of California middle schools for Hispanic students and low socioeconomic status students in ELA and Mathematics.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Tenaya Middle, Glacier Point Middle, and Thomas Jefferson Middle, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy stands out as a high-performing outlier, with significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates and higher academic proficiency rates. This exceptional performance is even more impressive considering the school's proximity to several lower-performing middle schools in the Madera Unified district.

Detail:

Public, Charter 6-8

51 East Adell St.
Madera, CA 93638

(559) 871-5490

District: Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District

SchoolDigger Rank:
138^th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 27.6

Number of students: 76

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

69.7%

White:

19.7%

Asian:

6.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 43.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Sherman Thomas STEM Academy ranks better than 95% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.43. (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

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sherman Thomas STEM Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Sherman Thomas STEM Academy 138^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Sherman Thomas STEM Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Hispanic students:

Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District:

SchoolDigger ranks Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District 45^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

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Rank History for all students at Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	90.63	251^st	2715	90.8%
2021	94.03	48^th	894	94.6%
2022	96.35	104^th	2740	96.2%
2023	96.98	96^th	2802	96.6%
2024	95.43	138^th	2777	95.0%

See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	99.00	25^th	2575	99.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	92.53	177^th	2509	92.9%
2024	92.96	182^nd	2546	92.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	94.31	148^th	2407	93.9%
2021	98.56	20^th	763	97.4%
2022	97.41	68^th	2527	97.3%
2023	97.64	63^rd	2558	97.5%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2019	94.82	70^th	2213	96.8%
2022	99.56	12^th	2359	99.5%
2023	99.75	4^th	2391	99.8%
2024	98.50	28^th	2383	98.8%

See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic 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 Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2019	22	2	2	47	1	74
2020	26	1	2	46	1	76
2021	30	1	1	42	0	74
2022	24	1	3	43	4	75
2023	21	0	3	47	4	75
2024	15	0	5	53	3	76

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 Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	74	2.5	29.6	41.9
2020	76	n/a	n/a	36.8
2021	74	2.7	26.9	27
2022	75	2.7	27.2	24
2023	75	2.7	27.2	37.3
2024	76	2.7	27.6	43.4

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 Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	74	2.5	29.6	41.9
2020	76	n/a	n/a	36.8
2021	74	2.7	26.9	27
2022	75	2.7	27.2	24
2023	75	2.7	27.2	37.3
2024	76	2.7	27.6	43.4

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 Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

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 251^st of 2715 Middle schools	Ranks 96^th of 2802 Middle schools	5.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sherman Thomas STEM Academy)	54.6	83.3	28.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	48.5	44.2	4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Sherman Thomas STEM Academy)	63.6	66.7	3%
6th Grade Mathematics (California)	38.5	33.2	5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sherman Thomas STEM Academy)	89.3	96.4	7.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	51.4	47.4	3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sherman Thomas STEM Academy)	71.4	60.7	10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (California)	37.9	33.2	4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sherman Thomas STEM Academy)	80	78.3	1.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)	49.4	45.7	3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sherman Thomas STEM Academy)	60	65.2	5.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (California)	36.6	29.9	6.7%
8th Grade Science (Sherman Thomas STEM Academy)	64	78.3	14.3%
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	74	75	1.4%
African American	2	0	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	3	50%
Hispanic	47	47
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	22	21	4.5%
Two or More Races	1	4	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	41.9%	37.3%	4.6%

