Pierce High

Summary:

Pierce High is a public high school located in Arbuckle, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 511 students. It is part of the Pierce Joint Unified School District, which is ranked 785 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Pierce High has maintained strong graduation rates and relatively low dropout rates, its academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally below the state average. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 45.38% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to the state average of 55.73%. In Mathematics, the proficiency rate for 11th-grade students was just 15%, compared to the state average of 27.9%. The school's performance on the California Science Test (CAST) is also below the state average, with only 23.14% of 11th-grade students scoring proficient or better in 2023-2024. However, Pierce High's performance is better than the district average in both English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, suggesting the school is performing relatively well within its own district. The school has also seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 6.5% in 2018-2019 to 17.7% in 2022-2023, which is an area of concern.

Compared to nearby schools, Butte View High, Maxwell Senior High, and Sutter High generally perform better than Pierce High on academic measures, with higher test scores and graduation rates. Colusa High, another nearby school, has similar academic performance to Pierce High, but with slightly higher test scores and graduation rates. Additionally, Arbuckle Alternative High, a continuation school within the same district, has significantly lower academic performance, graduation rates, and higher chronic absenteeism compared to Pierce High.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 960 Wildwood Rd.
       Arbuckle, CA  95912-9714


(530) 476-2277

District: Pierce Joint Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1120th of 2,323 California High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,482 Help


Feeder schools for Pierce High:

Elementary:    Arbuckle Elementary
    Grand Island Elementary
Middle:    Lloyd G. Johnson Junior High

Student/teacher ratio:  19.3 Help
Number of students:  511

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
78.3%
White:
17.6%
Asian:
2.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  64.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Pierce High ranks better than 51.8% of high schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.32. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Pierce High freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 (78.3%), White (17.6%), Asian (2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 64.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pierce High is 19.3. (See more...)
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Compare Pierce High employs 26.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pierce High is $7,482.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pierce High:

SchoolDigger ranks Pierce High 1120th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Pierce High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Pierce Joint Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Pierce Joint Unified 785th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Pierce High.

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Rank History for Pierce High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Pierce High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 33.03 861st 1653 47.9%
2005 42.92 737th 1901 61.2%
2006 47.31 685th 1968 65.2%
2007 42.71 804th 2063 61.0%
2008 45.89 770th 2117 63.6%
2009 60.84 451st 2238 79.8%
2010 63.05 442nd 2281 80.6%
2011 59.62 529th 2367 77.7%
2012 56.67 632nd 2354 73.2%
2013 53.37 701st 2426 71.1%
2015 43.57 1100th 1994 44.8%
2016 36.81 1242nd 2039 39.1%
2017 50.87 1005th 2021 50.3%
2018 54.31 925th 2017 54.1%
2019 52.02 933rd 2133 56.3%
2022 35.35 1297th 2123 38.9%
2023 31.27 1378th 2348 41.3%
2024 40.32 1120th 2323 51.8%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pierce High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 27.15 945th 1044 9.5%
2023 31.11 763rd 1323 42.3%
2024 31.98 751st 1350 44.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Pierce High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 17.69 1459th 1547 5.7%
2024 19.09 1381st 1534 10.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pierce High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.77 797th 1862 57.2%
2019 50.26 923rd 1937 52.3%
2022 35.71 1232nd 1943 36.6%
2023 28.13 1465th 2247 34.8%
2024 42.14 1074th 2235 51.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pierce High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.05 756th 1760 57.0%
2019 50.20 845th 1833 53.9%
2022 39.37 1069th 1858 42.5%
2023 42.97 1003rd 2118 52.6%
2024 36.64 1166th 2098 44.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Pierce High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 17.24 1096th 1117 1.9%
2022 19.38 1096th 1161 5.6%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pierce High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.37 947th 1834 48.4%
2019 46.13 954th 1880 49.3%
2022 29.35 1304th 1916 31.9%
2023 20.89 1588th 2207 28.0%
2024 41.02 1031st 2172 52.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pierce High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.04 755th 1742 56.7%
2019 48.98 905th 1814 50.1%
2022 31.68 1274th 1861 31.5%
2023 26.99 1444th 2142 32.6%
2024 40.08 1112th 2125 47.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Pierce High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.64 626th 1173 46.6%
2019 59.12 499th 1222 59.2%
2022 39.15 731st 1204 39.3%
2023 48.98 612th 1434 57.3%
2024 65.54 373rd 1406 73.5%
See the entire list of Best California High 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.

Pierce High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Friday, August 24, 2012

