Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Summary:

Kunst (Tommie) Junior High is a public middle school in Santa Maria, California, serving 1,030 students in grades 7-8. The school faces several key challenges, including a high percentage of Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students, declining academic performance, and rising chronic absenteeism.

Kunst (Tommie) Junior High has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (93.2%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 46.37% to 98.72% Hispanic students. The school consistently ranks in the bottom half of California middle schools, with a ranking between 1,427 and 2,164 out of 2,788 schools over the past 10 years. Its performance is below the state and district averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science proficiency. Additionally, Kunst (Tommie) Junior High has experienced a sharp increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 9.2% in 2018-2019 to 22.0% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the nearby schools, ranging from 14.8% to 32.2%.

While Kunst (Tommie) Junior High shares some similarities with nearby schools, such as Vandenberg Middle and Judkins Middle, it consistently underperforms these schools in academic measures. For example, Vandenberg Middle and Judkins Middle, which are in different districts, outperform Kunst (Tommie) Junior High in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science proficiency. Addressing the root causes of Kunst (Tommie) Junior High's challenges, such as the high percentage of economically disadvantaged students and the spike in chronic absenteeism, will be crucial for improving student outcomes and the school's overall standing within the state.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 930 Hidden Pines Way
       Santa Maria, CA  93458-1419


(805) 361-5800

District: Santa Maria-Bonita

SchoolDigger Rank:
2174th of 2,802 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,708 Help


Students who attend Kunst (Tommie) Junior High usually attend:

High:    Pioneer Valley High

Feeder schools for Kunst (Tommie) Junior High:

Elementary:    Ontiveros (Juan Pacifico) Elementary
    Taylor (Ida Redmond) Elementary
    Tunnell (Martin Luther) Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  18.3 Help
Number of students:  1,030

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
93.2%
Asian:
2.9%
White:
2.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  61.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Kunst (Tommie) Junior High ranks worse than 77.6% of middle schools in California. It also ranks first among 4 ranked middle schools in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.07. (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 Kunst (Tommie) Junior High has the largest middle school student body size in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (93.2%), Asian (2.9%), White (2.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 61.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High is 18.3, which is the 2nd best among 4 middle schools in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. (See more...)
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Compare Kunst (Tommie) Junior High employs 56 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High is $8,708. 2 middle schools in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Kunst (Tommie) Junior High:

SchoolDigger ranks Kunst (Tommie) Junior High 2174th of 2802 California public middle schools. (See Kunst (Tommie) Junior High in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Santa Maria-Bonita:

SchoolDigger ranks Santa Maria-Bonita 1382nd of 1563 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

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Rank History for all students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2007 54.41 800th 1999 60.0%
2008 56.68 770th 2005 61.6%
2009 57.71 804th 2063 61.0%
2010 57.85 841st 2179 61.4%
2011 58.38 872nd 2236 61.0%
2012 44.64 1226th 2259 45.7%
2013 43.09 1346th 2379 43.4%
2015 40.66 1320th 2477 46.7%
2016 44.71 1255th 2497 49.7%
2017 38.86 1427th 2508 43.1%
2018 37.14 1455th 2480 41.3%
2019 36.79 1559th 2715 42.6%
2022 23.55 2055th 2740 25.0%
2023 22.07 2174th 2802 22.4%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.91 955th 1364 30.0%
2019 29.88 1128th 1442 21.8%
2022 33.57 1045th 1540 32.1%
2023 39.28 803rd 1529 47.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 22.69 1365th 1538 11.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.79 940th 2230 57.8%
2019 48.07 1074th 2369 54.7%
2022 32.91 1582nd 2458 35.6%
2023 25.55 1952nd 2549 23.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 20.81 78th 86 9.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 51.03 131st 336 61.0%
2023 35.20 208th 321 35.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.36 1358th 2262 40.0%
2019 33.10 1513th 2380 36.4%
2022 22.63 1944th 2509 22.5%
2023 23.57 1948th 2547 23.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.44 1113th 1369 18.7%
2019 17.50 1471st 1491 1.3%
2022 26.37 1208th 1531 21.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.74 1376th 2273 39.5%
2019 38.48 1357th 2407 43.6%
2022 24.87 1854th 2527 26.6%
2023 21.13 2046th 2558 20.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.55 927th 2072 55.3%
2019 47.21 1017th 2213 54.0%
2022 29.74 1634th 2359 30.7%
2023 27.53 1741st 2391 27.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.39 1118th 1496 25.3%
2019 33.60 1080th 1602 32.6%
2022 32.97 1044th 1555 32.9%
2023 29.56 1086th 1552 30.0%
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.

