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China Lake Junior High

Q: Is China Lake Junior High a good school?

China Lake Junior High ranks 1942 nd of 2740 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public Grades 7-8

1942^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,740 California Middle Schools

Better than 29% of California middle schools

Summary

China Lake Junior High in Ridgecrest, California, serves 643 students in grades 7–8. Its clearest academic concern is that proficiency is below both Sierra Sands Unified and California in all three reported subjects, with the largest state gap in math.

ELA is the school’s strongest subject against both benchmarks, while math is its weakest relative to the state. In 2025–2026, ELA proficiency was 37%, compared with 43% in the district and 49% statewide; math was 20%, versus 28% and 38%; and science was 22%, versus 30% and 36%. The state gaps were 13 points in ELA, 18 in math, and 14 in science. Eighth graders also scored higher than seventh graders in both ELA (42% versus 30%) and math (25% versus 15%). Chronic absenteeism is another concern: 29% at the school, compared with 27% in the district and 18% statewide. No nearby-school records were supplied, so neighborhood comparisons are not possible.

Over time, the school’s state gap narrowed in ELA, from 16 points in 2022–2023 to 13 in 2025–2026, but widened in math from 15 to 18 points and in science from 10 to 14. SchoolDigger placed the school at the 29th percentile with 1 star in 2025–2026, down from the 67th percentile in 2015–2016; its recent ranking rose from 26 to 29, while the district was at the 36th percentile and 2 stars. One notable subgroup result is SchoolDigger’s English Language Learner effectiveness ranking, which fell from the 51st percentile in 2021–2022 to the 11th in 2023–2024, indicating a much lower relative showing in how well the school serves this group. The student-teacher ratio was 21.6 in 2024–2025, and 56% of students were reported as free/reduced lunch eligible that year.

643

Students ?

21.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,133

Per pupil spending ?

56.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in California receive free school meals.

200 East Drummond Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555-3119

(760) 499-1820

District: Sierra Sands Unified

Students who attend China Lake Junior High usually attend:

High:

Sherman E. Burroughs High

Feeder schools for China Lake Junior High:

Elementary:	Gateway Elementary
	Pierce Academy of the Arts
	Richmond Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

43.4%

Hispanic:

36.4%

African American:

6.7%

See top rated California middle schools

Compare China Lake Junior High to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 67th percentile in 2016 → 29th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (27% vs 42% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (29% vs 18% California)

!Ranking has slipped — down 38 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school27%

District avg35%

California avg42%

1,942^nd of 2,740

California public middle schools ?

Bottom 29%▼ down 38 pts since 2016

From top 33% (2016) to bottom 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

972^nd of 1,530Sierra Sands Unified 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	27.3	1942 of 2740	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	24.5	2036 of 2761	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.8	1677 of 2783	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.5	1822 of 2781	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.7	1347 of 2740	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.6	496 of 894	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	56.3	991 of 2715	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.2	1096 of 2480	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	62.3	835 of 2508	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2016	61.4	830 of 2497	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2015	71.3	622 of 2477	74.9%	★★★★☆
2013	71.5	555 of 2379	76.7%	★★★★☆
2012	67.7	634 of 2259	71.9%	★★★★☆
2011	62.0	761 of 2236	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2010	62.2	731 of 2179	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2009	64.8	634 of 2063	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	65.7	576 of 2005	71.3%	★★★★☆
2007	61.1	659 of 1999	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	59.2	644 of 1804	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2005	69.0	461 of 1777	74.1%	★★★★☆
2004	62.3	561 of 1769	68.3%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	30.1	410 of 594	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.2	411 of 609	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.1	430 of 627	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.5	473 of 613	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	50.9	259 of 637	59.3%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2022	52.4	525 of 1531	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	51.1	122 of 354	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	44.5	653 of 1491	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	43.0	626 of 1369	54.3%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	28.5	1311 of 1478	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.4	1325 of 1521	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	40.3	751 of 1540	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	36.3	240 of 363	33.9%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	25.6	1844 of 2516	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	23.9	1915 of 2533	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.3	1663 of 2551	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	27.1	1776 of 2531	29.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	41.3	1298 of 2509	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.1	432 of 738	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.0	984 of 2380	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.7	1011 of 2262	55.3%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	18.1	2031 of 2357	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	16.2	2140 of 2395	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.9	1875 of 2388	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.5	2206 of 2374	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	34.0	1490 of 2359	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	43.4	1148 of 2213	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.6	947 of 2072	54.3%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	17.7	2216 of 2529	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	15.3	2300 of 2542	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	25.8	1954 of 2579	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.2	2247 of 2531	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.8	1341 of 2458	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.7	360 of 721	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.2	957 of 2369	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	46.2	1080 of 2230	51.6%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	28.0	1749 of 2514	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.7	1894 of 2534	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	36.4	1460 of 2552	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.5	1597 of 2538	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	45.3	1180 of 2527	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	43.2	393 of 763	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	56.8	887 of 2407	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.8	1022 of 2273	55.0%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	11.8	648 of 735	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	12.0	651 of 726	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.4	466 of 665	29.9%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	28.0	1211 of 1605	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	38.6	834 of 1566	46.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.5	764 of 1552	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	41.6	731 of 1531	52.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2026	19.4	1221 of 1490	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	16.6	1300 of 1520	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.6	1171 of 1537	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	19.5	1253 of 1543	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.1	1149 of 1555	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.8	977 of 1602	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	31.6	1049 of 1496	29.9%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Disabled (2022)66th percentile+15 vs school

African American (2026)31st percentile~ school

Male (2026)30th percentile~ school

Female (2026)27th percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)25th percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)18th percentile-11 vs school

Hispanic (2026)14th percentile-15 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)12th percentile-17 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)12th percentile-17 vs school

English Language Learner (2024)11th percentile-28 vs school

By subject vs California (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy37%-13 vs state

Science22%-14 vs state

Mathematics20%-18 vs state

★

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Schools Near China Lake Junior High

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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 8th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	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 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
China Lake Junior High	Public	7-8	200 East Drummond Ave.	Ridgecrest	93555	Kern County	Sierra Sands Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(760) 499-1820	643	30	21.6	56.1%	279 (43.4%)	43 (6.7%)	234 (36.4%)	32 (5.0%)	9 (1.4%)	4 (0.6%)	42 (6.5%)	27.3	1942^nd of 2740 public middle schools	29.1%		24.5	2036^th of 2761 public middle schools	26.3%	94	21.5	21.5	30.4	42.4	36.6	14.8	24.6	19.9	$16,133	$1,091	$15,042

Frequently Asked Questions about China Lake Junior High

What district is China Lake Junior High in?

Sierra Sands Unified

Is China Lake Junior High a good school?

China Lake Junior High ranks 1942^nd of 2740 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend China Lake Junior High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 643 students attended China Lake Junior High.

What high school do graduates of China Lake Junior High attend?

Students who attend China Lake Junior High usually go on to attend Sherman E. Burroughs High

What is the racial makeup of China Lake Junior High?

Students at China Lake Junior High are 43% White, 36% Hispanic, 7% African American, 7% Two or more races, 5% Asian, 1% American Indian.

Rate China Lake Junior High!

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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.