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Carl Smith Middle

Q: Is Carl Smith Middle a good school?

Carl Smith Middle ranks 1571 st of 2761 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

1571^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,761 California Middle Schools

Better than 43% of California middle schools

Summary

Carl Smith Middle is a public middle school located in Terra Bella, California, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 273 students. The school is part of the Terra Bella Union Elementary School District, which is ranked 946 out of 1,565 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Carl Smith Middle has consistently underperformed compared to the state average in academic assessments, with proficiency rates below the state average in English Language Arts/Literacy, Mathematics, and Science. However, the school's performance for English Language Learner (ELL) students is a bright spot, with the school ranking in the top 167 out of 1,477 California middle schools for this subgroup in 2023-2024. The school has also struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 19.3% to 24.9% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high concentration of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Cecil Avenue Math and Science Academy, La Vina Middle, and Sequoia Middle, Carl Smith Middle generally underperforms in academic assessments, with lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. However, the school's performance for ELL students is a standout, with the school ranking significantly higher than the nearby schools in this subgroup. The school's high chronic absenteeism rate is also a concern, as it is consistent with the rates observed in the nearby schools.

262

Students ?

20.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$24,123

Per pupil spending ?

93.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

23825 Avenue 92
Terra Bella, CA 93270-9400

(559) 535-4451

District: Terra Bella Union Elementary

Feeder schools for Carl Smith Middle:

Elementary:

Terra Bella Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

97.7%

White:

1.5%

Asian:

0.4%

See top rated California middle schools

Compare Carl Smith Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 13th percentile in 2015 → 43rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 30 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

!Test scores below the California average (31% vs 41% meeting standards)

!Mathematics scores 16 pts below the California average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school31%

District avg32%

California avg41%

1,571^st of 2,761

California public middle schools ?

Bottom 43%▲ up 30 pts since 2015

From bottom 13% (2015) to bottom 43% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of California Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

935^th of 1,543Terra Bella Union Elementary 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
2025	37.2	1571 of 2761	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.9	1569 of 2783	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.0	1395 of 2781	49.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.6	1597 of 2740	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	23.1	699 of 894	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.9	2101 of 2715	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.6	1734 of 2480	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2017	14.3	2245 of 2508	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	8.7	2376 of 2497	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	16.0	2159 of 2477	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	22.5	1938 of 2379	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	32.8	1561 of 2259	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	33.7	1540 of 2236	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2010	36.2	1412 of 2179	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2009	32.1	1413 of 2063	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2008	31.8	1380 of 2005	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	25.9	1501 of 1999	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	19.8	1486 of 1804	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	16.3	1546 of 1777	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	18.5	1483 of 1769	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2024	68.6	167 of 1478	88.7%	★★★★☆
2023	73.5	150 of 1521	90.1%	★★★★★
2022	67.4	217 of 1540	85.9%	★★★★☆
2021	62.7	62 of 363	82.9%	★★★★☆
2019	56.5	335 of 1442	76.8%	★★★★☆
2018	81.5	134 of 1364	90.2%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	42.0	1316 of 2533	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.2	1536 of 2551	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.5	1249 of 2531	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	35.5	1483 of 2509	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	20.6	617 of 738	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.9	1984 of 2380	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.2	1664 of 2262	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	50.3	1012 of 2395	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.1	1096 of 2388	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.0	845 of 2374	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.6	1145 of 2359	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	30.5	1529 of 2213	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.7	1221 of 2072	41.1%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	46.6	1188 of 2542	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.5	1093 of 2579	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.6	859 of 2531	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.5	1124 of 2458	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	35.6	470 of 721	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	32.2	1588 of 2369	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.2	1250 of 2230	43.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	California percentile	Rating
2025	33.1	1591 of 2534	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.0	1377 of 2552	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	40.9	1311 of 2538	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.3	1473 of 2527	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	26.8	553 of 763	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	24.3	1833 of 2407	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.6	1541 of 2273	32.2%	★★☆☆☆

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)

English Language Learner (2024)89th percentile+45 vs school

Hispanic (2025)58th percentile+15 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)53rd percentile+10 vs school

Female (2025)48th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2025)37th percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs California (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts/Literacy41%-8 vs state

Science31%~ state avg

Mathematics21%-16 vs state

★

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Schools Near Carl Smith Middle

