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.
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Detail:
Public 7-8
District:
Santa Maria-Bonita
SchoolDigger Rank:
2174th of 2,802 California Middle Schools
Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,708
Students who attend Kunst (Tommie) Junior High usually attend:
Feeder schools for Kunst (Tommie) Junior High:
Student/teacher ratio: 18.3
Number of students: 1,030
Racial breakdown:
Hispanic:
93.2%
Asian:
2.9%
White:
2.8%
more
Two or more races:
0.6%
African American:
0.4%
American Indian:
0.1%
Free/discounted lunch recipients: 61.1%
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