Kunst (Tommie) Junior High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2005 107 16 48 604 2 n/a n/a 0 777
2006 105 11 51 607 4 n/a n/a 0 778
2007 100 15 49 660 6 n/a n/a 0 830
2008 90 9 47 654 4 n/a n/a 0 804
2009 86 8 38 644 3 2 2 0 783
2010 57 9 40 663 3 3 0 0 775
2011 59 19 41 662 3 2 0 0 786
2012 66 13 45 704 3 3 1 0 835
2013 51 13 48 707 2 5 2 0 828
2014 40 10 41 678 1 5 1 0 776
2015 42 12 41 678 4 4 1 0 782
2016 40 10 35 678 4 2 1 0 770
2017 55 6 40 923 4 1 1 0 1030
2018 45 3 42 1038 3 0 2 0 1133
2019 34 6 33 1016 3 0 7 0 1099
2020 40 8 28 1010 3 0 10 0 1099
2021 35 8 28 997 3 0 13 0 1084
2022 32 8 32 907 2 0 11 0 992
2023 29 4 30 960 1 0 6 0 1030

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 Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 777 38.0 20.4 68.9
2006 778 42.5 18.3 59.5
2007 830 42.8 19.4 57
2008 804 49.9 16.1 63.2
2009 783 38.3 17.4 69.5
2010 775 37.6 20.6 73.9
2011 786 n/a n/a 71.1
2012 835 36.7 22.7 n/a
2013 828 38.9 21.2 72.6
2014 776 37.3 20.7 70.9
2015 782 34.0 23.0 77.4
2016 770 38.0 20.2 76.5
2017 1030 48.6 21.1 73.6
2018 1133 53.6 21.1 81.5
2019 1099 50.6 21.7 81.1
2020 1099 n/a n/a 82.2
2021 1084 58.0 18.6 82.7
2022 992 52.0 19.0 78.8
2023 1030 56.0 18.3 61.1

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 Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 777 38.0 20.4 68.9
2006 778 42.5 18.3 59.5
2007 830 42.8 19.4 57
2008 804 49.9 16.1 63.2
2009 783 38.3 17.4 69.5
2010 775 37.6 20.6 73.9
2011 786 n/a n/a 71.1
2012 835 36.7 22.7 n/a
2013 828 38.9 21.2 72.6
2014 776 37.3 20.7 70.9
2015 782 34.0 23.0 77.4
2016 770 38.0 20.2 76.5
2017 1030 48.6 21.1 73.6
2018 1133 53.6 21.1 81.5
2019 1099 50.6 21.7 81.1
2020 1099 n/a n/a 82.2
2021 1084 58.0 18.6 82.7
2022 992 52.0 19.0 78.8
2023 1030 56.0 18.3 61.1

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 Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $8,708

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Kunst (Tommie) 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 1559th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 2174th of 2802 Middle schools
 20.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Kunst (Tommie) Junior High)44.934
 10.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Maria-Bonita)39.227.5
 11.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Kunst (Tommie) Junior High)30.716.8
 13.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Santa Maria-Bonita)24.212.8
 11.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Kunst (Tommie) Junior High)41.724.2
 17.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Santa Maria-Bonita)35.323.1
 12.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Kunst (Tommie) Junior High)3113.1
 17.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Santa Maria-Bonita)26.811.4
 15.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Kunst (Tommie) Junior High)13.49.7
 3.7%
   8th Grade Science (Santa Maria-Bonita)15.29.7
 5.4%
   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 Students10991030
 6.3%
African American64
 33.3%
American Indian31
 66.7%
Asian3330
 9.1%
Hispanic1016960
 5.5%
Pacific Islander00
White3429
 14.7%
Two or More Races76
 14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients81.1%61.1%
 20%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Kunst (Tommie) Junior High

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,030 students attended Kunst (Tommie) Junior High.

Kunst (Tommie) Junior High ranks in the bottom 22.4% of California middle schools.

Students who attend Kunst (Tommie) Junior High usually go on to attend Pioneer Valley High

Students at Kunst (Tommie) Junior High are 93% Hispanic, 3% Asian, 3% White.


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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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