Schools Near Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

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 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science End of Course	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 5th Grade	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 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	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
Sherman Thomas STEM Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	51 East Adell St.	Madera	93638	Madera County	Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 871-5490	76	3	27.6	43.4%	15 (19.7%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (69.7%)	5 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.9%)	95.4	138^th of 2777 public middle schools	95.0%		97	96^th of 2802 public middle schools	96.6%	42		85.7	85.7			60.9	84.0	96.4	81.6			56.5	80.0	82.1	73.7
Jack G. Desmond Middle	Public	7-8	26490 Martin St.	Madera	93638	Madera County	Madera Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 674-1775	813	41	19.7	91.1%	37 (4.6%)	4 (0.5%)	754 (92.7%)	4 (0.5%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.2%)	26.5	1968^th of 2777 public middle schools	29.1%		26.5	1972^nd of 2802 public middle schools	29.6%	4		18.5	18.5				36.7	32.3	34.5				13.8	11.9	12.8	$1,794
Thomas Jefferson Middle	Public	7-8	1407 Sunset Ave.	Madera	93637	Madera County	Madera Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 673-9286	1,026	48	21.2	85.4%	63 (6.1%)	10 (1.0%)	918 (89.5%)	14 (1.4%)	6 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (1.5%)	24.9	2033^rd of 2777 public middle schools	26.8%		26	1997^th of 2802 public middle schools	28.7%	36		13.1	13.1				35.4	34.8	35.1				14.4	11.2	12.8	$1,987
Martin Luther King Junior Middle	Public	7-8	601 Lilly St.	Madera	93638	Madera County	Madera Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 674-4681	917	46	19.7	96.3%	13 (1.4%)	13 (1.4%)	874 (95.3%)	6 (0.7%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (0.9%)	14.9	2476^th of 2777 public middle schools	10.8%		15.8	2471^st of 2802 public middle schools	11.8%	5		11.1	11.1				19.6	21.8	20.7				9.5	10.7	10.1	$1,899
Fairmead Elementary	Public	5-6	19421 Avenue 22 3/4	Chowchilla	93610	Madera County	Chowchilla Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 665-8040	473	19	25.5	91.3%	98 (20.7%)	11 (2.3%)	344 (72.7%)	9 (1.9%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.3%)								(n/a)	13.4		13.4		22.5	26.6			24.6		11.9	19.4			15.8	$5,708
Ranchos Middle	Public	7-8	12455 Road 35 1/2	Madera	93636	Madera County	Golden Valley Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 645-3550	405	18	22.8	40.0%	146 (36.0%)	5 (1.2%)	201 (49.6%)	35 (8.6%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.2%)	81.1	454^th of 2777 public middle schools	83.7%		75.7	566^th of 2802 public middle schools	79.8%	112		36.7	36.7				62.9	72.1	67.5				44.1	53.7	48.8	$9,112
Rio Vista Middle	Public	7-8	6240 West Palo Alto	Fresno	93722	Fresno County	Central Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 276-3185	801	38	20.9	71.8%	140 (17.5%)	80 (10.0%)	435 (54.3%)	133 (16.6%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	10 (1.2%)	63.1	810^th of 2777 public middle schools	70.8%		70.1	683^rd of 2802 public middle schools	75.6%	127		25.9	25.9				55.3	46.5	51.0				44.0	39.6	41.9	$5,095
Dairyland Elementary	Public	4-8	12861 Avenue 18 1/2	Chowchilla	93610	Madera County	Alview-Dairyland Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 665-2394	215	10	22.4	68.4%	75 (34.9%)	1 (0.5%)	132 (61.4%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	62.5	825^th of 2777 public middle schools	70.3%		66.4	753^rd of 2802 public middle schools	73.1%	72	27.8	32.6	30.5	46.2	55.6	38.9	56.0	56.5	50.5	46.2	38.9	38.2	32.0	47.8	39.9	$9,578
Wilson Middle	Public	7-8	1209 Robertson Blvd.	Chowchilla	93610	Madera County	Chowchilla Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 665-8070	475	22	21.6	88.6%	98 (20.6%)	12 (2.5%)	346 (72.8%)	12 (2.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.1%)	26.4	1973^rd of 2777 public middle schools	29.0%		30.8	1791^st of 2802 public middle schools	36.1%	182		16.4	16.4				26.2	36.1	31.4				17.7	16.5	17.1	$7,173
Glacier Point Middle	Public	7-8	4055 North Bryan Ave.	Fresno	93723	Fresno County	Central Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 276-3105	969	44	21.8	86.4%	71 (7.3%)	93 (9.6%)	628 (64.8%)	158 (16.3%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	14 (1.4%)	27.1	1940^th of 2777 public middle schools	30.1%		24.8	2063^rd of 2802 public middle schools	26.4%	123		15.8	15.8				35.2	31.0	33.2				19.0	15.2	17.2	$5,495

Frequently Asked Questions about Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Is Sherman Thomas STEM Academy a good school?

Yes! Sherman Thomas STEM Academy is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 138^th of 2777 California middle schools.

What district is Sherman Thomas STEM Academy in?

Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District

How many students attend Sherman Thomas STEM Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 76 students attended Sherman Thomas STEM Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Sherman Thomas STEM Academy?

Students at Sherman Thomas STEM Academy are 70% Hispanic, 20% White, 7% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

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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.