Summary:
ZIP code 95823 has two middle schools, [Samuel Jackman Middle](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/schools/1233010292/school.aspx) and [Fern Bacon Middle](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/schools/3384005241/school.aspx), both serving grades 7–8. Their latest results show different strengths by subject, but neither leads across the board. Most importantly, both schools are below state proficiency rates in all three subjects, with the largest average shortfall in science: 22 percentage points, compared with 18 points in ELA and 19 in math.
[Fern Bacon Middle](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/schools/3384005241/school.aspx) leads the 2025–26 all-grades results in ELA and math, while [Samuel Jackman Middle](https://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/schools/1233010292/school.aspx) leads in science. Fern Bacon’s ELA result is 32%, versus 31% at Samuel Jackman, and its math result is 23%, versus 17%—a 6-point lead. Samuel Jackman scores 15% in science, 2 points above Fern Bacon’s 13%. Eighth-grade results show the same pattern: Fern Bacon leads by 3 points in ELA and 9 in math, while Samuel Jackman leads by 2 in science. Both schools earn one star from SchoolDigger; its statewide ranking percentiles are 18 for Samuel Jackman and 22 for Fern Bacon.
From 2024–25 to 2025–26, both schools improved in ELA and math, but their science results diverged: Samuel Jackman fell 2 points while Fern Bacon gained 1, and the state rose 3 points. The area moved about 1 point closer to the state in ELA and math, but 4 points farther behind in science. Context differs, too: chronic absenteeism is 25% at Samuel Jackman and 33% at Fern Bacon, versus 18% statewide; student–teacher ratios are 20.7 and 23.2, respectively. Both report free/reduced lunch eligible for 2024–25, at 87% and 88%. These figures offer context, not an explanation for the score differences.
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