Open Quote This school is awesome the sports are cool. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Pierce High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 146 8 5 121 1 n/a n/a 0 281
1989 159 10 5 117 3 n/a n/a 0 294
1990 136 9 5 138 2 n/a n/a 0 290
1991 116 11 4 127 3 n/a n/a 0 261
1992 107 10 5 140 2 n/a n/a 0 264
1993 109 9 5 129 0 n/a n/a 0 252
1994 112 15 3 132 0 n/a n/a 0 262
1995 115 7 3 149 1 n/a n/a 0 275
1996 115 7 3 149 1 n/a n/a 0 275
1997 125 8 2 170 0 n/a n/a 0 305
1998 126 13 3 190 3 n/a n/a 0 335
1999 125 11 3 203 0 n/a n/a 6 348
2000 137 6 3 204 0 n/a n/a 0 350
2001 137 9 3 212 2 n/a n/a 0 363
2002 122 10 2 227 3 n/a n/a 0 364
2003 122 10 2 227 3 n/a n/a 0 364
2004 112 7 3 233 0 n/a n/a 0 355
2005 108 7 2 257 1 n/a n/a 2 377
2006 98 5 3 257 3 n/a n/a 3 369
2007 100 5 5 263 5 n/a n/a 3 381
2008 95 5 9 279 2 n/a n/a 0 390
2009 86 8 7 259 1 2 7 0 370
2010 88 10 5 265 2 3 0 0 373
2011 84 11 5 248 2 4 0 0 354
2012 91 10 3 244 4 3 2 0 357
2013 93 6 1 267 6 3 2 0 378
2014 96 2 3 285 2 3 0 0 391
2015 101 4 6 309 2 2 0 0 424
2016 107 8 5 318 1 1 2 0 442
2017 104 8 7 322 0 1 2 0 444
2018 104 6 3 321 0 0 2 0 436
2019 101 6 2 315 0 1 2 0 427
2020 100 3 4 323 0 1 3 0 434
2021 98 4 7 361 1 1 3 0 475
2022 94 5 9 385 0 2 4 0 499
2023 90 6 10 400 0 1 4 0 511

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 Pierce High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 281 17.7 15.8 n/a
1989 294 15.7 18.7 n/a
1990 290 17.3 16.7 n/a
1991 261 17.6 14.8 n/a
1992 264 17.9 14.7 45.1
1993 252 17.0 14.8 42.9
1994 262 17.7 14.8 49.6
1995 275 17.1 16.1 49.5
1996 275 17.1 16.1 49.5
1997 305 18.3 16.7 50.8
1998 335 19.2 17.4 49.6
1999 348 19.3 18.0 43.3
2000 350 18.9 18.5 41.1
2001 363 18.8 19.3 36.1
2002 364 19.7 18.5 28.6
2003 364 19.7 18.5 28.6
2004 355 17.3 20.5 47.3
2005 377 21.0 18.0 48.8
2006 369 18.5 19.9 66.9
2007 381 17.9 21.3 62.7
2008 390 22.6 17.3 62.8
2009 370 20.8 15.5 60
2010 373 19.0 19.6 61.7
2011 354 n/a n/a 59.6
2012 357 18.2 19.5 n/a
2013 378 18.5 20.4 68.8
2014 391 18.2 21.4 62.4
2015 424 18.0 23.5 58.5
2016 442 20.0 22.1 63.1
2017 444 19.9 22.3 59.9
2018 436 21.5 20.2 62.6
2019 427 20.5 20.8 63.2
2020 434 n/a n/a 64.3
2021 475 24.0 19.7 54.1
2022 499 24.7 20.1 65.1
2023 511 26.3 19.3 64.6

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 Pierce High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 281 17.7 15.8 n/a
1989 294 15.7 18.7 n/a
1990 290 17.3 16.7 n/a
1991 261 17.6 14.8 n/a
1992 264 17.9 14.7 45.1
1993 252 17.0 14.8 42.9
1994 262 17.7 14.8 49.6
1995 275 17.1 16.1 49.5
1996 275 17.1 16.1 49.5
1997 305 18.3 16.7 50.8
1998 335 19.2 17.4 49.6
1999 348 19.3 18.0 43.3
2000 350 18.9 18.5 41.1
2001 363 18.8 19.3 36.1
2002 364 19.7 18.5 28.6
2003 364 19.7 18.5 28.6
2004 355 17.3 20.5 47.3
2005 377 21.0 18.0 48.8
2006 369 18.5 19.9 66.9
2007 381 17.9 21.3 62.7
2008 390 22.6 17.3 62.8
2009 370 20.8 15.5 60
2010 373 19.0 19.6 61.7
2011 354 n/a n/a 59.6
2012 357 18.2 19.5 n/a
2013 378 18.5 20.4 68.8
2014 391 18.2 21.4 62.4
2015 424 18.0 23.5 58.5
2016 442 20.0 22.1 63.1
2017 444 19.9 22.3 59.9
2018 436 21.5 20.2 62.6
2019 427 20.5 20.8 63.2
2020 434 n/a n/a 64.3
2021 475 24.0 19.7 54.1
2022 499 24.7 20.1 65.1
2023 511 26.3 19.3 64.6

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 Pierce High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $7,482

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Pierce High

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 933rd of 2133 High schoolsRanks 1378th of 2348 High schools
 14.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pierce High)56.334.1
 22.2%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pierce Joint Unified)5433.6
 20.4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Pierce High)17.515.2
 2.3%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Pierce Joint Unified)16.815
 1.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students427511
 19.7%
African American66
American Indian00
Asian210
 400%
Hispanic315400
 27%
Pacific Islander11
White10190
 10.9%
Two or More Races24
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients63.2%64.6%
 1.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Pierce High

Pierce High ranks 1120th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 511 students attended Pierce High.

Pierce High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Arbuckle Elementary
Elementary : Grand Island Elementary
Middle : Lloyd G. Johnson Junior High

Students at Pierce High are 78% Hispanic, 18% White, 2% Asian, 1% African American.


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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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