Middle Schools in Ojai Unified

The Ojai Unified school district has one middle school, Nordhoff Junior High, serving grades 7 and 8.

Nordhoff Junior High shows a clear strength in managing student attendance, with a chronic absenteeism rate significantly better than both the district and state averages. However, academic performance is an area of concern, as the school's statewide ranking has declined over the past three years. While its science scores are relatively close to state averages, proficiency in English and, especially, mathematics lags behind state benchmarks. Over half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating the school serves a population with considerable economic need.

For parents, the key takeaway is a school that successfully engages students to show up but faces academic challenges common across the Ojai Unified district. The school's performance in mathematics has the largest gap compared to the state, suggesting this is a primary focus for improvement. The better-than-average attendance is a positive foundation that the school can potentially build upon to address its academic goals.