Ocala Middle

Ocala Middle is a public school serving 377 students in grades 6-8 in San Jose, part of the Alum Rock Union Elementary district, which faces significant academic challenges across its schools.

While Ocala's overall academic performance is below state averages, it is a middle performer within its own district, ranking second in English among its peers but facing particular challenges in math and science. The school has shown a notable bright spot by significantly improving student attendance, now boasting a lower chronic absenteeism rate than both the district and state averages. Furthermore, Ocala demonstrates particular effectiveness in supporting its Special Education students, ranking above the state average for that subgroup.

Interesting comparisons emerge with nearby schools, especially high-performing charter schools like KIPP Heartwood Academy, which achieves much higher test scores while serving a similarly economically disadvantaged student population. Within the Alum Rock district, there is wide variation, with Renaissance Academy outperforming Ocala and Joseph George Middle performing significantly lower. Despite increased per-student spending in recent years, Ocala's academic rankings have declined over the past decade but appear to have recently stabilized.