Sierra Junior High

Summary:

Sierra Junior High is a public middle school located in Tollhouse, California, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 185 students. The school is part of the Sierra Unified School District, which is ranked 788 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sierra Junior High faces several challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates, lower-than-average test scores, and disparities in subgroup performance. The school's chronic absenteeism rates have risen significantly, from 12.9% in 2020-2021 to 31.5% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school's test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are consistently lower than the state and district averages. While the school ranks highly for Native American students, it struggles with White and Hispanic student performance, ranking in the bottom quartile of California middle schools for these groups.

When compared to nearby middle schools in the Clovis Unified School District, such as Clark Intermediate, Alta Sierra Intermediate, and Granite Ridge Intermediate, Sierra Junior High lags significantly in test scores, chronic absenteeism rates, and overall school rankings. These nearby schools consistently outperform Sierra Junior High across various metrics, suggesting the need for targeted interventions and support to address the underlying issues at Sierra Junior High.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 33326 Lodge Rd.
       Tollhouse, CA  93667-9644


(559) 855-8311

District: Sierra Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1497th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $3,897 Help


Students who attend Sierra Junior High usually attend:

High:    Sierra High

Feeder schools for Sierra Junior High:

Elementary:    Foothill Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  18.9 Help
Number of students:  185

Racial breakdown:

White:
55.7%
Hispanic:
23.2%
American Indian:
11.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  36.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sierra Junior High ranks worse than 53.9% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.15. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (55.7%), Hispanic (23.2%), American Indian (11.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 36.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sierra Junior High is 18.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sierra Junior High employs 9.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sierra Junior High is $3,897.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sierra Junior High:

SchoolDigger ranks Sierra Junior High 1497th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Sierra Junior High in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Sierra Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Sierra Unified 788th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Sierra Junior High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sierra Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2013 71.71 548th 2379 77.0%
2015 53.40 1022nd 2477 58.7%
2016 45.27 1237th 2497 50.5%
2017 46.76 1195th 2508 52.4%
2018 64.33 758th 2480 69.4%
2019 54.10 1050th 2715 61.3%
2021 59.38 324th 894 63.8%
2022 50.14 1176th 2740 57.1%
2023 48.23 1217th 2802 56.6%
2024 39.15 1497th 2777 46.1%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sierra Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 34.89 919th 1538 40.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sierra Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.27 622nd 2230 72.1%
2019 54.94 881st 2369 62.8%
2021 78.00 95th 721 86.8%
2022 37.27 1429th 2458 41.9%
2023 39.44 1361st 2549 46.6%
2024 41.53 1316th 2575 48.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sierra Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.39 734th 2262 67.6%
2019 51.45 1030th 2380 56.7%
2021 63.50 230th 738 68.8%
2022 38.53 1392nd 2509 44.5%
2023 47.87 1103rd 2547 56.7%
2024 43.95 1227th 2546 51.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Sierra Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 40.85 738th 1531 51.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sierra Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.57 745th 2273 67.2%
2019 53.88 942nd 2407 60.9%
2021 51.86 326th 763 57.3%
2022 59.86 813th 2527 67.8%
2023 47.60 1139th 2558 55.5%
2024 35.47 1480th 2547 41.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sierra Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 55.33 802nd 2213 63.8%
2022 29.10 1657th 2359 29.8%
2023 47.45 1057th 2391 55.8%
2024 51.76 951st 2383 60.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Sierra Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.28 2nd 18 88.9%
2022 85.33 2nd 15 86.7%
2023 79.86 3rd 16 81.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Sierra Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.81 732nd 1496 51.1%
2019 40.08 950th 1602 40.7%
2022 30.08 1098th 1555 29.4%
2023 29.82 1083rd 1552 30.2%
2024 22.11 1214th 1535 20.9%
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.

Sierra Junior 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 parent
Thursday, October 10, 2019

Open Quote the teachers really care about the mental health of their students. That is crucial for all aspects of learning. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sierra Junior High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2012 154 3 6 22 29 0 0 0 214
2013 153 7 3 16 27 0 1 0 207
2014 127 3 3 24 35 0 0 0 192
2015 109 0 1 21 27 0 1 0 159
2016 115 0 4 19 25 0 3 0 166
2017 124 0 3 24 33 0 1 0 185
2018 141 1 3 25 33 0 0 0 203
2019 127 3 5 28 26 0 3 0 192
2020 118 4 2 30 32 0 2 0 188
2021 88 5 0 23 27 0 4 0 147
2022 98 3 3 34 28 0 12 0 178
2023 103 1 5 43 22 0 11 0 185

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 Sierra Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2012 214 10.2 20.8 98.6
2013 207 10.8 19.0 42.5
2014 192 10.3 18.5 45.3
2015 159 10.0 15.9 47.2
2016 166 8.0 20.7 39.8
2017 185 9.1 20.1 48.1
2018 203 8.8 22.9 46.3
2019 192 9.5 20.2 38
2020 188 n/a n/a 44.1
2021 147 9.3 15.7 89.1
2022 178 8.8 20.1 39.9
2023 185 9.7 18.9 36.2

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 Sierra Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2012 214 10.2 20.8 98.6
2013 207 10.8 19.0 42.5
2014 192 10.3 18.5 45.3
2015 159 10.0 15.9 47.2
2016 166 8.0 20.7 39.8
2017 185 9.1 20.1 48.1
2018 203 8.8 22.9 46.3
2019 192 9.5 20.2 38
2020 188 n/a n/a 44.1
2021 147 9.3 15.7 89.1
2022 178 8.8 20.1 39.9
2023 185 9.7 18.9 36.2

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.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sierra Junior High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $3,897

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sierra Junior 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 1050th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 1217th of 2802 Middle schools
 4.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Junior High)48.851.2
 2.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Unified)47.750
 2.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sierra Junior High)26.235.4
 9.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Sierra Unified)25.636.1
 10.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Junior High)60.639.4
 21.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Unified)57.737.9
 19.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sierra Junior High)35.623.7
 11.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Sierra Unified)33.921.6
 12.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Sierra Junior High)31.722.5
 9.3%
   8th Grade Science (Sierra Unified)30.421.9
 8.5%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students192185
 3.6%
African American31
 66.7%
American Indian2622
 15.4%
Asian55
Hispanic2843
 53.6%
Pacific Islander00
White127103
 18.9%
Two or More Races311
 266.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients38%36.2%
 1.8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Sierra Junior High

Sierra Junior High ranks 1497th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Sierra Junior High usually go on to attend Sierra High

In the 2022-23 school year, 185 students attended Sierra Junior High.

Students at Sierra Junior High are 56% White, 23% Hispanic, 12% American Indian, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian.


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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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