Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its California rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Public, Charter Grades 6-8

165^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,740 California Middle Schools

Better than 94% of California middle schools

Summary

Sherman Thomas STEM Academy is a 75-student middle school serving grades 6–8 in Madera, California. Its standout finding is that it had the highest 2024–2025 proficiency results among 10 nearby schools in all three reported subjects: 85% in English language arts (ELA), 73% in math and 81% in science.

The school’s results were also well above California’s: its ELA score was 37 percentage points higher than the state’s, math was 36 points higher, and science was 48 points higher. Compared with nearby-school averages, it led by 46 points in ELA, 49 in math and 59 in science. Science is its clearest relative strength; ELA is its smallest lead over the state, though still substantial. No test-score results for the school’s district, Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District, were supplied, so a school-to-district comparison is not available.

Over the three years shown, math rose 9 percentage points, while ELA dipped 1 point and science rose 3 points. The school’s lead over the state narrowed by 3 points in ELA, widened by 7 in math and was essentially unchanged in science. Sherman Thomas STEM Academy also ranked 96th of 2,761 California schools in SchoolDigger’s 2024–2025 ranking, at the 97th percentile with five stars. Its strong results come alongside a 27.2 student-teacher ratio, higher than all nearby schools, and a small enrollment of 75. In 2024–2025, 36% of students were free/reduced lunch eligible, the lowest share among nearby schools; that is context about the school’s reported profile, not an explanation for its scores.

Students ?

27.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

36.0%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in California receive free school meals.

101 West Adell St.
Madera, CA 93638-0877

(559) 871-5490

District: Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

66.7%

White:

25.3%

Asian:

5.3%

See top rated California middle schools

Compare Sherman Thomas STEM Academy to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 91st percentile in 2019 → 94th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the California average (72% vs 42% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 6% of California middle schools

Worth a look

!Large classes — about 27 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school72%

California avg42%

165^th of 2,740

California public middle schools ?

Top 6%▲ up 3 pts since 2019

From top 9% (2019) to top 6% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

56^th of 1,530Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District among California districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	94.1	165 of 2740	94.0%	★★★★★
2025	96.7	96 of 2761	96.5%	★★★★★
2024	95.4	139 of 2783	95.0%	★★★★★
2023	97.0	95 of 2781	96.6%	★★★★★
2022	96.4	104 of 2740	96.2%	★★★★★
2021	94.0	48 of 894	94.6%	★★★★★
2019	90.6	251 of 2715	90.8%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	90.0	235 of 2516	90.7%	★★★★★
2025	92.6	180 of 2533	92.9%	★★★★★
2024	93.0	183 of 2551	92.8%	★★★★★
2022	92.5	177 of 2509	92.9%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	96.6	41 of 2357	98.3%	★★★★★
2025	99.4	15 of 2395	99.4%	★★★★★
2024	98.5	28 of 2388	98.8%	★★★★★
2023	99.7	4 of 2374	99.8%	★★★★★
2022	99.6	12 of 2359	99.5%	★★★★★
2019	94.8	70 of 2213	96.8%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	99.7	8 of 2529	99.7%	★★★★★
2025	99.8	7 of 2542	99.7%	★★★★★
2024	99.0	25 of 2579	99.0%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	96.6	78 of 2514	96.9%	★★★★★
2025	96.0	109 of 2534	95.7%	★★★★★
2023	97.6	62 of 2538	97.6%	★★★★★
2022	97.4	68 of 2527	97.3%	★★★★★
2021	98.6	20 of 763	97.4%	★★★★★
2019	94.3	148 of 2407	93.9%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)100th percentile+6 vs school

Hispanic (2026)98th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)97th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)91st percentile-3 vs school

By subject vs California (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy76%+26 vs state

Science71%+35 vs state

Mathematics69%+31 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Sherman Thomas STEM Academy and help other families decide.

