Gustine Middle

Gustine Middle is a public middle school serving about 370 students in grades 6-8 in the Gustine Unified school district, which ranks in the bottom 17% of all districts in California.

Academically, the school faces significant challenges, with student proficiency in English, math, and science far below state averages and the lowest among all nearby middle schools, including Mountain View Middle and Hilmar Middle. Chronic student absenteeism, at 25.3%, is also notably higher than at most neighboring schools and the state average, which likely impacts learning. Furthermore, the school's per-student spending is dramatically lower—by 32% to 73%—than surrounding schools, a stark difference that coincides with its lower academic outcomes.

Despite these broad challenges, the school shows a relative strength in serving English Language Learner students. However, it struggles profoundly with special education services, ranking in the bottom 1-2% for that student group. The school's performance has declined over the past decade, and while chronic absenteeism has improved since a post-pandemic peak, academic scores have not recovered similarly. The close comparison to Yolo Junior High, a school just five miles away with a similar student population but much higher funding and better results, highlights a complex situation for Gustine Middle involving resources, attendance, and academic support.