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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 (2025)				Ranking (2024)				CSA Spanish Overall (2025)				CSA Spanish Listening (2025)				CSA Spanish Writing (2025)				CSA Spanish Reading (2025)				CAST Science (2025)		Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy (2025)				Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2025)				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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CSA Spanish Overall 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Overall All Grades	CSA Spanish Listening 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Listening All Grades	CSA Spanish Writing 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Writing All Grades	CSA Spanish Reading 6th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 7th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading 8th Grade	CSA Spanish Reading All Grades	CAST Science 8th Grade	CAST Science All Grades	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts/Literacy 6th Grade	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 6th Grade	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
Carl Smith Middle	Public	6-8	23825 Avenue 92	Terra Bella	93270	Tulare County	Terra Bella Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 535-4451	262	13	20.1	93.1%	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	256 (97.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	37.2	1571^st of 2761 public middle schools	43.1%		36.9	1569^th of 2783 public middle schools	43.6%	2																	31.0	31.0	35.3	43.3	44.1	40.9	14.0	17.8	32.9	21.5	$24,123	$23,424	$699
Pioneer Middle	Public	6-8	225 East College Ave.	Porterville	93257	Tulare County	Porterville Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 782-7200	754	39	19.4	93.9%	24 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	658 (87.3%)	9 (1.2%)	52 (6.9%)	1 (0.1%)	10 (1.3%)	36.9	1585^th of 2761 public middle schools	42.6%		39.8	1470^th of 2783 public middle schools	47.2%	115	1.0	15.0	13.7	8.2	9.3	38.3	27.5	22.1	8.3	33.3	25.5	19.8	1.0	3.3	17.7	5.8	20.2	20.2	33.9	42.7	47.4	41.9	16.8	27.6	27.6	24.7	$18,859	$17,604	$1,255
Bartlett Middle	Public	7-8	335 North G St.	Porterville	93257	Tulare County	Porterville Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 782-7100	443	25	17.8	97.1%	32 (7.2%)	2 (0.5%)	395 (89.2%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	5 (1.1%)	23.9	2058^th of 2761 public middle schools	25.5%		26.1	1990^th of 2783 public middle schools	28.5%	68																	18.4	18.4		34.8	21.9	28.2		22.6	18.4	20.4	$23,102	$21,990	$1,112
Burton Community Day	Public	2-8	264 North Westwood St.	Porterville	93257	Tulare County	Burton Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 781-8020	1	1	2.0		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Buena Vista Community Day	Public	4-8	18900 Ave. 145	Porterville	93257	Tulare County	Pleasant View Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 788-2002	2	1	1.9		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (50.0%)								(n/a)																											$42,535	$39,520	$3,015
Burton Middle	Public	7-8	1155 North Elderwood St.	Porterville	93257	Tulare County	Burton Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 781-2671	586	28	20.5	83.6%	69 (11.8%)	3 (0.5%)	450 (76.8%)	33 (5.6%)	6 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (4.1%)	43.5	1381^st of 2761 public middle schools	50.0%		40.2	1452^nd of 2783 public middle schools	47.8%	71																	14.3	14.3		37.5	46.6	41.8		35.5	37.5	36.4	$20,137	$19,758	$379
Sequoia Middle	Public	7-8	1450 West Castle Ave.	Porterville	93257	Tulare County	Porterville Unified	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 788-0923	532	25	21.2	85.5%	67 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	435 (81.8%)	16 (3.0%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.9%)	52.6	1114^th of 2761 public middle schools	59.7%		50.3	1163^rd of 2783 public middle schools	58.2%	49																	31.8	31.8		52.3	50.7	51.5		31.3	28.5	29.9	$22,206	$20,926	$1,280
Pixley Middle	Public	6-8	1520 East Ct. St.	Pixley	93256	Tulare County	Pixley Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(559) 757-3018	297	17	17.1	96.3%	4 (1.3%)	4 (1.3%)	286 (96.3%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28.3	1886^th of 2761 public middle schools	31.7%		31	1770^th of 2783 public middle schools	36.4%	116																	12.4	12.4	33.7	45.9	32.0	37.7	23.3	19.4	18.6	20.3	$27,364	$24,294	$3,070
Earlimart Middle	Public	6-8	599 South Sutter St.	Earlimart	93219	Tulare County	Earlimart Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 849-2611	479	26	18.1	72.9%	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	463 (96.7%)	8 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	15	2438^th of 2761 public middle schools	11.7%		18.3	2328^th of 2783 public middle schools	16.3%	110																	8.5	8.5	16.2	27.0	40.9	28.5	4.1	5.7	8.5	6.2	$27,179	$25,384	$1,795
La Vina Middle	Public	6-8	1331 Browning Rd.	Delano	93215	Kern County	Delano Union Elementary	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(661) 721-3601	521	26	19.8	78.9%	7 (1.3%)	2 (0.4%)	417 (80.0%)	85 (16.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.5%)	67.1	740^th of 2761 public middle schools	73.2%		73.7	617^th of 2783 public middle schools	77.8%	123																	31.5	31.5	59.0	69.3	64.6	64.4	40.4	37.1	34.3	37.1	$25,857	$23,562	$2,295

Frequently Asked Questions about Carl Smith Middle

How many students attend Carl Smith Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 262 students attended Carl Smith Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Carl Smith Middle?

Students at Carl Smith Middle are 98% Hispanic, 2% White.

Is Carl Smith Middle a good school?

Carl Smith Middle ranks 1571^st of 2761 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Carl Smith Middle in?

Terra Bella Union Elementary

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Latest California data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataJul 1, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataMar 13, 2026

2024–25 CSA Spanish test scoresDec 22, 2025

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 14, 2025

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.