Rate Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CAST Science (2026)			Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2026)						Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2026)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CAST Science 5th Grade	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	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 All Grades	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 All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sherman Thomas STEM Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	101 West Adell St.	Madera	93638	Madera County	Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 871-5490	75	3	27.2	36.0%	19 (25.3%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (66.7%)	4 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.7%)	94.1	165^th of 2740 public middle schools	94.0%		96.7	96^th of 2761 public middle schools	96.5%	69		70.8	70.8			66.7	84.6	75.0	75.7			66.7	69.2	70.8	68.9	$15,138	$667	$14,471
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	838	45	18.4	93.6%	21 (2.5%)	6 (0.7%)	803 (95.8%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	16.7	2360^th of 2740 public middle schools	13.9%		22.5	2133^rd of 2761 public middle schools	22.7%	227		15.9	15.9				28.2	28.1	28.1				17.7	11.5	14.3	$21,931	$2,798	$19,133
Thomas Jefferson Middle	Public	7-8	1407 Sunset Ave.	Madera	93637	Madera County	Madera Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 673-9286	948	50	18.9	87.7%	49 (5.2%)	11 (1.2%)	845 (89.1%)	17 (1.8%)	7 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (2.0%)	23.4	2068^th of 2740 public middle schools	24.5%		23	2102^nd of 2761 public middle schools	23.9%	34		20.3	20.3				40.7	33.3	37.1				15.3	13.5	14.4	$20,488	$2,671	$17,817
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	865	49	17.6	96.9%	16 (1.8%)	7 (0.8%)	829 (95.8%)	5 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.6%)	10.8	2568^th of 2740 public middle schools	6.3%		13.6	2492^nd of 2761 public middle schools	9.7%	76		15.2	15.2				14.4	19.7	16.9				10.0	11.6	10.8	$21,509	$2,895	$18,614
Fairmead Elementary	Public	4-6	19421 Avenue 22 3/4	Chowchilla	93610	Madera County	Chowchilla Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 665-8040	458	19	24.3	86.5%	85 (18.6%)	13 (2.8%)	339 (74.0%)	10 (2.2%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)								(n/a)	20.6		20.6	22.0	34.3	31.0			30.6	22.0	23.5	28.6			25.0	$17,899	$943	$16,956
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	452	20	23.0	36.7%	159 (35.2%)	13 (2.9%)	229 (50.7%)	35 (7.7%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.7%)	68.9	719^th of 2740 public middle schools	73.8%		70.8	656^th of 2761 public middle schools	76.2%	63		34.0	34.0				64.9	62.8	63.9				42.0	44.1	43.0	$12,936	$1,042	$11,894
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	851	37	22.9	68.6%	141 (16.6%)	64 (7.5%)	468 (55.0%)	151 (17.7%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	22 (2.6%)	51.9	1135^th of 2740 public middle schools	58.6%		67.6	724^th of 2761 public middle schools	73.8%	411		28.9	28.9				55.3	44.3	49.7				37.1	37.1	37.1	$18,197	$962	$17,235
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	216	10	20.8	58.3%	72 (33.3%)	1 (0.5%)	141 (65.3%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61.8	892^nd of 2740 public middle schools	67.4%		56.3	991^st of 2761 public middle schools	64.1%	99	29.3	39.7	35.4	59.0	53.7	60.7	43.6	50.0	52.7	56.4	36.6	39.3	43.6	44.8	44.4	$16,668	$4,245	$12,423
Wilson Middle	Public	7-8	1209 Robertson Blvd.	Chowchilla	93610	Madera County	Chowchilla Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 665-8070	470	22	21.4	89.1%	99 (21.1%)	8 (1.7%)	345 (73.4%)	9 (1.9%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.3%)	28	1910^th of 2740 public middle schools	30.3%		22.9	2112^th of 2761 public middle schools	23.5%	202		20.5	20.5				34.4	32.6	33.5				23.8	27.5	25.7	$30,850	$1,571	$29,279
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	947	44	21.6	86.9%	71 (7.5%)	86 (9.1%)	597 (63.0%)	173 (18.3%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	14 (1.5%)	32.4	1740^th of 2740 public middle schools	36.5%		24.1	2048^th of 2761 public middle schools	25.8%	308		21.1	21.1				42.4	38.8	40.7				27.9	20.6	24.5	$17,533	$1,072	$16,461

Frequently Asked Questions about Sherman Thomas STEM Academy

How many students attend Sherman Thomas STEM Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 75 students attended Sherman Thomas STEM Academy.

What district is Sherman Thomas STEM Academy in?

Sherman Thomas STEM Academy District

Is Sherman Thomas STEM Academy a good school?

Yes. Sherman Thomas STEM Academy ranks in the top 6.0% of California middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Sherman Thomas STEM Academy?

Students at Sherman Thomas STEM Academy are 67% Hispanic, 25% White, 5% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

Rate Sherman Thomas STEM Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

CACalifornia Middle School Rankings

CACalifornia District Rankings

Schools in Madera, CA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Sherman Thomas STEM Academy!

Latest California data All new data »

2024–25 school spending data (updated)NewNov 2, 2026

2013–14 through 2024–25 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesOct 15, 2026

2025–26 CAST, CSA Spanish & Smarter Balanced Assessments scoresOct 15, 2026

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.